A great feature of the many metal roofs available today is the range of colors that are offered.
What began as an option available from metal roofing companies in only a few basic choices has expanded over the decades into numerous color options.
All these color choices allow home and building owners to add more style and appeal to their property as well as achieve other important goals.
If planning on having a metal roofer install a roof for you, here are some notes about roof color and how to choose an option that meets your needs!
1. Color and Energy Efficiency
The first important factor to know about colored metal roofs is how colors affect the energy efficiency of the roof, namely that dark colors absorb more heat, while light colors reflect more heat.
While good insulation and reflective coatings applied by a roofing company can improve both of those effects, lighter or darker colors can also be chosen depending on local seasonal temperatures.
It is common to see darker colored roofs in places that have colder seasons as those roofs will hold heat in the building and lighter colored roofs in areas that have extremely hot seasons as the increased reflection of UV rays will keep the building cooler.
2. Color and Roofing Style
Many metal products installed by roofers are styled to mimic the look of different natural materials.
Metal shaped into panels of faux slate, tile, and ceramic shingles, wood shakes, or wood shingles in various shapes and sizes can be found, each style adding natural character to a home or building.
Color choice will vary depending on whether you want your roofing to look more natural so the metal is hard to distinguish from the natural material or if you prefer going with a more decorative color.
3. Color and Decorative Style
Beyond the material style of the metal roof, traditional decorative style can also be taken into account when choosing colors.
Different shingle styles, whether wood-look, asphalt, ceramic style, or other, are popular on certain architectural styles to add decorative style.
Victorian, hacienda-style, and various other architecture styles can stand out when topped with brightly colored metal roofing that complement other colors and design elements.
Even traditional standing seam roofs can look fancy when metal roofers install colors, rather than the usual black or gray.
Another option is painting steel roofing teal green to look like oxidized copper roofing when copper itself is out of the budget.
4. Color and Durability
One thing metal roofers advise to keep in mind when choosing a colored metal roof over is that some colors fade faster than others due to elements in the pigment itself.
Since all metal roofs are only coated with color, it is important to research the types of coatings used and how lightfast they are in a particular color before having your roofing company get to work.
A higher-quality product with a more durable coating will last longer; if the color fades after some time, the roof may need repainting to regain its brightness.
5. Color and Cost
A final detail to consider when choosing the color of your metal roofs is cost.
More common colors like black and gray typically cost less because the coatings do include colored pigment, while decorative, and non-standard custom colors that are highly pigmented cost more.
According to most metal roofers, premium-quality coatings that include more expensive pigments and other ingredients to retain pigmentation longer increase the price of the roofing material.
Metal Roofing - Does Color Matter?
Ultimately, the decision you make on the color of your metal roof is completely up to you; your roofing company will be happy to install whatever you like for your home or building.
Beyond simply settling on your personal favorite color, keep these 5 tips in mind.
With the many metal roofing products out there these days in so many colors, you and your roofer should be able to find one that pleases your eye while also fitting the other important categories for you!
