Coatings | Tedlar PVF film
Tedlar Metal Roofing With a Laminated PVF Film Finish
Tedlar metal roofing swaps liquid paint for a solid film of DuPont polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) bonded to the coil. Through Metal Alliance, these finishes carry warranties of up to 50 years with no coastal restrictions.
- 20+ years of experience
- Lifetime limited warranty
- Free written estimates
What is Tedlar PVF film?
Tedlar is DuPont’s trademark for polyvinyl fluoride film. Instead of rolling wet paint onto the metal, the coil producer bonds a thin, ready-made sheet of PVF to primed coil with an adhesive.
DuPont first made PVF in the 1940s, and it registered the Tedlar name in 1961. The film has protected aircraft interiors, signs, solar panel backsheets and building facades for decades. In 2021 DuPont launched Tedlar film for laminated metal roofing in North America and the Caribbean. It is sold through Titan Steel and its affiliate Metal Alliance, the supplier behind our Tedlar coil.
From the top down, a laminated sheet has a peel-off protective film, the PVF film itself, an adhesive layer, the metal substrate and a primer on the back.
The protective layer guards the face while we roll-form, hem and handle the panels. It is peeled away during installation, leaving the PVF film as the weathering surface.
How is a film finish different from PVDF paint?
Paint is applied wet and baked on the coil line. Film is manufactured and inspected as a finished sheet before it ever touches metal.
Because color and thickness are fixed at the film plant, lots match closely from one order to the next. Metal Alliance says replacement panels or an addition can be ordered years later in the same color.
The film also flexes well. Metal Alliance reports it bends to very tight radii without cracking, losing adhesion or shifting color. Installers on one of its case-study roofs said it held up better during installation than standard PVDF paint. That matters to a fabricator, because every panel we make is roll-formed and every trim piece is hemmed.
| Question | Tedlar PVF film | PVDF paint (Kynar 500) |
|---|---|---|
| How it is applied | Pre-made film laminated to primed coil | Liquid coating baked onto coil |
| Finish warranty | Up to 50 years through Metal Alliance | 30 years solid, 20 metallic, 35 ULTRA-Cool low-gloss (mech lock sheets) |
| Coastal limits | None on Metal Alliance Tedlar products | Set by each coil coater’s warranty |
| Color range | Stock colors; larger jobs can ask about more | Broad standard, metallic and cool-roof palettes |
| Cost | Comparable to many paints, sometimes slightly higher | The baseline for premium metal roofs |
Paint still wins on palette, and often on price. Our PVDF coatings page covers that side, and the crinkle finish page covers textured paint.
What does a Tedlar finish resist?
Almost everything a roof or wall faces in a city: UV, pollution, acid rain, solvents, stains and spray paint. These are the claims DuPont and Metal Alliance make for the film.
- Fade and chalk: very little color change or chalking over the long term.
- Graffiti and stains: the dense, inert surface lets most marks be cleaned off without harming the finish.
- Chemicals: harsh solvents and industrial fallout that can etch paint leave the film intact.
- Corrosion: no coastal restrictions; DuPont cites protection for roofs within 1,500 feet of the ocean.
- Fire and air quality: Metal Alliance describes the film as non-flammable, low in smoke toxicity and low in VOC emissions.
- Mold and LEED: the film does not support mold or mildew, and projects may earn LEED credit depending on color.
Tedlar panel specifications
We form Tedlar coil on the same equipment as our painted panels. The finish warranty comes from Metal Alliance and is separate from our own workmanship coverage on the warranties page.
| Spec | Tedlar-laminated panels |
|---|---|
| Finish | DuPont Tedlar PVF film laminated to coil by Metal Alliance |
| Base metal | Aluminum (.032″ on our retail project); other metals and gauges per Metal Alliance stock |
| Profiles we form | Snap lock and mechanical lock standing seam, flat lock panels, trim, flashing and gutters |
| Finish warranty | Up to 50 years; the term depends on color and substrate |
| Coastal restriction | None, per Metal Alliance |
| Code approvals | Listings belong to tested panel systems; we confirm them for your profile |
| Minimum slope | Set by the panel: 3/12 for snap lock, 1/2:12 for mechanical lock |
| Best for | Commercial and institutional buildings, dark colors, long ownership, phased additions |
Where does Tedlar make sense in Dallas-Fort Worth?
