When it comes to reroofing, Australian customers have access to the two main steel brands including durable Colorbond roofing and Zincalume. As well as deciding between these two brands, there are a number of other important decisions which will help to achieve the most environmentally friendly roof possible.
Choosing a roofing material that is good at reflecting the heat and rays of the sun is highly advisable. Your home will remain cooler in the height of summer, and you will really appreciate it when we no doubt experience a 40˚C+ heatwave next summer. However, roofing is also a very important aesthetic choice, and the wrong decision can bring down the value and first impressions of a home. Striking this balance between appearance and function is one of the difficulties that homeowners undergo when redoing their roof.
Colorbond is characterised by a distinctly matte finish. This comes about from the pre-painting process, where the paint is baked on so that it never chips, cracks or fades. By contrast, Zincalume is a bare, non-painted metal. It is naturally shinier and more reflective in finish, which is considered a natural advantage in reflecting the sun. It appears that Zincalume may be better and reflecting heat. However, while this shiny silver may reflect the heat, many people hate its appearance. It can look appropriate on some modern houses, but will be totally out of place on older style properties.
It is the colour range of Colorbond that makes it so popular, both for aesthetic and functional reasons. Everybody knows that black absorbs a lot of heat. Animals have adapted in the wild to take advantage of this fact. Polar bears have black skin under their white furry camouflage for example. And we have learnt to adapt human homes in a similar fashion based on this one universal concept. In Australia, we don’t want to absorb heat, and so we tend to go for lighter coloured roofs.
In fact, The Building Code of Australia has created a basic measuring system which categorises Colorbond colours into light, medium and dark. Paler colours have a light absorbance whereas darker colours obviously have a ‘darker’ absorbance. Light colours are considered anything which absorbs less than 40% of incoming heat, whereas dark is over 60%. Mediums are in between. Classic Cream and Surf Mist are two examples of Colorbond roofing colours that are classified as light by the BCA. Building which use these attractive colours are sometimes eligible for concessions due to the increase insulative benefits.
While most people think of Colorbond’s distinctive matte finish, there are also other, more reflective options. There is a metallic roofing range from Colorbond which is far more reflective, and two of these colours receive the BCA light rating, as well as one from the Colorbond Coolmax range. The Thermatech feature unique to Colorbond goes further in ensuring that this steel is well suited to cooling the home in harsh Australian heat. This technology has in particular been incorporated into some of the darker materials, so that even these can be considered impressively energy efficient. This means that there is nothing stopping you from choosing your favourite tone that goes with the rest of your property, without the restraints of choosing only a light tone.
However you look at it, Colorbond is the clear winner in both appearance and energy efficiency. Ensure you put this job to a trusted and experienced roofing team backed by a strong reputation. If you would like to learn more about the popular Colorbond Roofing Range available.
Choosing a roofing material that is good at reflecting the heat and rays of the sun is highly advisable. Your home will remain cooler in the height of summer, and you will really appreciate it when we no doubt experience a 40˚C+ heatwave next summer. However, roofing is also a very important aesthetic choice, and the wrong decision can bring down the value and first impressions of a home. Striking this balance between appearance and function is one of the difficulties that homeowners undergo when redoing their roof.
Colorbond is characterised by a distinctly matte finish. This comes about from the pre-painting process, where the paint is baked on so that it never chips, cracks or fades. By contrast, Zincalume is a bare, non-painted metal. It is naturally shinier and more reflective in finish, which is considered a natural advantage in reflecting the sun. It appears that Zincalume may be better and reflecting heat. However, while this shiny silver may reflect the heat, many people hate its appearance. It can look appropriate on some modern houses, but will be totally out of place on older style properties.
It is the colour range of Colorbond that makes it so popular, both for aesthetic and functional reasons. Everybody knows that black absorbs a lot of heat. Animals have adapted in the wild to take advantage of this fact. Polar bears have black skin under their white furry camouflage for example. And we have learnt to adapt human homes in a similar fashion based on this one universal concept. In Australia, we don’t want to absorb heat, and so we tend to go for lighter coloured roofs.
In fact, The Building Code of Australia has created a basic measuring system which categorises Colorbond colours into light, medium and dark. Paler colours have a light absorbance whereas darker colours obviously have a ‘darker’ absorbance. Light colours are considered anything which absorbs less than 40% of incoming heat, whereas dark is over 60%. Mediums are in between. Classic Cream and Surf Mist are two examples of Colorbond roofing colours that are classified as light by the BCA. Building which use these attractive colours are sometimes eligible for concessions due to the increase insulative benefits.
While most people think of Colorbond’s distinctive matte finish, there are also other, more reflective options. There is a metallic roofing range from Colorbond which is far more reflective, and two of these colours receive the BCA light rating, as well as one from the Colorbond Coolmax range. The Thermatech feature unique to Colorbond goes further in ensuring that this steel is well suited to cooling the home in harsh Australian heat. This technology has in particular been incorporated into some of the darker materials, so that even these can be considered impressively energy efficient. This means that there is nothing stopping you from choosing your favourite tone that goes with the rest of your property, without the restraints of choosing only a light tone.
However you look at it, Colorbond is the clear winner in both appearance and energy efficiency. Ensure you put this job to a trusted and experienced roofing team backed by a strong reputation. If you would like to learn more about the popular Colorbond Roofing Range available.
