Noordhoek has been described by some as a prestigious seaside resort town with a mixed architecture which in many respects maintains the integrity of an equestrian and fishing village appeal. There is however a strong Cape Dutch architectural flavor in some areas, Spanish style housing, synonymous with the 1970 and 80’s trend in Cape Town is still found in some legacy stock homes.

In the San Michel development of Noordhoek, residents have traditionally lived as close to nature as can be with the best ocean views on offer, with a sprinkle of the suburb’s farming roots.  All the popular beaches are easily accessible for those who enjoy white sunny beaches and a wild beach is just 3.8 km as the crow flies.

In keeping with its name, the original property after San Michel received its residential zoning in the 1980’s was a legacy home built in the Spanish vernacular, which was so popular at the time.

Recently, the property was sold and redeveloped, having lost much of its lustre over the past 40 years.. Spanish stucco walls were renovated to conventional plaster and painted. The former Spanish style terracotta roof was replaced with a stunning steel concealed fix roof while the owner undertook an overall refurbishment and rebuild of the property.

Stormy weather and concealed fix roofing go together, along with high winds, salt laden from the sea just 3 km away and sometime torrential downpours; driven by the aggressive north-westerly winds in this winter rainfall area. That is how some roofing experts have described Noordhoek’s weather which is even worse for housing areas on the brow of the hill, such as San Michel.

Hence, Safal Steel’s Colorplus®  AZ150 was selected in colour Thunderstorm, a very popular colour under such coastal conditions where much of the roof is in the shade or subject to wind during the day, all year round. The predominant roofing profile used was Youngman Roofing Springlok 700, although certain flat sections at the back of the house that were previously  IBR, were given IBR pierced fix profile again due to structural constraints.

Chantell Eckard, for Safal Steel in the Western Cape, comments that  the growth in the use of aluminium-zinc (AZ) alloy coated steel in the coastal regions has really taken off over the past decade.

“From coastal zones where the usage of other cementitious materials such as tiles and terracotta was the norm, AZ steel coated roofing has become the new normal especially after the usual challenges that affected standard galvanised roofing from a corrosion perspective were solved by means of our world-beating, licenced, AZ coating. So, since the introduction of AZ coated steel products, in particular our ZincAlⓇ and ColorplusⓇ ranges that are locally made, steel roofs have become commonplace. They can be formed into various profiles and sizes and are fast on the way to becoming the first choice of architects and home builders.

“In addition,  ColorplusⓇ has benefitted from the use of modern, exclusively formulated and sophisticated paint systems, which both protect the roof from fading and dirt and meet the demanding colour requirements that architects have, while also providing solar reflective protection – effectively they bounce the incoming heat from the sun up and away from the roof, keeping the building cooler.

“The San Michel house received a Safal Steel Warranty for its AZ150 ColorplusⓇ roof in April 2023. The owner has chosen wisely – by making a good investment in longevity and beauty on the roof”.

Safal Steel’s BIEC-licenced technology, based on 55% Aluminium/43.5% Zinc/1.5% Silicon alloy coated onto the steel substrate is a proven winner for harsh, aggressive maritime climates. In fact, various versions of both ZincAl® and Colorplus® (pre-painted)  exist for the various applications. The most popular of these are:

• AZ100 – used mainly inland, consisting of a 100 g/m2 alloy coating onto the base layer steel.
• AZ150 – the most commonly used – consisting of a 150 g/m2 alloy coating coated layer of Aluminium/Zinc/Silicon alloy onto the steel substrate at 0.53 TCT
• AZ200 – highly successfully used right up at the sea – 200 g/m2 alloy coated onto steel substrate.

Most importantly, all the above options represent a better and lower carbon-footprint option than using ubiquitous galvanised iron roofing sheets, which are typically available in Z200 or Z275. The more modern,  lighter and more sustainable AZ products are established to give up to four times longer life in service than the earlier galvanised and heavier options, which are still supplied to the local market.

Colorplus® in colour Raincloud Matt as AZ150 TCT 0.47 in profile corrugated.
Roll former: Safintra

Colorplus® was specified because it was developed as a premium product to endure South Africa’s harshest climates, ensuring the house will have a considerable increase in service life, superior thermal protection, added aesthetic value, cost-effectiveness and eco-friendly credentials.

Many years of research and development with Safal Steel’s paint partners has resulted in a paint process that satisfies all the demands placed on steel roofing in the 21st century. Innovative pigments used in the paint have been carefully selected to avoid rapid colour change and retain a fresh appearance for many years.

The technology used for this coating system also limits chalking. Particle resistance is an important factor with the growing increase in wind-borne contaminants and dust. Advances in pre-painted coating technology means that our modified polyesters resist dirt, ensuring your building stays cleaner for longer. With its balance between cost and quality, UV resistance and corrosion resistance, hardness and flexibility, Colorplus® is an easy choice and is made locally.

Safal Steel is aware of the presence in the market of cheaper imported products of unaccredited origin.

Architects, builders and property owners should undertake a visual inspection on the back of the roof sheets as delivered on site and installed. Each sheet should contain a unique stamped identity code, verifying the origin as authentic and the type of steel and coating used.

Distance to the sea: 3.8 km as the crow flies.

Size of roof: 510 m2

Property owner: Owner/builder

Contractor: Torcon

Roll former: Youngman, Cape

Roofing supplier: Safal Steel

Photographs by Gareth Griffiths

Products used: 

Roofing profile:  Springlok 700

Roofing material: Colorplus®  AZ150 TCT 0.53  in colour Thunderstorm

Note: The existing garage was covered with IBR profile, in keeping with its original format in keeping with the 3 degree pitch.

Zincal®, the non-painted substrate for Colorplus®, uses a patented metallic coating which provides long lasting corrosion protection to the underlying mild steel core. The aluminium-zinc coating alloy acts in a dual-action nature to provide optimal protection to the core steel layer.

Safal Steel warrants its Zincal® and Colorplus® (colour coated steel) to have a service life (prior to perforation by weathering in the natural elements) from date of installation. Warranty periods are determined by Safal Steel and may vary according to project design and location. A Provisional Warranty may be applied for at project design stage; this warranty serves as a guideline as to the final warranty Safal Steel may issue on project completion. A Final Warranty application form may be submitted to Safal Steel by the roll former on project completion, requesting Safal Steel to issue a warranty for the specific material used on a specific project.

Look for the trademark. All Safal Steel prime material is branded on the backing coat – insist on Safal Steel material.

For any technical queries please contact Safal Steel and ask for the representative in your area.