DFW is far from salt water, so the case here is longevity, cleanability and chemical exposure rather than coastal corrosion. Tedlar earns its place on a short list of buildings.
- Retail, restaurant and school buildings where graffiti and grime land at street level.
- Roofs near kitchen exhaust, industrial sites or rail lines that shed residue onto panels.
- Barns and equestrian buildings where ammonia and fertilizer dust reach the metal.
- Matte black and deep charcoal roofs that take the full force of a Texas summer.
- Owners who plan to hold a building for decades and want the longest finish warranty available.
For most homes, smooth PVDF is the better value. We price both when Tedlar is a realistic option. Our commercial metal roofing page explains how we work with owners and architects.
A PMRS Tedlar project: matte black on a retail building
One of our past commercial jobs shows the system at work. The roof is a steep-slope 1.5″ snap lock, pitched above 3/12, formed from .032 aluminum laminated with matte black Tedlar.
We also fabricated custom box gutters from matching stock, so the gutter line reads as part of the roof. Aluminum will not rust, and the film keeps the matte black from chalking toward gray. Learn more about the profile on our snap lock page.
Tedlar brochures, FAQs and case studies
These are the manufacturer and supplier documents we share with owners and architects. Every other PDF we publish is on the downloads page.
- Tedlar brochure (PDF): an overview of the film, its colors and where it is used.
- Metal Alliance Tedlar brochure (PDF): the supplier’s guide to its laminated coil and flat sheet.
- Tedlar FAQs (PDF): Metal Alliance’s answers on cost, approvals, cleaning and color matching.
- Spring Creek Ranch case study (PDF): a Tedlar roofing project documented by the supplier.
- Oceanfront condominium case study (PDF): a six-story beachfront building that replaced corroded steel with Tedlar-laminated aluminum.
- Tedlar presentation (PDF): slides on the film’s history, testing and building uses.
In that oceanfront case study, the owner weighed a coastal paint that needed yearly documented maintenance to keep its warranty. The Tedlar option tied no maintenance schedule to its finish warranty, and the owner chose it for long-term durability.
Tedlar metal roofing questions
Is Tedlar the same as Kynar 500?
No. Both are fluoropolymers, but Tedlar is a solid PVF film from DuPont that is laminated to the metal. Kynar 500 is Arkema’s PVDF resin, used in a liquid paint that is baked onto the coil. See our PVDF page for the paint option.
How long is the warranty on Tedlar metal roofing?
Metal Alliance offers Tedlar finish warranties of up to 50 years, with the exact term set by color and substrate. That finish warranty is separate from our own lifetime non-prorated limited warranty on standing seam roofs. We give you the written terms with your quote.
Does Tedlar cost more than PVDF paint?
Sometimes, but less than most people expect. Metal Alliance prices Tedlar close to many paint finishes, though laminated coil can run slightly higher depending on supply. The finish is only part of a roof’s total cost, so we quote both options side by side.
Can I match Tedlar panels on a future addition?
Usually, yes. Metal Alliance says Tedlar color is uniform from lot to lot and resists fading once installed. That lets new or replacement panels be ordered years later in the original color. Keep the color name and order details from your project file.
Is Tedlar approved for hurricane zones?
Metal Alliance’s FAQ sheet says panels made with the film are UL listed and Florida Product Approved, including High Velocity Hurricane Zones. Those approvals attach to specific tested panel systems. We confirm the listing for the exact profile on your job.
Get Your Free Metal Roof Estimate
Tell us about your roof and a Permanent Metal Roofing Systems specialist will follow up to schedule your free estimate. No pressure, no obligation.
Prefer to talk now? Call (469) 466-2421.
Pricing a Tedlar roof or wall
Send us drawings or book a site visit. Permanent Metal Roofing Systems will quote Tedlar and PVDF side by side and provide shop drawings for builders and architects on request.