Metal Roofing Colors, Does the Color Affect the Cost?

If you are in the market for metal roofing, a full spectrum of color choices awaits you. It’s never been easier to find the right shade to complete the outside of your home and give it exactly the look you want.

When it comes to roofing colors, will your metal roofing cost be affected by your choice?

The answer varies by company, but yes, color can make a difference in the cost. Some brands of metal roofing have standard colors and premium colors. The premium colors will increase the metal roof cost by 10% to 15% in most cases.

Premium Metal Roof Colors

As demand for metal roofing grows, so do the options. As you shop for metal roofing, you’ll notice a wonderful array of stylistic choices. Choose a metal roof that is stamped to look like a traditional shingle roof, or one with dimensional/architectural shingles. You can select a standard corrugated roof with the long, vertical ridges or one that looks like clay tile, slate or wood shakes. These are just the most popular styles.

The color palette has grown as well. There are still the standard greens, blues, tans, reds, grays and browns, but most companies now offer more than 20 colors. Among the newer colors you’ll find stark white, terracotta red, burgundy, pearl gray, burnished bronze, light patina green, sierra tan, Berkshire blue and many more.  Metallic colors such as copper, zinc and silver are also available, giving your home a very intriguing appearance.

The premium colors are usually designated as such because they are made with a high-quality paint finish such as Kynar 500 or Hylar 5000. These are tough, durable coatings that do a superior job of resisting fading, scratches, peeling and other potential problems.

Colors might also be designated as premium because they are custom made. If the roofing company you’re working with doesn’t have the exact shade you want to match or contrast your siding, for example, they might be able to mix it for you the way the paint specialist does at the local hardware or home improvement store. It’s a bit more complicated than that, however, and more costly.

Energy Star Metal Roof Coatings

While not so much a color distinction as a coating distinction, some metal roofing is Energy Star rated. The coatings are specially formulated to reflect the heat-producing UV rays of the sun. Less heat penetrates the steel so less heat gets into your home which leads to a reduction in energy use because your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard.

Energy Star metal roofs have a reflectivity of about 30% to more than 70%. Reflectivity defines the percentage of UV rays they turn away, preventing them from heating the metal and your home. Energy Star coatings might also affect the metal roof cost, increasing it slightly. However, the extra cost is often recouped in just a few years through lower utility bills that come with the Energy Star performance.

How to Choose a Metal Roofing Color

As with any type of roofing, it’s best to choose a color that goes well with your home’s siding and that fits the overall style you’re trying to achieve. There are darker, more traditional colors and those that are decidedly new, bright and sporty.

Personal taste plays a large role, but keep this in mind. The lighter the color is, the greater the reflectivity. So, if you live in an area with a sunny climate and you want to keep out the heat, a lighter color choice makes the most sense.

Metal roofing is attractive, durable and one of the quietest roofing materials on the market, reducing the amount of outside noise that enters your home. Enjoy shopping for metal roofing. You’ll be impressed by the style and color choices. You should find several combinations that will top your home beautifully, nicely complementing the many other benefits that quality metal roofing has to offer.

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