In the past, buildings with both low-slope and steep-slope roof areas presented a real design challenge, mainly due to the limitations in low-slope roofing color choices. Most often, building and design professionals were forced to match bright, attractive shingles with modified bitumen membranes, traditionally available in black only. It was either this or choose a black shingle to achieve the monochromatic look on a mixed low- and steep-slope roof. Fortunately, things change. Color science has advanced.

The Kent County Medical Adult Day Care Center in Chestertown, Md., seen here under construction, features a mixed low- and steep-slope roof consisting of CertainTeed Landmark Premium Shingles and three plies of CertainTeed Flintlastic™ SA in Weathered Wood color.


For the Springhill Suites by Marriott® hotel in Prince Frederick, Md., the contractors created an attractive mixed roof by color-coordinating CertainTeed Landmark designer shingles and two plies of Flintlastic SA in Heather Blend.

In the past, buildings with both low-slope and steep-slope roof areas presented a real design challenge, mainly due to the limitations in low-slope roofing color choices. Most often, building and design professionals were forced to match bright, attractive shingles with modified bitumen membranes, traditionally available in black only. It was either this or choose a black shingle to achieve the monochromatic look on a mixed low- and steep-slope roof. Fortunately, things change. Color science has advanced.

In recent years, roofing product manufacturers have developed a solution to the roof color coordination problem by giving roofers more color options in certain lines of modified roof membranes. Some modified roof membranes are now available in the colors that complement vibrant, quality asphalt shingles for mixed-roof projects. This newfound ability to create seamless monochromatic design with different types of roofing has led to a growing color coordination trend.

CertainTeed Corp. has emerged as a pioneer in roofing color coordination by expanding the color options in its Flintlastic® SA, Flintlastic GTA and Flintlastic GMS modified bitumen roofing. Recently, the line’s color selection grew to include eight vibrant colors from CertainTeed’s popular Landmark™ designer shingle series. These colors include Colonial Slate, Heather Blend, Moire Black, Burnt Sienna, Weathered Wood, Resawn Shake, Driftwood and Hunter Green. Never have such a wide variety of colors for modified bitumen roof membranes been available.

Another example how contractors created an attractive mixed roof.

Colorful Success Stories

Roofing contractors and building design professionals are excited about the new possibilities opening up through color-coordinated mixed roofs. They are beginning to take advantage of these new options with great success. One good example is Kent County Medical Adult Day Care Center, which opened last year in Chestertown, Md. A roofing crew from Allstate Building Company, also of Chestertown, installed a mixed low- and steep-slope roof consisting of CertainTeed Landmark™ Premium Shingles and three plies of CertainTeed Flintlastic™ SA. As both products were available in Weathered Wood color, the contractor was able to create a visually appealing transition between roof areas, says George Edge, owner of Allstate Building Company.

“If you stand on the ground and look up at the roof, it looks like one big, continuous sheet,” he says. “I was very impressed with how it turned out. Having the ability to match the granule color of the shingles with the modified roof helped out a lot in this project.”

Another success story comes from the Prince Frederick, Md., Springhill Suites by Marriott® hotel, which also opened last year. The contractor, Grandstaff Roofing Inc. of Waldorf, Md., created an attractive mixed roof by color coordinating CertainTeed Landmark designer shingles and two plies of Flintlastic SA in the color of Heather Blend. The resulting monochromatic roof was a hit with both the roofer and the customer.

“The roof looks great, and the flow from the shingles to the flat roof is practically seamless,” says Darrel Grandstaff, owner of Grandstaff Roofing. “The customer is very happy with it.”

The ability to install low- and steep-slope roofing in matching colors is a long time in coming to the roofing trade. It opens up a whole new range of roofing design possibilities and simply makes a contractor’s job easier. So, on your next mixed-roof job, be aware of all of the options available to you and think twice before you opt for a plain black cap sheet next to a beautifully colored shingle. The roof could look twice as nice with a little color coordination.

Paul Batt is a senior brand manager for CertainTeed Roofing. For more information, visitwww.certainteed.com.