Lifestyle Trends
Roofs now can take on an artistic look
(ARA) - Some things get better with age - wine, cheese, cars.
Building supplies don't usually fall into that category. So, if your house is looking a little shabby, try giving it a facelift by updating one of the largest exterior surfaces - your roof.
Just like faces, roofs can look worse for wear after years of exposure to the elements, so give it a makeover by focusing on one or all of the following - texture, shape and color.
"This isn't your grandmother's roofing anymore," says Stephen McNally, vice president of sales and marketing at TAMKO Building Products, Inc., one of the largest shingle manufacturers in the United States "People are getting creative with their roofing. It's not just utilitarian anymore. People are seeing it as a palette - one of the first things visitors notice about the house."
Texture One of the biggest ways to change the texture of your roof is by using an alternative shingle material. Asphalt shingles are still the most popular roofing material in the U.S., but laminate, composite and metal shingles enjoy a growing following as the alternative materials can dramatically change the appearance of a house.
A growing trend in roofing currently is the proliferation of metal shingles. The shingles are known for their appearance, durability and ability to reduce energy consumption by reflecting the sun's rays rather than absorbing them. These shingles come in a variety of styles to look like wood shakes, stone slate or clay tile.
Depending on the style, a new metal roof can make a house look traditional or contemporary with a distinctive finish.
Slate stone and real wood offer an organic quality to a roof that homeowners have been shelling out big bucks for. But now, that look is available to the general public at a fraction of the cost through composite shingles.
Call it a discounted facelift. For example, TAMKO's Lamarite brand composite shingles cost about one-third what slate tiles do. The composite shingles are made from colorized mineral filled polymer and are molded to mimic the texture of stone slate tiles. They are also designed with markings to allow different exposures which result in an attractively random, staggered pattern on the roof.
Even asphalt shingles have come a long way from your grandmother's roof. New laminated asphalt shingles come in a variety of shapes and colors, many simulating a wooden shake look. The shape of a sheet of shingles can mean the difference between graceful shadow lines on your home or an unsightly zipper pattern common with some styles of roofing.
Some laminated asphalt shingle styles create a vintage look through randomly cut patterns on each sheet or an extended length sheet and wider cut tab like TAMKO's Heritage Vintage and Heritage XL laminated shingles. The result is a sleek look that still feels cozy and warm.
Color While black is the traditional color of asphalt shingles, roofing has branched out and is a lot more colorful these days. TAMKO offers dozens of different colors in several shingle varieties, including Harvest Gold, Forest Green and Olde English Pewter.
Metal roof colors tend to be more dramatic than asphalt shingles with such shades as sequoia red and Vermont blue. Not only are many of these metal roofs made in "cool" colors to reduce energy use, but the MetalWorks line of shingles is made from 50 percent recycled steel and are 100 percent recyclable.
Some homeowners pair a new roof color with siding or shutters to create a continuous color pallette. Others choose to go in a different direction and pick a contrasting color to set the roof apart.
Into muted colors? Just as a light beige paint can add warmth to a once-all-white room, changing your roof from the traditional black to another neutral, such as a series of brown or gray shades can add character to one of the largest surfaces of your home.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
