Commercial Metal Roofing
Coatings and Colors for Commercial Metal Roofs
A commercial metal roof's color is what everyone sees, but its coating is what decides how long that color lasts. On a large roof under full sun year-round, the finish is the difference between a building that still looks sharp in 20 years and one that has faded and chalked.
We finish our commercial roofs in a 70% Kynar 500 PVDF coating, the fluoropolymer that holds its color for decades, and we offer it in a wide palette of standard and custom colors, including cool-roof colors that help cut a building's cooling load.
Until 2026 we worked only for other roofing companies and general contractors, so on your building you are hiring the contractor they hire and skipping the markup.
What Coating Should a Commercial Metal Roof Have?
A commercial metal roof should be finished in a 70% Kynar 500 PVDF coating, because this fluoropolymer finish resists the UV fading, chalking, and dirt pickup that age a cheaper coating on a large, sun-exposed roof. It is the finish we put on every commercial roof we build.
The coating does more than set the color. It is the layer that stands between the steel and years of sun, rain, and pollution, so its quality directly sets how long the roof looks new and how well it resists the elements. On a commercial roof, where the surface is vast and always visible, that longevity is not a small detail.
Why Kynar 500 (PVDF) Instead of SMP?
Kynar 500 (PVDF) is the better coating because it holds its color and gloss for decades, while SMP, the cheaper coating it is often swapped for, fades and chalks years sooner. Both look identical on the day of installation, which is exactly why the substitution is easy to miss on a bid.
SMP, or silicone-modified polyester, costs less to apply, so quoting it lowers the bid number. The savings show up later as a roof that chalks to a dull haze and fades unevenly across a wide surface. PVDF resists that breakdown because its fluoropolymer resin is far more stable under UV. On a roof this size and this visible, paying once for the finish that lasts is the cheaper path over the life of the building. Our full breakdown of the two lives on our Kynar 500 vs SMP page.
Can the Color Lower a Building's Cooling Load?
The color can lower a building's cooling load when it is a cool-roof PVDF finish, because those pigments reflect much of the sun's heat instead of absorbing it, keeping the roof surface and the space below cooler. On a large commercial roof, that reflected heat adds up to real relief for the cooling system.
The useful part for a designer is that cool-roof performance is not limited to white or light colors. The reflective pigments work across a wide range of shades, so a building can carry a deep, on-brand color and still bounce back a large share of solar heat. That keeps rooftop equipment and the top floor cooler and supports a building's energy goals without forcing a pale roof.
What Colors Can a Commercial Roof Come In?
A commercial standing seam roof can come in a broad palette of standard PVDF colors from our manufacturers, plus custom colors matched to a corporate brand or an architectural specification. The finish is the same durable PVDF whichever direction you go.
For a corporate building or a campus, matching an exact brand color often matters as much as the roof itself, and PVDF can be custom-formulated to hit it. Before anything is ordered, we bring physical color chips and panel samples so your team can compare them in daylight against the building's walls, glass, and trim. That way the color is chosen against the real building, not a screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Get a free satellite quote for your commercial metal roof, including coating and color options for your building. We will email your estimate and answer your questions, with no salesperson visit.
Call (818) 937-4500 or use the contact form in the footer. On your building, you are hiring the contractor other roofing companies and general contractors hire.
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