It is no secret that your roofing adds to your home’s curb appeal. It is why, as a homeowner, it is important to choose the perfect shingle color that will suit the overall exterior design of your house.
That said, GAF’s Timberline is one of the most popular and trusted collections of asphalt shingles across North America. And pewter gray and charcoal are the most preferred color in the series, probably because they have the same monochromatic shade.
Perhaps, it is. But is there a difference between the two? And if there is, does it matter?
This blog post covers everything about GAF and its popular asphalt shingle brand Timberline HDZ, along with two of the most preferred colors by homeowners—pewter gray and charcoal.
GAF’s Timberline Shingles
GAF, formerly named the Standard Paint Company, was established in 1886 as a manufacturer of asphalt rolls. Its first known building material was Ruberoid asphalt rolls, which were launched six years after the company was founded. Eventually, in 1987, it changed its name to GAF 1987 and has continued producing building materials.
Today, GAF manufactures several construction materials both for residential and commercial buildings. These include tiles, siding, pavement coatings, insulation, and our article’s subject, asphalt shingles.
GAF owns several brands of asphalt shingles, and one of the most popular is Timberline. Timberline, moreover, is available in seven different collections of asphalt shingles. These are Timberline HDZ, Timberline NS, Timberline UHD with Dual Shadow Line, Timberline AS II, Timberline AH, and Timbebrline CS.
Is Timberline’s Pewter Gray Better than Charcoal?
The answer to whether pewter gray is better than charcoal would heavily depend on the homeowner’s preference in terms of design. If, say, you like a grayish kind of black instead of a pure black, then you would obviously like pewter gray more than charcoal.
However, when it comes to functionality, the answer is no. In fact, they are just the same since both are from GAF’s Timberline HDZ collection.
There is a theory among builders and homeowners that light-colored asphalt shingles can reflect the UV rays of the sun. And therefore, are much more efficient compared to dark-colored roofing as they can help reduce temperature, particularly in the attic. Not to mention that GAF offers a specific line of asphalt shingles for such a problem called Timberline CS Shingles. It is a collection of highly reflective shingles and is Energy Star-certified.
Still, remember that proper insulation is still the best solution to maintain a balanced temperature inside your home.
Aside from that, some homeowners, specifically those that are residing in coastal areas, prefer dark roofing over lighter shade. Hypothetically, it is perhaps due to algae buildup that often causes stains on roofs and walls. But GAF has also developed a solution for it. Now, GAF’s shingles are covered with StainGuard Plus. It is a specially engineered capsule infused with copper microsites that naturally fight algae buildup.
How to Choose the Right Shingle Color
Deciding the right color of asphalt shingle is not a piece of cake. As a homeowner, you may think that choosing a color that best complements the overall theme of the house’s exterior is enough. But for experts, the right color depends on a variety of factors.
Having said that, below are four aspects color consultants use to consider when choosing which shingle color to pick.
Consider the Geographical Location of the House
Some may think that location does not matter. But for professional color consultants, homeowners must consider where the house is geographically located.
Take the houses’ roofing in the Pacific Southwest and Northwest as examples. If you noticed, most of the houses in the Southwest are covered with asphalt shingles with earthly and green tones, while those in the Northwest are usually light gray. There are two reasons to explain. The first one is to blend in with the natural colors of the environment, and the second is the weather.
According to experts, the color of your house roofing should complement the house’s exterior and the surroundings. The climate plays a role, too, because builders believe that light-colored roofing naturally reflects the sun’s UV rays, which can help homeowners save energy, specifically in areas with warm weather.
Consider the House Exterior’s Overall Color Theme
Apart from the surroundings, it is also crucial for the roof to complement the overall color of the house’s exterior. Having to choose a shingle color that will suit your house exterior, however, is overwhelming and complicated.
Amy Wax, a color consultant from New Jersey, simplified the process by reducing the options to “is the exterior in the cool color family or the warm family?” As such, if your house exterior leans toward warm colors, opting for a roofing color with the same tone is best. The same goes for cool tones.
Consider the House’s Architectural Style
It might sound strange, but professionals also consider the house’s architectural style when deciding which shingle color to use. Wax explained that some houses have massive roofs. And if such roofs are covered with dark-colored shingles, they may overpower other exterior elements of the house.
“When you drive up to the home, you should notice the architecture first, and the color second,” she told GAF.
Consider the House’s Design Pattern
Last but not least is the house’s design pattern. According to the Colorado-based color consultant Michelle Marceny, colors and patterns can influence each other too. She said “to make sure that you only have one busy element,” whether it is about the interior or the exterior design.
For example, if the house exterior leans toward heavily textured brick or stone, it is best to use a monochromatic color for roofing such as Timberline HDZ shingles in Pewter Gray.
If the house exterior leans toward heavily textured brick or stone, it’s best to use a monochromatic color for roofing such as Timberline HDZ shingles in Pewter Gray.
Final Showdown
Choosing between pewter gray and charcoal would heavily depend on your preference, the homeowner. Both asphalt shingles serve the same purpose, which is to cover and protect the house against rain, sun, snow, extreme wind, as well as extreme weather.
However, if you truly want a roof that can help you save energy, then pewter gray and its reflective color can, theoretically, help you with that. But we suggest it is best to opt for GAF’s Timberline CS Shingles which are built and designed specifically to save energy using its highly reflective asphalt shingles.
