How to Fix Leaking Roofing Sheets

Holes and Corrosion

• 1

  Scrub the corroded metal and metal encircling the holes with a wire brush. Remove as much corrosion, loose roof coating and grime as possible.

• 2

  Moisten a rag with water. Wipe the loose roof coating, grime and corrosion off the metal sheets. Thoroughly dry the metal sheets with a towel.

• 3

  Spray the clean, corrosion-free metal sheets with rust-inhibiting metal primer. Apply the primer in smooth strokes for even coverage. Let the primer dry overnight.

• 4

  Coat the primed metal sheets with exterior spray acrylic paint. Apply the spray paint in smooth strokes across the primed roof sheets for even coverage. Let the paint dry overnight.

• 5

  Cover holes in the metal sheets with a one-eighth inch thick layer of urethane roof cement. Smoothly spread the cement layer over the holes with a putty knife. Extend the cement a few inches beyond the hole, spreading the cement layer thinner the farther you get from the hole. Let the roof cement patch cure on the metal sheets for 48 hours.

Cracked Seams

• 6

  Scrub over the cracked seams with a wire brush. Remove as much loose roof coating and grime as possible.

• 7

  Moisten a rag with water. Wipe the loose roof coating and grime off the seams. Thoroughly dry the seams with a towel.

• 8

  Coat the leaking seam’s length with roof coating using a paintbrush. Apply the roof coating evenly over the seam, overlapping the seam’s sides by 2 inches. Don’t let the roof coating cure.

• 9

  Unroll asphalt-impregnated, glass-membrane fabric onto the wet roof coating. Press the fabric onto the roof coating using the putty knife. Cover the entire seam with the fabric, overlapping the fabric by 2 inches on both sides of the seam.

• 10

  Apply another layer of the roof coating onto the glass-membrane fabric. Brush the roof coating evenly over the seam, overlapping both sides of the seam by 2 inches. Let the patched seam cure for 48 hours.