You know it’s time to replace your roof, but you hadn’t given any thought to the color of shingles you might select. Your first thought may be “who cares, it’s just shingles,” but on most Austin homes, the roof covers a big share of what people see from the street. The color you choose has a big impact on your home’s curb appeal, and you’ll be living with it for 20 years or more.

Choose a Shingle Color That Matches Your Home and Neighborhood

Start with the parts of your home that aren’t changing: brick, stone, siding, and trim. A good shingle color picks up a tone that’s already there. Look for the undertones in your brick or stone. Warm browns, tans, and reds usually pair best with brown or weathered-wood shingles, while cool grays and whites pair best with gray, charcoal, or black.

You also want a color that fits your neighborhood. A roof that clashes with every house on the street can hurt resale value just as much as one that clashes with your own siding.

Check Your HOA’s Approved Shingle Colors First

If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, check its guidelines before you fall in love with a color. Many Austin-area HOAs have an approved list of shingle colors, or require you to submit your choice for approval before work begins. Get that approval in writing before your shingles are ordered.

Where to Find Shingle Color Ideas

If you’re having trouble choosing, there are good free resources to help:

  • Owens Corning Style Boards pair each shingle color with matching brick, siding, stone, and trim, so you can see a complete exterior palette.
  • Go neutral. Owens Corning Driftwood is a very popular color because it’s fairly neutral and pairs well with a large variety of exteriors. It’s a smart choice if you plan to repaint soon after your reroof or you’re getting ready to sell.
  • Go for contrast. A black or dark gray roof on a white home creates a crisp, modern look that’s popular right now.

Preview Shingle Colors on Your Home Before You Decide

The shingle manufacturers we install offer free online visualizers. Upload a straight-on photo of your house, and the tool will show different shingle colors on your actual roof:

  • Owens Corning Design EyeQ lets you try Owens Corning shingle colors on your own photo and adjust siding and trim colors too.
  • GAF Virtual Remodeler lets you mix and match GAF shingle styles and colors with siding, trim, and door colors, and save or share your designs.
  • IKO RoofViewer includes a split-screen tool for comparing two colors side by side on the same roof.
  • TAMKO Shingle Styles Visualizer lets you try TAMKO colors on a sample home or a photo of your own.

Screens don’t show color perfectly, so use a visualizer to narrow your list to two or three favorites, then look at real samples.

Look at Real Shingle Samples in Daylight

Ask your roofer for samples of your top choices and hold them up against your home’s exterior. Look at them in the morning, at midday, and in the late afternoon, and from the street as well as up close. Shingles are made of blended granules, and a color that looks brown in your hand can read gray from across the street.

See Shingle Colors in Person at Our Showroom

J-Conn Roofing has a fully stocked showroom where you can see shingles from several brands and the colors they offer, side by side. Our team is happy to help you narrow down a color that’s perfect for your home. Come see us, or call (512) 479-0510 to schedule a free estimate.