How to use it
Tap through the colours to see each one on a simple house drawing. Where we don't have a screen colour we trust for a shade, the visualiser says so instead of inventing one. NZ Steel makes the same point: its own on-screen colours vary from the real product, and it suggests ordering a sample to see in natural light.
Write down the names you like, then look them up on our COLORSTEEL colour pages for how each one sits on different houses.
How hot does each colour run?
| Heat reflected (TSR) | Light reflected (LRV) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud | 69% | 74% |
| Gull Grey | 57% | 51% |
| Sandstone Grey | 41% | 27% |
| Grey Friars | 26% | 10% |
| Ironsand | 25% | 8% |
| FlaxPod | 21% | 7% |
| Ebony | 5% | 5% |
NZ Steel publishes a Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) for every colour, and a higher TSR means the roof reflects more of the sun's heat. The figures carry a tolerance of plus or minus 5%, and NZ Steel's website has the latest numbers. Grey Friars, Ironsand, FlaxPod and Ebony are still the favourites across the country, NZ Steel says, and they all sit at the darker end.
What can't the visualiser tell you?
Which product you need. COLORSTEEL MAXAM and ALTIMATE both come in every colour. The choice between them turns on salt spray and other harsh conditions, using COLORSTEEL's own environmental categories, from Mild to Extremely Severe. MAXAM isn't recommended in the Extremely Severe category, and within 100 metres of saltwater NZ Steel asks you to confirm the warranty with COLORSTEEL. Have your roofer confirm the category for your address.
What your council allows. Some district plans control roof colour. Queenstown Lakes District Council's proposed district plan, for example, keeps roofs in its Rural Residential and Rural Lifestyle zones to an LRV of 20% or less unless you get a resource consent. Check your district plan, and any covenant on your title, before you order.
How the finish looks. COLORSTEEL comes in Classic, Low Gloss and Matte, and not every colour comes in every finish.
Our tip for choosing
Shortlist here, then decide outside. Ask your roofer or supplier for samples of your top two or three, and look at them against your walls and joinery in morning and late afternoon light. If two colours are close and the house gets hot under the roof, we'd lean to the one with the higher TSR. Then make sure the quote names the product, colour and finish, so what arrives on site is what you picked.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.