"Your tip about checking colors at different times of day is spot on; morning versus late afternoon can make a huge difference."
Yeah, totally agree with this. Did you find that certain colors changed drastically depending on the time of day? I noticed some shades looked great in the morning but kinda dull by evening...made choosing a bit tricky. Good to see others being thorough though—it's worth the extra hassle to get it right the first time. Did you narrow down your color yet or still deciding?
"I noticed some shades looked great in the morning but kinda dull by evening...made choosing a bit tricky."
Yeah, colors shifting through the day can be tricky, but honestly, I think people sometimes overthink it. I mean, sure, the morning glow versus afternoon sun makes a difference, but once the roof's up there, how often do you really stare at it throughout the day? When we redid ours, I obsessed over color samples for weeks, checking them morning, noon, and night. In the end, we picked a neutral gray that looked decent anytime—safe bet, right? Funny thing is, after installation, I barely noticed it anymore. Guests complimented it, neighbors approved, but me? I just moved on to worrying about gutters and landscaping...there's always something else. So yeah, being thorough is good, but don't drive yourself nuts over subtle shade shifts. Just my two cents.
"Funny thing is, after installation, I barely noticed it anymore. Guests complimented it, neighbors approved, but me? I just moved on to worrying about gutters and landscaping...there's always something else."
Haha, this is exactly how it goes. You stress over every shade variation, then once it's installed, your brain just moves onto the next home project. But I wouldn't totally dismiss the importance of color shifts throughout the day—especially with metal roofing. Depending on the finish and gloss level, certain colors can reflect or absorb sunlight very differently. I've seen some roofs that look fantastic at noon but become glaringly reflective in late afternoon sunlight, almost annoyingly bright.
A good way around this is to ask suppliers for larger samples or even visit homes they've already roofed. Small swatches never really give you the full picture anyway. Also, some manufacturers have online visualizers that simulate different lighting conditions—can be helpful to narrow things down a bit.
On another note, where are you all sourcing your metal roofing sheets from? I've found quality can vary significantly between suppliers, especially regarding protective coatings and warranties. Had one client who chose a cheaper option and ended up dealing with premature fading issues within just a few years—definitely not worth the initial savings. Curious if anyone here has recommendations for suppliers they've had consistent luck with, or ones to steer clear of...
I definitely second the suggestion about checking out roofs in person or getting larger samples. When we did ours, the small swatches were pretty useless—colors looked totally different once we saw them in full sunlight on an actual roof.
As for suppliers, we ended up going with a local building supply place that carried metal sheets from a regional manufacturer. Wasn't the absolute cheapest option, but the quality's held up nicely so far (going on 6 years now). We did look at some big-box stores initially, but their warranty terms seemed a bit sketchy, and I didn't trust their coatings to last.
Speaking of coatings...has anyone tried those specialty finishes like Kynar or similar? I've heard they're more resistant to fading and chalking, but I'm wondering if they're really worth the extra cost long-term or if it's more marketing hype than anything else.
We went with a Kynar finish on our metal roof about 8 years ago, and honestly, I'd say it's been worth it. Our neighbor installed a standard polyester-coated roof around the same time, and theirs has noticeably faded and chalked, especially on the south-facing side. Ours still looks pretty close to new, minus some dirt and pollen buildup. It was pricier upfront, but considering how much hassle repainting or replacing prematurely would be, I'd say the extra cost pays off long-term.
