Your home’s exterior is the first thing anyone will see, and therefore, it’s your first chance to make an impression.
It’s not about the color of your home or whether your grass is cut or not.
It’s the appearance of the home altogether, and among all the other elements of your home, your siding and roofing material are the most important.
The Connection Between Roofing Materials and Siding
The connection between roofing and siding cannot be understated. The fact is: the appearance of one impacts the other.
This means one thing:
When you select your roofing and your siding, you need to pay attention to the type, style, and color of your roofing and how they collaborate with each other in terms of design.
The Type of Siding
Vinyl and Insulated Vinyl: Vinyl is a popular, affordable siding, and insulated vinyl is vinyl siding that adds built-in insulation. Both come in many colors but still don’t offer the most durability.
Natural Wood Siding: Natural wood siding is a beautiful option to paint or stain any color. Woods like cedar offer high durability, but, in general, wood siding is expensive and requires a great deal of upkeep.
Metal Siding: You have many options with metal siding with endless color options. It is an extremely durable, low-maintenance option resistant to pests and fire. Unfortunately, it is expensive, offers little insulation, and no soundproofing.
Fiber Cement Siding: Fiber cement siding is durable, can withstand harsh weather, and is fire resistant. It comes in many styles and is low maintenance, but it is expensive to install, can absorb moisture, and isn’t very energy-efficient.
Brick Siding: Brick is an attractive, eco-friendly siding that can increase your home’s value. It also has other benefits, including superior durability and longevity. Unfortunately, it is expensive, doesn’t have many color options, and requires a sealant.
Stone Veneer Siding: Stone veneer is another attractive option that offers the durability of natural stone at a fraction of the price. It is lightweight and can last up to 75 years, but it can break more easily and can’t be recycled.
Composite Siding: Composite siding is a mix of mostly wood materials. It is more durable than natural wood, offering a beautiful, weather-resistant appearance that can be installed quickly. Unfortunately, the colors will fade over time, and it isn’t biodegradable.
The Style of Siding
Clapboard or Lap Siding: Is siding laid in a horizontal pattern. There are many types of lap siding, including traditional lap, Dutch lap, Beaded seam, and log lap siding.
Vertical Siding: Vertical siding is siding installed in a vertical pattern. The most common vertical siding is board and batten.
The Type of Roofing
Asphalt, Fiberglass, and Composite Shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material and are incredibly affordable. They work in most climates, come in a variety of colors and patterns, and are relatively low-maintenance. Sun exposure will cause colors to fade; it isn't very durable and doesn’t have a very long lifespan.
Metal Roofing
Metal roofing is a durable option that comes in shingle and sheet forms. They are low-maintenance, can mimic other materials like asphalt, slate, and barrel tiles, and come in a variety of colors. Metal roofs are also very lightweight and recyclable. They are noisy, can become warped or dented by improper installation or hail, and are expensive.
Wood Roofing
Wood shakes and shingles are some of the oldest roofing materials around. It is a beautiful, natural option. While cedar offers durability and weather resistance, wood roofing is still susceptible to water damage, including mildew and rot. It is also a very expensive material that requires a great deal of maintenance. Wood roofs are also banned in many places due to flammability.
Clay Tiles
Clay tiles are a beautiful natural material. These tiles are expensive to install and repair but can last 100 years or more if done correctly. Clay tiles are vulnerable to impacts, and their weight requires extra structural support. Clay tiles can also only be installed by contractors who specialize in the material.
Natural Slate
Like clay tiles, natural slate is a beautiful natural material that offers a lifespan of over 100 years. They are also fairly durable, even with impacts, and are a low-maintenance option. It is also expensive, and homes require additional structural support for a slate roof's weight.
Composite or Synthetic Roofing
Composite or synthetic roofing has been around for a few years but has seen a surge in popularity as more homeowners seek environmentally friendly roofing options.
Synthetic roofing, like Brava, offers Class 4 impact ratings, Class A fire ratings, and much more. You can get them in styles that mimic some of the most popular natural materials, including cedar shakes, clay barrel tiles, and slate. The best part? Because they are made out of a synthetic material, you don't have to worry about the weight of the product or have to do any maintenance.
The Style of Roof
Gable Roofs: Gable roofs are very popular and simple in design. This roof is triangular, with two sides that rise to meet the ridge. The slope of these roofs is typically steep, and it is common in colonial-style homes. You can also find variations of gable roofs, like clipped gables and Dutch gables.
Hip Roofs: Hip roofs are another popular style. It consists of four sides that form a ridge and often have a steep slope to allow rain and snow to slide off. Hip roofs tend to offer more stability than gable roofs.
