How to select the right roof colours for your home

Local councils generally have rules and regulations around the types of properties that can be built in certain areas. This can also extend to the type of roof, and even the colour of your roof. For example, if you’re in a flight path, councils might ban reflective roof surfaces. Or they may simply want a certain tone of roof colour that blends in well with the local environment.

Either way, it’s worth checking with your local council before planning a change in roof colour. The penalty for breaching these council regulations can range from a simple fine to a demolition order, which would put you considerably out of pocket.

Even if there are no council restrictions on your roof colour, it’s not a bad idea to check out the surrounding neighbourhood for colour options. In part, this is because you should probably make some effort to blend in with the houses around you. Neighbours can be a fickle bunch, so if they consider your roof colour choice to be too ‘out there’, you might have issues with the local council.

Also, it just makes sense to consider what’s around you because there may be a very good reason that most of the roofs in your area are similar tones. It could be that a certain tone suits the natural environment, or it might even have something to do with temperature control in your climate.

As we touched on, the natural environment is a good place to get roof colour ideas. Next time you’re driving around, take note of the roof colours. You’ll notice that coastal homes tend to have lighter blues, greens and even off-white variations that blend in with the sun, sand and surf. You’ll find that reds, greens, browns and other darker tones are more popular in leafy areas because it suits the environment.

The climate in your local area should play a big part in your roof colour choice. Remember that your home cops the full force of the sun. In summer, you’d ideally like to reflect as much of that sun away as possible, otherwise, you’ll be endlessly cranking the AC to keep your home cool. This is where lighter tones are much more suitable.

However, if you’re in a cooler climate, you might like to get the most out of the sunlight throughout the cooler months, and therefore a darker tone might be better in order to absorb some heat and draw it into your home.

The architectural style of your home, and the roof, in particular, can often play a part in your colour choice. There’s not really a rulebook here, but certain architectural styles just go better with certain colour schemes. But this is where Colorbond® makes it easy for customers to find the right colours.

Colorbond® steel colours are grouped into different categories, such as contemporary, classic and matt. So, if you have a more traditional style home, the classic colour palette is likely to suit you best. Modern homes may look more appealing with something from the contemporary range.

If you’re still unsure about the types of colours you should be considering for your roof, get in touch with your roofing professional who is bound to have some great ideas for you.