If you have a shingle roof, you probably wish that it lasted longer. High-quality shingle roofs can last for up to 25 years, but in the world of roofing, that isn’t much time. As a solution, many homeowners have tried shingle roof coatings that promise to make your roof last longer and better resist Florida’s tough weather conditions.
But do these coatings really work? We’re PITCH Roofing, and as veteran local roofers, we’ve seen plenty of homes with these coatings. Today, we’re sharing our findings with you to help you make the best decision for your home!
How Do Shingle Roof Coatings Work?
Shingle roof coatings generally come in one of two materials: silicone or acrylic. In either case, the general idea is the same: You coat your roof in the mixture with the hopes of it extending your roof’s lifespan.
Usually, the person selling you a shingle roof coating will pitch it one of two ways. If your roof is old, then they’ll tell you that a roof coating will extend the life of your roof thanks to the extra durability added by another layer.
If you have a new or undamaged roof, then the selling point will be that shingle roof coatings can prevent damage from rain or wind. In this way, the idea is that a shingle roof coating will keep your roof functional for longer and save you on repair costs.
In short, no matter what the state of your roof is, someone will be willing to sell you an expensive coating for your shingle roof. But does it really work?
5 Issues With Shingle Roof Coatings
In theory, a protective coating for your roof sounds like a great way to prevent problems. The reality, unfortunately, is a little more complicated. Let’s talk about some of the biggest pitfalls that homeowners run into with these “protective” coatings!
1. A Good Shingle Roof Is Already Protected
When reading claims of what a shingle roof coating can do, you’ll hear it all. These include claims that the coatings will make your roof waterproof, improve their wind resistance, etc. There’s just one problem with these claims, though: your roof should already be able to resist the Florida elements without a problem.
Asphalt shingles are made from a baseboard of fiberglass, a thick coating of asphalt, and protective stone granules. With proper installation, shingles won’t have any trouble keeping water out of your home or resisting winds of 110 mph or more.
If your roof does struggle to hold up against wind and rain, that’s a serious problem. But the solution to roofing problems isn’t to cover your roof in a new coating. Rather, you should address the structural issues so that your roof can function as it was always intended to.
2. Shingle Roof Coatings Cause New Damage
Not only do shingle roof coatings not offer much in the way of protection, but they can actually damage your roof. When trapped under a thick coating of silicone or acrylic, your shingle loses all ability to dissipate heat. This can lead to premature curling or cracking of your shingles. As a result, your roofing system will not last as long.
For this reason, many insurance companies take issue with shingle roof coatings. Whether getting one of these coatings will void your roof’s coverage depends on your specific insurer and policy. But given that these coatings can already do more harm than good, we don’t recommend risking your coverage in Florida, where a major storm could destroy any roof, regardless of whether or not it has a coating.
3. Coatings Distort Aesthetics
When you invest in high-quality architectural shingles, part of what you pay for is their distinctive patterning. Also called dimensional shingles, these roofing materials create depth and dimension on your roof. Unfortunately, all of this beauty goes away once you add on a shingle roof coating.
Shingle coatings are generally one color, most often black or white. Not only does this obliterate that visual interest that architectural shingles create, but it also rarely looks even. That’s because shingles weren’t made to be coated in another material, and applying that coating evenly on a sloped roof can be almost impossible. As a result, most roofs with these coatings look uneven and patchy.
4. Coatings Don’t Fix Major Problems
If your roof is old or damaged, you’ve probably been told that a shingle roof coating can make it last longer for less than the cost of roof repairs or a roof replacement. But this simply isn’t true. If your roof has a real problem, then a coating won’t be able to fix it.
In some cases, coatings make the problem even worse. Take a leak for instance. If your roof has water trapped under the shingles, then applying a coating doesn’t resolve the issue — it just traps water in your roof. This can lead to rot or mold growth, both of which will be harder to fix with your shingles covered in a coating. So in the end, you can bet that your protective coating won’t actually end up saving you money!
5. Coatings Are Not Cheap
On top of all the problems above, shingle roof coatings aren’t even especially affordable. They are cheaper than roof replacements, but they’re far from cheap. This is because applying these coatings takes a lot of time and effort, so your labor costs will be substantial.
Without knowing the specific brand of shingle roof coating you’re considering or who’s offering to apply it, we can’t say exactly how large the price difference will be. In our experience, though, these coatings tend to cost around 60% of the cost of a shingle roof replacement.
So if your roof had a major issue and needed replacing, it might cost around $10,000 to get a new shingle roof (depending on many unique factors). This new shingle roof will last 20-25 years. Or you could spend around $6,000 for a shingle roof coating that may, at best, extend your roof’s lifespan by a couple of years or, at worst, damage your roof further and make your roof replacement even more expensive.
For our money, we know which one we’d pick.
Should You Get Your Shingle Roof Coated? Video
Get Quality Shingle Roofing Services
The main selling point of shingle roof coatings is that they’re cheaper, effective alternatives to real roof repair or replacement services. But as you can see, nothing could be further from the truth. At the end of the day, there is simply no substitute for quality workmanship from real professionals.
If you’re having trouble with your shingle roof, the expert crew at PITCH Roofing wants to help. For a free, no-obligation roofing estimate, call us at 727-677-4824 or schedule your estimate online. Our customers are raving about the quality of our work and our out-of-this-world customer service, so don’t waste your time and money with inferior solutions. Skip the shingle roof coating and get real, personalized help from reliable, local contractors!
Heather Ware is an In-House Roofing Specialist at PITCH Roofing. Working daily alongside our internal roofing teams, she translates complex Florida building codes and roofing techniques into clear, actionable advice for homeowners. With 4 years of experience in the Florida roofing industry, her goal is to ensure property owners have the exact facts they need to protect their investments.
