What Color Shingles Should I Choose?
An example of a popular shingle color that also is considered high definition. Burnt Sienna
Shingle Color Gets the Most Attention
Shingle color tends to be the most important characteristic of the new roofing process. I think sometimes it can draw too much attention that can really cloud judgement. Manufacturers know this and can offer great colors in a light weight shingle. Be careful to not settle on quality just to get the trendy color. Here’s an article I put together on this that covers this: Which Roofing Shingles are the Best Five minutes, Days, or even weeks can be spent stewing over a shingle color. I’m dating myself here, but I remember when there only 5-6 shingle colors in each different brand. Two grays, a couple browns, and a black and that was it That has changed drastically. Manufacturers and advancements in processes can offer high definition colors that are pretty striking. These high definition shingle colors vary from the standard colors because of the high contrast between the grit (granules). Instead of the shingle being blended or monochromatic now the colors pop like a black and white difference in some cases. Granules or grit are very important to the shingle and give the shingle its: color, UV protection, and algae fighting ability. What’s the marvel is a manufacturers ability to get these granules consistently in patterns that match day in and day out! It’s compared to dumping sprinkles on Christmas cookies and getting them perfect every time.
Tried and true manufacturing is the goal here, and the top tier shingle companies have taken their lumps. If you don’t believe me here’s just some of the things we see on a daily basis from all our suppliers: DO NOT MIX pallets from time to time, which still get mixed. Shingles from 2018 that somehow get with the 2020s. Or even different shingle colors mixed into the pallet! Worse yet the wrong color shipped to the job. We all make mistakes, but the important thing to us curbing these mistakes by being at the job site. I helped pick the color and Brandon B ordered it, we both are there when we start your project. We catch many things behind the scenes that are often installed with other companies for you to uncover later.
The process of picking a shingle color
The key is not being over stimulated. It can happen very easily with siding, windows, doors and roofing. Pick the quality of shingle you want first, then move forward with color. I think its great to weed out the wild colors right away if there isn’t an interest in them. These shingle colors can be the neighborhood trend and impressive on the right home. You know the neighbor or if you don’t maybe it’s YOU! Most homeowners choose safe shingle colors, and being honest most shingle colors on the palette are hard to screw up. All shingle colors seem to have the earth tone mixes that blend with many colors. Even the brightest blue matches the sky on certain days! Shingle colors now have so many nuances compared to the solid three tabs shingles of the 80s and 90s. Choosing the direction of gray or brown is the best method. Many times I lay colors against the home on a visit and just like on HGTV we let the colors speak to us. Some shingle colors just don’t work and by the process of elimination we arrive at one or two. Looking at shingles in natural light against the siding or brick is essential versus under interior lighting. Shingle colors can be like chameleons and granules can pull colors from inside your home and look completely different outside. A great example is weathered wood. Most manufacturers have a version of this because it has been a #1 color since it came out. It has green, brown, tans, and some grays. It’s the Swiss Army shingle color. As of recent black has gained popularity and a well known GAF shingle color called Pewter has been mimicked by other brands because of the attention it gains. I do my best to steer homeowners the right direction because I’ve seen all the colors in action. There are tools I use which help with the decision making when the samples in front of the house fall short.
This is High Definition Weathered Wood, This shingle color is grabbing the beige stucco and darker trim color to compliment the home.
Same Weathered Wood shingle color in a Landmark. Do you notice how the brownish red brick and siding compliments the roof now?
Important things to consider when choosing a shingle color,
Don’t buy Off Brands - Owens Corning, GAF, and CertainTeed are the top three. Manufacturing and color is consistent. Colors are distributed from the same plant or are clearly marked if not. The other brands just don’t have the capability of these players.
Again, Don’t buy Off Brands - Running short means scrambling around trying to finish a roof. Box stores are prime targets for getting various lot discrepancies or shingles from multiple manufacturing plants. This is absolute trouble, and one of the many reasons we supply the material package for our jobs. Another occurrence is shingle damage from a tree limb or storm damage. Being able to replace a few shingles that are available or having a mismatched roof is the alternative.
A slight variance in granules will be magnified - Shingles from different plants, and different ages will vary enough to be seen on the roof from the ground.
Always double check the shingle color before install- For your sake to forgo double the mess and to avoid a possible conflict with the roofing company.
Companies know how important shingle color is - High Definition shingle colors are naturally gravitated towards and sometimes means an up charge without a lot of value. Be certain you are getting some performance; whether it’s weight or impact resistance besides just a color that matches the shutters on your home.
Dark shingle colors retain heat while light colors reflect it- A pretty common question with a straight forward answer. Lighter colored shingles can be up to 50 degrees cooler than a darker roof.
Shingle Granules or “the grit”, More than just Shingle Color
The main function of granules is to block ultraviolet light from reaching the asphalt of the shingle. This right from the Certainteed technology manual I read to my kids every night! Granules are the sun block for your roof! A shingle that’s 10-15 years old will start losing them granules. A roof that’s been blasted with pea size hail can have its life shortened by 10 years! Just like UV rays can do a real number on your skin think about the roof! It gets punished. A roof lacking grit or with loose granules is a slippery slope literally and metaphorically. Roofing Dad humor, I am sorry. At first glance severe granule loss results in a shingle that has lost color. The underlying issue is the shingle asphalt can blister, crack, dry out, which leads to premature failure.
Granules associated with algae fighting shingles contain copper. Copper granules can keep blue-green algae and sometimes moss growth limited for many years. Every roof is different and some can fight growth better than others because of their environment. Roofs located is shady wooded areas stay damp, and collect leaf debris will show algae and moss growth far earlier than ones that are located out in the open. Remember this: A roof covered with moist organic matter such as soil can create growing environment for mosses and algae. Copper can hold these in check until the concentration level wears away.
Granules give the shingle its look but offer much more. They are also the reason why a roof will last as long as it does. A shingle that has had a pretty tough life shows it’s age pretty fast because it has lost granules. Minnesota weather zaps the life out of a roof season after season. Check out this article to dig deeper. What Causes Granule Loss on Shingles?
Deciding on a Shingle Color
Knowing this from experience, showing too many samples at one time leads to confusion and colors blending together. Paying attention to the quality first and color second can create a benchmark to work from. Choosing colors within a quality line is far easier than viewing all brands together. There are still days I struggle with shingle colors. Viewing high resolution images like I have on my site can be helpful, however viewing colors in person next to your home in natural light really tells the story. Like I said above: choosing colors can be a 5 minute thing or take weeks. On those real tough decisions I can dig into the tech savvy programs and help there as well.
Additional Blogs You Might Like
What Causes Granule Loss on Shingles?