Rust repairs and edge peeling

Because they are sawed off in the factory, the edges of the roof panel are relatively vulnerable. They only have a zinc coating and are, to a degree, cathodically protected. Nonetheless, once the zinc is sacrificed to the steel, problems may appear eventually.

90% of the time, edge peeling will occur in the area between the roof panels and the gutter or overlaps / butt seams. This is because dirt adheres most easily in these spots. Combined with UV radiation, this means issues are more likely to occur here. Timely maintenance is essential. In fact, for many suppliers, this is part of the warranty terms.

Edge peeling can affect your sheeting so severely that leaks may form eventually. Due to the capillary action of water (rising moisture), the problem will only grow worse. Without proper treatment, edge peeling will lead to serious delamination (large, detached parts of the coating, see delamination). In many cases, this means the sheeting will have to be replaced, or a new coating will have to be applied.

Installing a cover will certainly help. With a cover, the edges will no longer be directly exposed to UV radiation, which will significantly slow the degradation process. On top of that, a cover looks sleek and ensures any water or snow ends up neatly in the gutter. However, these covers can generally only be applied to the gutter.

In many cases, proper, regular maintenance may limit or entirely prevent the effects of edge peeling. Depending on environmental factors, edge peeling often occurs despite long warranty speculations by coating manufacturers. The supplier can also preventively treat the tops and fronts of the panels during assembly.

Unfortunately, the end users are often not aware of what's going on on the roof and only find out after a long time.

9 out of 10 times, panels and profiles feature a coil coating, which is also known as pre-painted steel or aluminium. This could be a colorcoat prisma, PVDF, silicon polyester, or an HPS Plastisol coating, among others. Coil coating is a factory process involving extreme heat. As such, it cannot be applied for repairs.

The products we use are derived from the automotive sector and were specifically designed for repairs to sandwich panels and profiles. The paints seamlessly fit the applied coil coat when it comes to durability and appearance. We are familiar with all types of coating systems and always have the most common colours in stock.

It is often difficult to assess the costs, as they depend on the size of the project, accessibility, paint type and local circumstances. Ask one of our experts about the options. In many cases, we can help you solve your problem!