Weathered Metal Roof Upgraded to New Colorbond

The Project

This was an upgrade a long time coming. The existing metal roof on this period home had gone tired and weathered — the old sheets had lost their finish, rust had taken hold along the cappings and down the valley, and the whole roof had reached the point where patching it up was only buying time. We stripped it back and replaced it with a new Colorbond roof, taking it from worn out to a clean, sharp finish that completely changes the look of the home.

The Problems

Standing on the roof, the state of it was obvious:

• Rusted ridge and hip cappings — rust had eaten through along the capping lines, which is where water gets in first once the protective coating is gone
• A corroded valley — the valley running down between the two roof faces had rusted badly, and a valley is the last place you want failing since it carries the most water on the roof
• Weathered, chalky sheets — decades of sun and rain had stripped the finish off the sheets, leaving them dull, streaked and thinning
• Patched-over sections — mismatched sheeting and past repairs along the ridge that had never really solved the problem
• A tired look overall — a worn roof drags down the appearance of the whole home, especially on a period house with two prominent chimneys front and centre

The before shot shows it clearly — rust running the full length of the cappings and straight down the valley, with the old sheets weathered right out.

What We Did

We stripped the old sheeting off and replaced the lot with new Colorbond. The sheets were run out square across each face so the lines stay straight and consistent, and the ridge, hip and barge cappings were all renewed rather than reused. The valley was replaced and lapped properly so water is carried down and off the roof cleanly instead of leaking through a rusted-out tray, and each penetration was flashed to suit so the roof sheds water as a system.

The chimneys were flashed in and finished off so water is directed around and past them, and every edge and capping line was set to sit flush and tight. On a roof this visible from the street, that detail work is what separates a job that looks good for a season from one that looks good for decades.

The Result

The difference from the same spot on the roof is hard to miss. Where there was rust along every capping, a corroded valley and dull, weathered sheeting, there is now a clean, continuous Colorbond roof with sharp capping lines and flashings that sit flush against the chimneys.

It's not just how it looks either. The new sheets resist corrosion for decades, the replaced valley and cappings mean water is carried off the roof properly through Melbourne's heaviest weather, and the owners are out of the rust-and-repair cycle for good. A transformation like this comes down to the details — quality workmanship, neat finishes, and taking the time to get every part of the job right. Another great result from the BM Roof Plumbing team.