Do not allow any metals other than aluminium, galvanised steel, ZINCALUME® steel or zinc to come into direct contact with COLORBOND® steel. Any direct contact between any other metals (eg. copper and lead) and COLORBOND® steel can result in corrosion. Especially take note of the following:

• Copper pipes and lead flashing should not come in direct contact with either ZINCALUME® steel or COLORBOND® steel. If the building design is such that water will flow from lead flashing onto ZINCALUME® steel or COLORBOND® steel, then the flashing should be painted.
• Water from copper pipes should not be directed onto COLORBOND® steel or ZINCALUME® steel.
• Stainless steel fixings and fixings containing copper should also not be used with ZINCALUME® steel or COLORBOND® steel.
• Fasteners conforming to AS3566 Class 3 or 4 are acceptable depending on the location of the product.

If you have any questions, ask your supplier or contact us.

This information is intended as a guide only. For more information, on our Corrosion Technical Bulletins, Download Corrosion Technical Bulletin CTB 12 - Dissimilar Metals

COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel is available in three sizes. The two roofing sizes are available on two weeks production lead time plus transit times. The accessory or flashing size is available on three weeks production lead time plus transit times. Please see our supplier list.

Neutral Cure silicone rubber sealants are the only sealants recommended for use with COLORBOND® steel and ZINCALUME® steel. Look for the words "Neutral Cure" on the sealant cartridge to make sure.  View Technical Bulletin TB 09 - Sealants for Exterior Finishes

With steel building frames made from TRUECORE® steel, mortar splashes from bricklaying operations are rarely a direct cause for concern. However, TRUECORE® steel, ZINCALUME® steel and COLORBOND® steel (manufactured with a ZINCALUME® steel substrate) should not be immersed in wet cement, as rapid corrosion and degradation of the alloy structure will quickly occur. Should splashing occur, the concrete should be removed immediately before it is allowed to dry, as it then not possible to remove without damaging the product. A few small splashes are unlikely to cause significant damage to the product surface; however our warranty does not cover failure of the product in such circumstances. Download Corrosion Technical Bulletin CTB 16 - Immersion.

For more information about COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel speak with an expert at Steel Direct on 1800 022 789.

COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel is available in three introductory sizes: 0.42 x 940mm and 0.48 x 940mm for roofing, and 0.55 x 1200mm for accessories.

Visit our supplier locator

There are generally two types of warranty available to consumers of BlueScope Steel products:

• A warranty against defects is known as a "Manufacturer’s Warranty", this covers the materials, such as COLORBOND® steel, that certain steel products are made from.
• A Performance Warranty, or "Express Warranty", assures consumers that the end product will perform as expected for a specified period.

For more details, such as whether a warranty is available for your desired application and product selection, the applicable terms and conditions or how to apply for the warranties, please talk to your supplier or go to our warranties pages. In addition, consumers have rights under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 which cannot be excluded, modified or restricted.

For roofing applications, BlueScope Steel offers a warranty* against corrosion to perforation by weathering in the natural elements for a period of up to 36 years from the date of installation. BlueScope Steel also warrants* that the paint system on COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel roofing will not flake or peel due to natural weathering for a period of up to 20 years from the date of installation.

^{*Warranty terms and conditions apply. Warranties are not available for all products and applications. The duration and terms and conditions of available warranties vary according to product use and application. Please visit http://www.bluescopesteel.com.au/warranties for further information}

Please see our supplier locator page and use the Supplier Locator to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia.

Product Datasheets, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) - formerly Material Safety Datasheets or MSDS - as well as other technical and safety information about our strip and sheet products can be found at steelproducts.bluescopesteel.com.au.

A number of builders have display homes across Australia featuring COLORBOND® steel. You can find your closest from our display home locator.

In some states of Australia, steel roofing falls under the category of plumbing, which can only be performed by a licensed contractor. Please refer to your local authority for advice relevant to your state.

Pale Terracotta, Torres Blue, Blue Ridge®, Ironbark, Bronze Olive or Saltbush is now discontinued as a standard colour for roofing & rainwater goods. Suppliers are still able to order non-standard colour from us, although price surcharges and/or minimum order requirements may apply. 

Please see our Where to Buy page to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia.  

Adding more insulation is quite different from using COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel, which functions purely to stop heat getting in by keeping the roof cool. Insulation helps stop heat getting in and out of a roof. For a building that is mainly occupied and cooled during the day, it's an advantage to let it cool down overnight instead of keeping the warmth in with extra insulation.

