Painting grain bin roofs

4020 · Aug 10, 2018

We are putting up some used grain bins with rusty roofs. We have the roof and one ring assembled on them, and we would like to paint them before putting anymore rings on. What good quality paint should we use - a couple of the roofs are pretty rusty - and we would like for the paint to last.

Barts Dad · Aug 10, 2018

For the roof sections I?d recommend the stuff made for house trailer roofs. It?s silver in color when stirred up, but is a tar like base. I?ve used it on storage shed roofs and valleys on the house roof. Looks great and has held up well with Wisconsin?s varying weather. Home Depot by one or five gallon pails. Wear old clothes and disposable gloves. I used cheap one use brushes for application.

jim buford · Aug 10, 2018

I believe it was commonly called kool Seal but that may be just a brand name. Made specifically for mobile home roofs.

Eric in IL · Aug 10, 2018

The best that I have found for rusty roofs is soy-zinc paint.

300jk · Aug 10, 2018

I have used a product called blackjack silver seal 300 on roofs and it worked well. Pretty thick and tar like. I would try something like that. Pretty much like the others said.

andy r · Aug 10, 2018

I had two bin roofs and 7 rings sprayed two summers ago. Painter said you need a tar based product to "kill" or stop the rust. Sort of sounded like it seals it up. Paint sprayed on dark and aluminum came to the top making them look shinny. Said they would probably last 6 to 8 years before rust would start coming through again. He didn't spray to heavy of a coat. I have seen weeds and brush up against neighbors bins and it will eventually rub the tar based paint off. If you have never seen anyone spray a bin it is fast. They have a lightweight pipe with a spray nozzle on the end. Pipe is light so they can hold a 10 foot length of pipe. Did the roofs by just walking around the cap of the bin while a helper held his free hand supporting him. Sides of a 7 ring bin were done off of a ladder. Top 1/2 with the ladder and bottom 1/2 from the ground. $500 did one complete bin and the roof of another. I have brushed on some aluminum tractor rim type paint on some bin repairs I have made and it has actually held well too. Gave it two good coats.

showcrop · Aug 10, 2018

The various tar like coatings are good for hiding the rust, but the rust is still there and it is still growing, even though it is protected from the rain for awhile. After a year or two the growing rust will pop a crack here and there. Moisture gets in through the cracks and the coating keeps it from evaporating so the rust is now growing 24-7. You need to kill the rust before using another coating, by using one of the phosphoric acid rust converters.

Jim in NC · Aug 10, 2018

A thick napped roller works good on the 5v tin. I have mixed aluminum paint with the "kook seal" type coatings with good results on tin roofs. Aluminum thins it a little making it easier to apply and brighter.

Kansasredneck · Aug 11, 2018

Attach a ground rod to the bin and bury a zinc anode rod. The rod will sacrifice instead of the tank in most cases. If you can get zinc powder, you can also add it to your paint.

Painting grain bin roofs

4020

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Barts Dad

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jim buford

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Eric in IL

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300jk

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andy r

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showcrop

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Jim in NC

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Kansasredneck

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