Choose the right colour for your farm roof

When you are thinking of a new roof for an agricultural building, at some stage you will have to choose its colour. You might not immediately consider it important, but the colour of your roof does have an influence on the look and feel of your farm. Here are a few elements to take into account.

The visibility of your roof

The colour of your roof is all the more important if it is very visible. That’s why there’s little colour variation in roofing options for flat roofs, because usually you don’t see them, unless you take a helicopter ride.

If you have a gable roof, this is a different story. You see it from ground level. The higher the pitch of your roof, the more visible it is. Also consider the terrain. If your farm is situated in a hilly area, chances are that your roof is a lot more visible, unless you are on top of the mountain.

The colours of your barn or stable roofs are part of the overall design of your farm. Maybe aesthetic considerations don’t come first for agricultural buildings, but they can make or break the beauty and appeal of your farm. Also, a new roof is quite an investment, so you will have to look at it for the coming few decades. So some consideration for the colour is worth its while.

Connecting to the surroundings

It is very unlikely that your farm building is the only building in the area. Consider other buildings on your farm, neighbouring houses or agricultural buildings nearby. A fundamental question is if you want to blend in, or – on the contrary – stand out.

Also have a look at the natural features in your area. Are your buildings located in the middle of lush vibrant green pastures or is your farm set against a darker green forest backdrop? But not all landscapes are predominantly green, just think of the different shades of yellow, brown or black of the soil of recently ploughed fields. Or the white-grey of greenhouses.

It is ok to let your farm building stand out, however it should not clash with the surrounding. We recommend you drive around the area to see other examples of farms, and what colours look great on farm buildings and which don’t. Seeing roofs in context is very inspiring.

The effect of colours

Colours do have particular optical effects on the look and feel of your building. Good use of colour makes farm buildings appear more sympathetic and fitting to the surrounding.

• Light colours reflect more light and therefore attract more attention. They make your building appear larger than it is in reality. Lighter roofs are generally are more ‘flattering’ for your building.

• Dark colours reduce the apparent size of your building. They also tend to blend into the landscape more unintrusively. Dark colours also tend to hide imperfections and create focus. Therefore it is beneficial to have a roof that is darker than your walls.

Also think of the weather conditions. If the weather in your region tends to be more grey and rainy, you might want to go for a lighter colour to brighten up the feeling of your farm. Darker colours absorb more heat, whereas lighter colours reflect the sun. With fibre cement roofing sheets, this is less of an issue, because their thermal properties keep your building fresh in summer and warm in winter.

A versatile range of Euronit possibilities

The Euronit profiled roofing sheets come in different UV-resistant colours including natural grey, midnight blue and dark green. They are not only lightweight, durable and impervious to rot, mould, corrosion, ammonia, insects and other pests, they also look good. What’s more, they are easy to maintain and have a lifespan of 50 years.

Whatever colour you choose, all our accessories are custom made for our fibre cement roofing sheets and available in the same colours to ensure a beautiful finish. You can work with flashings that complement your roof covering, or contrast with it to create a special effect. In the end, the possibilities are only limited by your creativity.