Because COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel keeps the roof cooler it leads to less thermal stress on the roofing system and may help reduce local warming. This means that the intensity of a local urban heat island may be reduced see our test study. On the other hand, increasing insulation leads to higher external roof temperatures.

For price comparisons, the material cost of insulation to achieve the same reduction in heat flow into a building is typically similar to the premium for COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel. This may not even take into account other factors. For instance, thicker insulation may be more difficult and costly to install, particularly if a roof spacer is required.

In combination with insulation, COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel roofing will allow you to achieve the highest possible cooling performance for your building.

There are several advantages associated with using COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Air-conditioned commercial buildings may enjoy direct cooling benefits that typically pay back the costs many times over the life of the roof.
• Single story commercial buildings without air-conditioning are likely to be cooler in hot weather improving thermal comfort within the building.

COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel keeps the roof cooler leading to less thermal stress.

Specifying COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel over lower solar reflectance roofing materials also may help mitigate the impact of urban heat islands and can favourably impact the lifespan of roofing materials, see our test study.

No. The fence will not burn or act as a fire source, although the paint finish may be damaged. In fact, new research conducted by the CSIRO and the Bushfire CRC shows steel fences can assist in the protection of your home in the event of a bushfire.

To find out more, Download Research & Investigation into the Performance of Residential Boundary Fencing in Bushfires

When brickwork is completed it is usual to clean excess mortar from the brick surface with an acid solution. If this acid contacts prepainted steel sheeting and gutters, early failure of the paint and corrosion of the metal can occur. The acid can pass through the paint coating at tension bends and attack the metallic coating below. Acid leaching of pigment directly from paint coatings subjected to acid splash will result in unsightly "bleached" stained areas which will further deteriorate and lead to corrosion. Acid cleaning of brickwork associated with two storey construction may often pick up lead from lead flashings and redeposit with sand from the mortar, within the roof gutters.

BlueScope Steel recommends that wherever possible acid cleaning should not be conducted after the installation of metallic coated and prepainted steel building components (eg roofing & guttering). However, when this is not possible it is recommended that the areas be appropriately masked during the acid cleaning operation. Where the possibility of splashing the steel component with acid appears to be present, the item should be thoroughly wetted prior to the application of the acid to the adjacent brickwork and then thoroughly washed a number of times, working from the top of the brickwork to allow complete removal of the spent acid products.

For further information, please Download Corrosion Technical Bulletin CTB 15 - Acid Cleaning Brickwork.

All light products have a greater tendency to show dirt than darker colours. Fortunately all COLORBOND® steel has excellent resistance to dirt retention, so regular washing from the rain is all that is usually required to keep your roof looking great.

All coloured materials will change colour when exposed to UV light - the paint finish on your car, the clothes on your line, and so on. When it comes to steel building materials, the extent of colour change is influenced by factors such as the colour itself, the aspect, the design of the structure and the environment. Dark colours are inherently prone to more noticeable colour change than lighter colours. Individual perceptions also come into play. How you see colour can differ greatly to someone else.

Green timber or timber treated with copper chromium arsenic (CCA) should not come into direct contact with galvanized steel, ZINCALUME® steel or COLORBOND® steel because acidic substances from these timbers have a corrosive effect on the metallic coating. The time of wetness of the metal surface is a factor in the overall corrosion mechanism (the longer the product is wet, the greater the corrosion).  Even run off from CCA treated timber can contain corrosive leachate which will cause corrosion if it contacts galvanized steel, ZINCALUME® steel or COLORBOND® steel.

BlueScope Steel recommend against the use of CCA treated timbers for high moisture situations such as roof and ceiling batons, composite fence constructions and built up flooring or external decking which may utilise a metallic coated steel structural support system. If CCA treated timbers must be used, the timber and/or steelwork must be sealed by fully painting the material prior to installation. The use of kiln dried or appropriate dried timber species is recommended for any situation where intimate contact between the metallic coated steel and timber is considered.

For more information, please download:   Corrosion Technical Bulletin CTB 13 - Contact With Timber

The Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) will drop for any light coloured surface if it becomes dirty. How much it drops depends on what is making the roof dirty. Fortunately all COLORBOND® steel products have excellent resistance to dirt retention, so regular washing from the rain usually leads to excellent maintenance of TSR.  For examples of COLORBOND® steel maintaining its solar reflectance, please view our test study.