Whether you’re renovating, replacing your roof, or building a new home, choosing the right COLORBOND® steel colour is a fun part of the process. Not only can the right roof colour increase your home’s curb appeal and value, it can also impact your home’s energy efficiency and overall comfort.
When it comes to roofing materials, COLORBOND® steel is Melbourne’s most popular choice. It comes in a range of colours – including matt and premium finish – and it is also designed with thermal comfort and sustainability in mind.
So, what’s the secret to selecting the perfect COLORBOND® colour? Enjoying the process! We’re here to guide you through the factors to consider and offer tips to help you make the best choice for your roof.
What to Consider When Choosing the Colour of Your Roof
The Style Of Your Home
With 22 COLORBOND® steel colours available, the best place to start is by identifying your home’s architectural style.
Take a good look at your home. Is it modern, colonial, mid-century modern, farmhouse, Hamptons-style, or coastal? Determining your home’s style will help you choose the right COLORBOND® colour palette that enhances its character.
- Classic colours such as deep reds, muted greens, dark blues traditionally suit heritage or colonial designs.
- Contemporary colours such as charcoals, greys, and beige create a sleek, modern look that typically pairs well with concrete, timber, and glass elements found in urban and mid-century modern styles.
Need more guidance? Try looking at it from another angle: consider how your chosen colour will work with your external environment, finishes, and the overall look you’re going for.
Your Landscape and Environment
Your home’s surroundings play a big role in your roof colour choice. If you’re in the countryside with an abundance of greenery, earthy tones like Woodland Grey or Pale Eucalypt can blend beautifully into the landscape. Prefer a striking contrast? A deep red like Manor Red may be the perfect choice.
For urban homes, drawing inspiration from the neighbourhood and streetscape can create a cohesive look. Contemporary colours like Jasper, Monument, Dune, and Ironstone will coordinate nicely in an urban environment. Night Sky gives a bold and modern look, and is quite popular in urban settings.
And if you’re after a timeless shade with great thermal properties, COLORBOND® Coolmax in Whitehaven is a great option. It suits both modern and traditional homes while keeping your roof cooler.
Financial and Environmental Costs
Choosing a roof colour isn’t only about aesthetics–it also impacts your home’s energy efficiency. Lighter coloured roofs can reflect more heat and keep your home cooler, and when used across multiple dwellings it can help reduce the temperature of entire suburbs. The difference between light and dark-coloured roofs is noteworthy, with studies showing that light-coloured roofs are an average of 4.3C cooler than dark roofs. This is a big deal, particularly if you live in a warmer climate.
That’s why analysing the solar absorptance of your COLORBOND® steel roof is important. The lower the solar absorptance, the less heat your roof will absorb and help keep the building cooler on a hot day. If you’re looking for the coolest colour in the COLORBOND® range, check out Dover White, It has a solar absorptance of 0.28, which ensures minimal heat absorption.
However, if you live in a cooler climate, you’ll want to choose a roof colour that will help retain heat. This is where darker colours like Deep Ocean or Cottage Green will help your home stay warmer in the colder months.
In addition to the environmental impact, certain roof colors may cost you more in your utilities bills thanks to increased energy usage. If you live in a warmer climate, choosing a dark roof may mean you’re paying significantly more in your yearly electricity bills–even up to $700 more.
Consider Your External Finishes
Your COLORBOND® roof and gutter should work harmoniously with your home’s other external finishes such as brick, timber cladding, weatherboard, stone, render, or COLORBOND® cladding. Consider the overall colour scheme of your home to ensure a cohesive and balanced look.
Matt or Classic? Consider the Colour Finish
COLORBOND® steel offers both classic and matt finishes. Classic colours have a low sheen aesthetic, while matt finishes provide a softer, more understated look. If you like a modern, textured aesthetic, a matt finish may be the right fit for your home.
Find Out What’s Trending
Taking into consideration what’s in fashion is important, especially when it comes to maintaining curb appeal. Darker roofs like Monument are still incredibly popular, but there’s a growing trend towards lighter shades as homeowners seek better thermal efficiency without compromising on style.
"Monument may be number one, but Shale Grey (light grey) is our number two, and Surfmist (silver-white) is increasingly popular," Haymes Paint colour consultant manager Erin Hearns told ABC News. If you want a stylish colour that is energy efficient, these lighter hues are worth considering.
Tips for Choosing the Right Colour For Your Home
Now that we’ve run through what to consider when choosing your COLORBOND® roof colour, here’s some practical tips on how to choose the right colour.
Test Colours at Different Times of Day
The time of day you test colour swatches matters more than you think. Colours can look dramatically different in bright sunlight compared to low light, so you want to make sure you're testing your swatches in various lighting conditions throughout the day.
Light Vs. Dark Roofs: What’s Best for Your Home?
Want to make your home appear larger than what it actually is? A lighter roof shade can create the illusion of more space. On the other hand, darker roofs can hide any flaws while adding a striking contrast to your home’s exterior. Certain colours can also enhance your home’s architectural features, so think about the overall effect you want to achieve.
Create a Colour & Finishes Board
If you’re struggling to visualise your home’s colour scheme, try creating a Colour & Finishes Board. Gather all of your samples–roofing, gutters, paint, and exterior finishes–to see how they work together in terms of colour and texture.
You can also use a colour wheel to determine which shades complement each other best. Canva’s online colour wheel assists you in choosing any colour combination–whether you’re looking for something complementary, monochromatic, analogous, triadic, or tetradic.
Use an Online Colorbond Colour Visualiser Tool
Still unsure of how your chosen roof colour will look on your home? The COLORBOND® Online Colour Visualiser is an interactive tool that lets you see your chosen colours in real time on a range of different house styles. It’s a fun and easy way to test different options before making a final commitment.
Think Long and Short-Term
Trends come and go, but your roof is a long-term investment. If you’re planning on staying in your home for a while, choose a colour that you’ll love for years to come, not one that’s just trending now. However, if you see yourself selling in a few years, choose a roof colour that will appeal to a wide range of buyers.=
Get Help From a Professional
Choosing the right COLORBOND® roof colour can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. If you’re unsure about your colour options, or need professional help choosing, we’ve got your back.
Our roofing specialists can guide you through the selection process, taking into account your home’s style, surroundings, and practical needs. With our expertise, you’ll also have confidence knowing your roof isn’t just the right colour, it’s built to last.
Contact us today on (03) 9499 8059 for a casual, no-obligation chat to find out how we can help you choose the best colour for your roof.
