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How to Pick the Right Roof Shingle Color for Your Home

Written By Owens Corning RoofingDate Published 2019-06-06

Getting ready to reroof your home? When it’s time to replace your roof, you may also want to consider changing up your roof color.

Are there better color options than what you have on your roof right now that would enhance the overall exterior look of your home and potentially boost curb appeal? It’s easy to just pick the same roof color that you already have or that your roofing contractor suggests. However, a new roof is a big investment, and you might as well pick the roof color you really want so that your home feels like your home.

Get a sense of what your home would look like with different combinations of roof colors, siding and trim colors using our Design EyeQ® Visualization Tool

Already love your roof color? Great! Ask your contractor if the same, or a similar, shingle color is available with enhanced performance features if you’re looking to upgrade your roof’s durability.

Choosing the right color for your home begins with having the confidence to say you want something different.


Top 10 Tips for Picking a Roof Color You Love – and that Complements Your Home Exterior Design

Here are the top 10 tips from roofing industry experts that can help you get it right – from color to style – with your next roof.

1. Think of your roof as a canvas to express your personal style.

A roof typically accounts for about 40 percent of your home’s overall exterior. With a wide range of beautiful dimensional colors and styles available in today’s asphalt roofing shingle market, you can bring the same energy to designing your exterior that you do to your interior. Here is the list of the wide range of Owens Corning shingles available in your area.

2. Take the time to put your ideas into a mood board.

Just as any design project, your exterior has several elements — from window shutters and trim to siding or brick — that will get tied together with your roof. For additional inspiration and help narrowing down what colors will work for your home, explore versatile shingle and color pairings with online mood boards, or style boards. From trendy to classic, your mood board or style board combinations can help you discover the architectural aesthetic that makes the statement you want with your next roof.

Exterior Mood Board Tips from Home Renovation and Design Experts, Karen and Mina

3. Avoid feeling limited by what you already have on your roof – unless you love the color, of course!

When the time comes to replace your roof, take a moment to reconsider which color roofing shingles might improve your home’s overall look. While you may be tempted to play it safe and replace your current roof with the same exact shingle color, use this home exterior project as an opportunity to refresh your home’s appearance and boost its curb appeal.

4. Explore bold, high-contrast designer shingle options.

If bold dimensional color plays a big part of your personal style, then consider the same for your new roof. From bold and dynamic to subtle and classic, you can use color to help make a statement with your next roofing shingle color. Look no further than TruDefinition® Duration® Designer Colors Collection and our Shingle Color of the Year.

With the right roofing shingle color, you can enhance your home’s exterior and complement its natural surroundings and design elements.

5. Compare the actual impact on cost if you want to upgrade your roofing shingles.

The actual cost difference between roofing shingle product lines may be less than you think, so moving up to an architectural shingle in a designer color could actually be within your budget. Of course, only a roofing contractor can give you an estimate that is based on the specific details for your home and the products you select. But getting the roof shingle you really want may only add a few extra hundred dollars to the total project cost.

Ask your contractor to show you the cost difference between the roofing shingle options you may be trying to decide between so you can make an informed decision about your new roof.

6. Communicate your roof color and style ideas with confidence.

There are many different options for roofing shingle styles and colors available, so don’t limit yourself. It’s completely acceptable to request additional large format shingle samples or to see more variety when working with your roofing contractor to find the right shingles for your home.

The best practice is to do your preliminary color selection using the manufacturer’s website, then ask the contractor to bring those sample colors. This eliminates back-and-forth and multiple appointments.

7. See the shingle color IRL (in real life).

Experts recommend checking out homes in your neighborhood with the same roofing shingle color installed. If you can find a home with a similar roofline and pitch, you’ll get an accurate sense of how the shingle color will look in natural lighting.

Ask your roofing contractor for a list of recommended homes so you can drive by and see the shingles in action at different times of the day and in different weather conditions.

8. Think big picture.

Shingle colors can have a chameleon effect once they are matched up to another color on the exterior. So, don’t focus too much on trying to match up your colors exactly—just know that the color granules will look different once they’re paired with another color. Take the sample board your contractor has brought and lean it against your exterior to view it from a distance to get a sense of how the granule colors will blend together for an overall effect once installed on the roof.

Or better yet, see #7 above.

9. Evaluate the impact of lighting.

The overall appearance of a roof can vary depending on the time of day and corresponding light. Take your samples outside in the morning, afternoon and evening to make sure you consistently like what you see before deciding on a favorite color.

10. Consider working with a home designer.

Unsure what color will match your yellow siding or red brick home?

You can always hire a design professional with a trained eye to provide a second opinion. Often for a day rate, you can work together to find a roofing shingle color that will help you confidently tie together exterior design elements like siding, trim and paint colors.

But our guess is that you can do it successfully and confidently all on your own if you follow the above tips. Online visualization tools, like our DesignEyeQ®, can help you get a sense of what your home would look like with different combinations of roof colors, siding, and trim colors.

Choosing your next roofing shingle color can be an enjoyable and satisfying experience. Think of your next roof as an opportunity to reimagine your home exterior design aesthetic.

For more color and design inspiration, tools and resources, explore Design & Inspire.

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