Steps To Pick The Perfect Mabati Color

5 Things to Avoid When Selecting a Roof Color

Do not…

  1. Pick the same color as your siding

You do not want the exterior of your house to appear overly monochrome, just like the interior. Contrast is essential to color and design. Whatever color you decide on, be sure it isn’t the same as the rest of your house.

  1. Decide based on an online picture

An internet image of a property will never seem exactly the same as it will in person, no matter how accurate it may appear to be. Even though the image appears to be accurate, the lighting, home exterior, and photo editing can cause the shingle color to appear differently.

The majority of digital shingle samples differ from the actual ones in appearance. Even when the basic colors are the same, it might be challenging to distinguish any small color differences from an internet image. The brightness and display settings of your screen might also affect how the colors seem.

Physical samples are always the most accurate when looking at colors for a home improvement project, regardless of the type of job.

  1. Decide solely based on a small shingle sample

Small samples of shingles are quite helpful. They do not, however, present the entire picture. It’s simple to get carried away when examining a small sample with the extremely subtle changes and distinctions between shingle colors. The tiny variances become apparent differently depending on the home until you watch the color spread across the entire roof.

The comparison to paint, carpet, and tile samples is not too far-fetched. Even while they are useful, little samples make it difficult to visualize a whole area.

  1. Forget to check with your HOA

Some HOAs have stringent guidelines for the types and colors of roof shingles. If your HOA is rigid, they can want complete consistency for all roofs. In other cases, they might just be limited by a few colors. Before using Cottage Red shingles on your roof replacement, stay away from the potential costs and verify with your HOA.

  1. Assume a color match will look exactly like what you have now.

A lot of people ask us to match the color of their roof. This is unquestionably a fantastic choice. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind that even if your contractor replaces your roof with the same shade as your old one, it will still appear different.

Because of shingles’ fading and lightening over time. It’s likely that your new roof will appear significantly darker if you had a CertainTeed Charcoal Black roof twenty years ago and replaced it with the same shade.

5 Steps to Picking the Perfect Roof Color

Now that we’ve covered what not to do, let’s pick a new color for your roof! First things first:

  • Ask your roofing contractor what resources they have.

You can choose a hue using a variety of options available to each contractor. While some contractors have a little swatch pad, others will immediately suggest a color match that is similar. Many times, homeowners will choose from a small sample without realizing that they may be able to view the color of the roof. Before assuming that your only option is a 1 square inch sample of shingles, inquire with your contractor about their color options.

Advice: Be wary of contractors who refuse to give you the addresses of their prior jobs. They can be concealing their subpar work or how long they’ve been in operation.

  • Look online and at samples

Even while you shouldn’t rely completely on them, samples and photographs make a great starting point. Select a few colors by spending some time perusing internet swatches, photo galleries, and actual sample boards.

  • Review the color choices with your roofing contractor

Once you’ve picked out a few colors, review them with your contractor and ask for recommendations. If your contractor has been in the industry long enough, they will have a good eye for what will look best on your home.

  • Visit nearby properties to see the colors in person

After reviewing the colors you like, ask your roofing contractor for the local addresses of the roofs they’ve replaced in those colors. This way, you can see the colors on different style homes, stretched across full roofs, and in different lightings. Seeing the colors in person is by far the best way to decide on a color.

  • Pick a color for your home!

Finally, pick a color! You don’t need to overthink it. Yes, there are a lot of options. But, in the end, roof colors are very forgiving. If you like the color, that’s what matters most.

 

Final Tips to Pinpoint the Perfect Color

Use Pinterest or Google images to look up homes similar to yours for inspiration.

Look at your neighbor’s roofs. If you like the color of their roof, ask them or your roofer what color it is.

Ask for a color match. Even if you don’t want a color match, it can be a helpful starting point to know the current color of your roof.

Finally, check out different online home visualizer tools. Some shingle manufacturers even offer tools where you can upload a photo of your home and visualize it with the different shingle color options!

If you don’t like any of the colors available, ask your roofing contractor about the other shingle brand options. Each brand has a different color pallet and a unique way of utilizing granule color variation.

Finally, stay tuned for the rest of our blog series posts, and check out our first post, Shingle Brand Colors & Textures!

 

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