Have you decided you want to make a bold statement with your home? If so, red roofing would bring a striking appearance to your house. Perhaps you’re due for a roof replacement for practical reasons, or maybe you simply want to make a change after decades of the same look. Whatever your motive, we suggest red roofing as a striking and gorgeous way to make your home stand out. Be it on Spanish tiles for a sunny West Coast look, or on metal panels for a more industrial appearance, the stand-out look of a red roof can be a fun way to bring newfound personality to your house.

Before you go running off to Lowe’s, there are a few factors to keep in mind before getting started. Read on to learn how to plan, choose materials wisely, and know with full confidence whether a brand-new red roof is right for you.

Making A Bold State With A Red Roof

Climate and roof color will influence whether this roofing update is a good choice for you. So, surprisingly, the color of your roof does make a big difference. Red is considered a “warmer” color. As this category implies, warm tones (which also include oranges and yellows) make you think of “warm” things, like fire, the sun, and heat. In sunlight, these colors also attract heat.

Conversely, “cooler” shades (blues, greys, purples, greens, which may remind you of water, winter, snow, ice) deflect heat. Therefore, roofs in any of these heat-reducing colors fare better by staying cooler, even in regions with hotter climates.

Beyond the color, the shade of color you pick for your roof (think “light” versus “dark”) also influences how much heat it will draw. Lighter shades deflect heat best, while darker ones draw it in most, and are therefore much more energy and cost efficient. Compare both color and shade, and how they may either work in tandem, or against each other. (For example, a grey roof may be a cool tone, but a dark grey roof will start pulling more heat.)

On the other hand, if your house is built under significant shade from trees and foliage, or you live in a cooler-climate area, then heat-drawing colors may be less of an influencing factor for you. For those who live in hotter climates with lots of sun, take a pause. If energy efficiency and staying cool in the summertime are concerns for you, you may want to reconsider installing a red roof.

Home Style  – When considering red roofing, it’s important to note other elements of your home and how the color may appear beside them: consider the exterior features, such as the siding, shutters, windows, window boxes, doors, and landscaping. While some might think it silly, other will even consider their automobiles and how they might become part of the decision (a purple truck beneath a red roof, for instance, would make quite the property color clash).

Next, examine how you want these colors to lie next to each other: is your preference to contrast it starkly with its surroundings, or establish a smoother aesthetic? Do you want your palette to flow easily with coordinating colors? Decide whether contrast or coordination will create the mood you’re going for.

If you want to coordinate colors, opt for a cream, white, or soft yellow to make the red roofing pop, while an olive green or differing shade of red also work but for a quirkier appeal.

Then, think about the type of property you occupy. Do you live in seclusion, where a dramatic change in housing appearance will not affect surrounding neighbors? Or is your home located in a close-knit neighborhood whose houses follow a certain uniformity? If it’s the latter, a bright red roof may clash with the uniformity of neighboring homes and raise a few eyebrows as a result.

Time of Day – Compare color samples at different times of the day or evening. It may surprise you to notice your stunning brick red hue on your Spanish tiles shrink to an unsightly version of itself at nightfall. Lay out samples, and revisit them throughout the day to see how light affects the appearance.

Materials – Relating back to the first point on color and heat, the material used to construct a roof can also impact the inside temperature of the house. A house roofed with metal, for instance, can lower the house’s internal temperature by up to sixty degrees Fahrenheit when compared to a house with an asphalt-shingled roof.

As mentioned earlier, if you live in a hotter climate where temperature is a deciding factor, look through roofing materials with a higher efficiency grade.

Execution of Red Roofing

Painting a red roof – If you are painting the roof and not replacing it, test a swatch on a few shingles first to get a sense of the outcome. Wait for the paint to dry, then decide whether you like it.

Inspect your roof and clean it if necessary. Brush away loose debris and use solution to kill moss. Start painting once it’s completely dry and use water-based acrylic paint. Work your way down from top to bottom.

Finally, don’t assume the do-it-yourself option to be the cheaper one. Doing the job properly involves renting expensive enough equipment that hiring a professional will end up costing you less. Red Roofing paint must be applied as a spray and professional experience will go a long way toward improved application, function, and esthetics. In addition, there is a special paint that the professional roofing contractors use that is designed to stretch and move with the roof and is therefore less affected by weather and changes in temperature.

Red roofing on a home – bold, unique, and impressive – has the capacity to completely revamp its aesthetic and personality. We support this striking choice of roofing, but it would be wise to consider a few factors before beginning the process: take careful note of how the color will fare with the rest of your home’s exterior features, and be discerning when selecting your materials, paint, and sealant. In the end, you’ll be rewarded with an incredible new look for one of the most important parts of your house: the roof.