Deciding on a metal roof was easy, but selecting its color presents a challenge. You want your roof to complement your home's architecture and reflect your personal style.
The right paint system for your metal roof makes your home stand out while ensuring it looks good throughout your roof's lifespan. Let's explore metal roof colors with insights from industry experts.
What Are Paint Systems?
Unlike shingles, metal panels feature high-performance paint systems, offering numerous color options and combinations.
Coatings play an essential role in the performance of painted metal panels. Since metal roofing and siding face continuous exposure to elements, selecting the right coating system ensures long-term performance and aesthetic satisfaction.
The most popular metal panel coatings are PVDF (Kynar 500®), silicone-modified polyester (SMP), and polyester. Kynar 500® coatings provide superior protection against fade and chalk with proven long-term performance.
PVDF resin-based coatings offer homeowners and commercial building owners beautiful roofs that resist color fade and chalk and consequently maintain curb appeal for years.
McElroy Metal partners with Sherwin Williams® Coil Coatings to create our color selection, benefiting from their expertise in color and quality.
Expert Insights: The Trend Lifecycle of Roofing Products
Sherwin Williams® Senior Architectural Color Designer, Brynn Wildenauer, explains, "When we talk about the lifespan of a metal roof, the warranties are very long. We expect your roof to last many years. When discussing color trends and selection, we want to ensure that color lasts as long as the product itself."
Unlike interior paint colors that change quickly, roofing colors evolve slowly. Wildenauer continued, "Things popular now in the roofing market look similar to what we've seen in recent years because trends don't evolve quickly due to the product life cycle."
2025 Paint Color Trends
Key trends influencing metal roof colors in 2025:
Return to Nature: "It's that return to the comfort of nature. Many people take inspiration from nature after being in the digital era for years. It's that 'go touch grass' or return to roots approach."
Warmer Neutrals: Light neutrals are warming up, moving from cool whites to softer, inviting tones.
Subdued Metallics: "People find more value in natural materials and tones because they have a greater emotional impact than physical touch. From the mica and metallics perspective, we used to see high sparkle and bling. Now we're seeing more satin mica tones that mimic natural materials found in the earth, creating a more comforting and welcoming effect."
Less Contrast: "Siding trends move faster than roofing trends as they're easier to change. The stark white siding with black roofs and accents is shifting toward less contrasted tones. Color schemes now have less contrast, looking more natural with hues less stark against the landscape."
Regional Variations: "Residential homes show variety in specific regional palettes. We analyze U.S. and Canadian markets and regions regularly. In the Southwest, think terracotta colors, tans, and beiges - with intense sun, these colors prevent glare when sunlight reflects off coatings. The Northeast features blues, greens, and bronzes, reflecting its climate with more rain and snow."
Sherwin-Williams 2025 Color Capsule
For 2025, Sherwin-Williams released a special Color Capsule celebrating their program's 15th anniversary. "Typically, we have a color of the year, but for 2025, they created a capsule of nine colors. We selected six colors, developed them in our coatings, and demonstrated their use in different environments. We have slate blue, dark bronze, and a nice brown that showcase materials common in roofing but presented differently."
Find these color options at coil.sherwin.com
How To Choose Your Perfect Roof Color
Consider your home's existing color scheme. Your roof should coordinate with your siding, trim, shutters, and garage doors. A classic metal roof in silver or charcoal pairs well with neutral tones like beige or gray. For homes with vibrant palettes, consider a roof color matching an accent color or a light neutral for balance.
Think about your home's style. Different roof colors enhance architectural features. A red metal roof gives farmhouse-style homes character, while green complements homes in wooded settings. Modern homes benefit from sleek black metal roofs. Every home style has an ideal color match.
Evaluate your climate. Metal roofs offer energy-saving benefits, and the right color for your environment could save you money. Light-colored metal roofs reflect sunlight and keep homes cooler in hot climates. Depending on your color selection and project specifics, you can save 25-40% on energy costs.
Consider the landscape: "We're seeing increased attention to the landscape surrounding buildings in any environment. Whether adding a metal roof downtown or in other settings, people consider trees, landscapes, and historical context when considering their building as a whole."
Remember your style! Your roof plays a big role in your home's curb appeal, so pick a color you truly love—one that makes you smile every time you pull into the driveway.
Looking to the Future: The Fuse Color Forecast
When planning your roof, understanding trend direction helps. Sherwin-Williams conducts extensive research using its Fuse Color Forecast.
Wildenauer stated, "We research trends constantly across all our teams. We've applied this research specifically to the coil and extrusion market."
"We offer great options for metal roofing, showing how navy blue and blacks are evolving. This provides a starting point for customers seeking to adopt the next long-lasting trend in metal roofing early. We research 5-7 years before trends gain market acceptance, giving early adopters maximum value from the forecast."
Don't worry about dramatic shifts: "Changes will be slight. We won't start putting crazy colors on metal roofing anytime soon."
Visualize It!
Need help visualizing your roof color? Try our Visualizer tool! View color options on sample projects, get a complete design experience, or have an expert create a mock-up using your home and our roofing colors.
In summary, when choosing your metal roof color, consider your home's color palette, architectural style, climate, and personal preferences. These factors will guide you to a metal roof color that looks great and performs well for decades.
Wildenauer added, "Visit our website for resources online. We have articles, color palettes, and collections that provide great starting points, and you can always contact us with color questions." For more inspiration, visit coil.sherwin.com.
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