Gambrel Roofs: Gambrel roofs are also referred to as barn roofs. Like gable roofs, gambrel roofs have two sides with a steadily steep slope as the two sides meet.
Flat Roofs: Flat roofs are self-explanatory, though there is still a slight pitch to help prevent water from collecting. They aren't very common in residential homes but can be seen in more modern properties.
Roof and Siding Textures
Rough textured materials like cedar shakes and even slate tiles can give your home a rustic feeling and add warmth. Smooth textures can give a sleeker, more modern appearance to a home. This includes materials like metal.
Siding textures are similar, with rougher textures like wood grain and stucco giving a traditional, rustic feel, while smoother sidings offer a more modern look.
Important Features of Siding
Aesthetics: Appearances are important, so it is important to choose a siding material that is attractive. Siding materials that come in multiple textures and colors will give you more options.
Durability: Durability is vital for siding, so it is important to choose materials that offer sufficient durability for where you live
Maintenance: Nobody wants to spend a lot of time and money maintaining your home's exterior. Choosing a low-maintenance material will help with this.
Ease of Installation: You don't want a siding product that is difficult to install as it will cost much more.
Energy Efficiency: Energy-efficient siding will help you save money as it will help to insulate your home.
Important Features of Roofing
Durability: Your roof is your first line of defense against bad weather. You want a roof that is weather resistant and can withstand strong winds and impacts and survive fires.
Energy Efficiency: An energy-efficient roof will help you save money on your utility bills. It will help insulate your home and reflect sunlight if a "cool roof" keeps your home cooler in summer.
Longevity: You don't want a material that is going to have to be replaced after a decade. The longer a roof can last, the better.
Maintenance: Ideally, you want to choose materials that will save you money and time.
Aesthetics: Aesthetics are important. An attractive roof will help tie together your whole exterior and add curb appeal.
Brava synthetic roofing offers all of this and more, with three styles and various color options, including the option to choose custom colors, making it easy to find the perfect combination of roof and siding.
Examples of Properly Coordinated Siding and Roofing
Now that we’ve taken a look at the elements of siding and roofing that work together, we want to highlight why it’s important by showing a few examples of homes that perfectly coordinate their siding and roofing using Brava roofing products.
A Classic Colonial
This home above is very simple, with clean lines and contrasting colors that make for a very classic colonial. The bright white horizontal clapboard siding lines up with the straight-edged Brava cedar roofing tiles that have a weathered, rustic appearance with coloring that is a combination of brown hues, gray, and black. Because the design is so seamless, the house can use a bright red door to create a focal point at the homes center.
Dark Slate With Textured Stucco
This home has a hipped roof, covered in sleek black slate tiles, and it contrasts against the light, cream colored stucco, which was applied in a way that gave it texture, with stone accents along the vertical edges. The siding is a nod to tradition, which gives way to the more modern roof. The combination of both the roofing and siding also enables the home to use curved, darker windows to compliment the overall theme of the house.
A Brick Colonial
Brick is a classy, upscale material that can help any home look a little more expensive. This home is a perfect example of that, with the full brick exterior and a gable roof with two dormers above the garage, covered in a medium-toned brown Brava cedar tile, which draws color from the bricks.
Multi-Colored Mediterranean
This Mediterranean-style home is covered in a smooth cream-colored stucco with white horizontal accents. The smooth finish gives it a more upscale look, while the Spanish barrel tile roof on the hipped roof adds contrast and color. The homeowner opted to mix tile colors in varying reds and brown, which gives the home a playful appearance, without detracting from the expensive look. The cream stucco also helps make the bright and vibrant colors of the roof stand out even more, and the freshly cut grass also provides an additional accent of color that surrounds the home.
A Traditional Log Cabin
Here, we get a classic log cabin home, with the siding appearing completely natural, showing an appreciation for the material and its natural beauty. The roof is a modified gambrel, with the lower sides featuring a lower pitch, that transitions into the steeper pitched top portion. In a twist, instead of cedar shakes, the homeowner chose Brava’s slate tiles in a color that has a combination of dark gray and red.
The coloring helps connect the home to the rustic siding, while the material itself adds a modern touch. It’s as if the homeowner is saying they love nature but also love modern comforts.
Use Brava to Build A Home That Shows The Best Version of You
Your home is an extension of you in many ways, which is why you need to have the best combination of siding and roofing to meet those needs.
No matter what, just remember that:
Whatever options you choose for the exterior design of your home, make sure it shows the best version of you.
Looking for help to make this happen?
Contact Brava today to learn more about our synthetic roofing materials and try our visualizer tool to see how each style and color pairs with your siding.
