Natural Colors – The Ultimate in Metal Roofing & Siding Versatility
In This Blog Post…
Selecting natural colors can give you the ultimate versatility in metal roofing and metal siding design.
- Roofing or siding color selection is often a difficult task, especially when trying to integrate multiple different materials and environmental elements.
- Natural colors offer restrained hue, adding warmth and appeal.
- The advantage of natural colors is reduced color intensity, improved integration with other materials and harmonious color combinations.
- Steelscape offers several appealing natural metal colors including Vintage, and Rustic Rawhide.
Color and Metal
Color’s purpose is to create sensory response. It plays an important role in the creation of mood and influences the way a structure is perceived. When selecting roofing and siding colors, the selection process can be challenging. Color selection must often balance multiple factors, including;
- Integration with the building design and other materials
- Contrasting or complimenting the surrounding environment
- The need to create balanced color palettes and styles
- Choosing colors that won’t date aggressively
- Selecting durable, UV fade resistant colors
- Color availability
Natural colors are those that work in unison with their landscapes to create harmonious color palettes. Their softer, less saturated tones improve integration with multiple elements, such as other natural materials, environmental features, and diverse lighting conditions. A benefit of natural colors is their reduced intensity can produce broader appeal. Natural colors can also project warmth and positive appeal – think of the enjoyment natural landscapes with their balanced color often provide.
At first glance, the idea a metal roofing and siding finish can feature natural color seems like an oxymoron. How can a color developed through chemistry and manufactured with high-tech machinery produce organic color?
Traditional standard metal colors feature solid, vivid colors with moderate gloss. While this produces a distinct, clean, and crisp color, it may not be suitable for all applications. By comparison, natural metal colors feature less saturated tones, dynamic interaction with light, and can recreate the warmth of weathered metal surfaces.
Steelscape’s Vintage is an example of a finish with reduced color intensity and dynamic light interaction. These colors feature a translucent, tinted finish over the base steel substrate. As the finish does not feature a primer, the color is more restrained and subdued. The semi-transparent finish also provides a unique interaction with light that changes throughout the day, much like naturally occurring elements. Additionally, this finish features enhanced depth through its semi-translucent finish, which enables the texture of the metal underneath to be apparent. These elements combine to create a more dimensional finish, like naturally occurring elements, and work in unison with other finishes and materials to create balanced color palettes.
Alternatively, colors such as Steelscape’s Rustic and Aged Metallics series create natural color by recreating the effects of long-term natural weathering. Naturally, weathered finishes are often a desirable roofing or siding color due to the more varied color and the warm, earthy tones that ensue from the oxidization process and the creation of a varied patina. Textured weathered patterns such as Rustic Rawhide enhance this engagement by providing the benefits of steel with the look of naturally aged metal.
Learn more about Steelscape’s range of Natural and Unique Metal Colors and Finishes.
Natural Metal Color Case Studies
Case Study: Vintage Home
In this example, the semi-bronzed hue of Vintage provides a balanced natural color that suits the home’s environment and the extensive use of cedar siding. The evolving color accentuates the sun-washed colors of the property yet also integrates with the surrounding dense groves of oak and fir trees and exposed rock.
Case Study: Rustic Rawhide Home
In this example, Rustic Rawhide provides natural, warm color to complement the siding of the home which features a traditional wood stain. In addition to complementing the siding, the finish also balances the varied colors of the Colorado foothills. The added texture and varied pattern of Rustic Rawhide enhances the connection between homeowner, structure, and its broader environment.
See more detail on these case studies and other projects in Steelscape’s Learning Center
Summary
Natural colors offer an excellent color range to improve mixed material and environmental integration. While normally associated with organic elements, Steelscape offers a range of natural hues for metal roofing and siding surfaces. These natural metal colors truly are a win-win for homeowners and designers – they offer color flexibility without any performance or durability sacrifice.
To explore Steelscape’s natural colors in more detail visit our virtual color palette, download a color design guide, or visualize natural colors on your project using our visualizer.
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