Our Crew’s Shingle Color Picks for Miami Valley Homes
Published On: September 1, 2021
The Crew’s Choice Awards
Our Crew’s Shingle Color Picks for Miami Valley Homes
Top shingle colors aren’t picked from a catalog in our office. They come from what our crews see on the street every week: which roofs still look sharp years later, which colors homeowners call to thank us for, and which ones fight the brick.
So this year we’re handing out our own awards. Below you’ll find our six top shingle colors, a matcher that pairs your siding with three roof colors, every GAF Timberline HDZ color we show homeowners, and the process we use to help you choose.
Weathered WoodCharcoalPewter GrayBarkwood
Crew’s Choice
And the winners are
Our 6 Top Shingle Colors
These are the top shingle colors we recommend most often, and the reason each one earned its ribbon. All six are GAF Timberline HDZ colors, the shingle we install on most of our roofs.
No. 1
Crowd Favorite
Weathered Wood
A warm blend of browns, grays, and tans that reads like aged cedar. GAF’s shingle color guide says more customers choose it than any other color, and we see why: it works on brick, beige, and stone.
No. 2
Most Versatile
Charcoal
Deep gray-black that suits a white farmhouse, a gray ranch, or a two-story with colored siding. Of all our top shingle colors, this is where we start when a homeowner can’t decide.
No. 3
Cool-Tone Classic
Pewter Gray
A medium gray with a soft blue cast. It sits quietly over blue, gray, and white siding without turning the roof into the main event.
No. 4
Warm Brown Pick
Barkwood
Rich, earthy browns for homes with tan siding, warm brick, or wooded lots. It keeps a traditional house feeling grounded.
No. 5
Statement Maker
Midnight Mesa
Part of GAF’s new Bold Definition collection, introduced in January 2026. Deep and dramatic over bright white or light gray modern exteriors.
No. 6
Brick’s Partner
Hickory
Golden browns that pick up the warm tones in red and orange brick. It softens a heavy brick front instead of fighting it.
Interactive
Match Your Siding to a Roof Color
Pick the color closest to your siding or brick. We’ll show the three top shingle colors our crew would put on your shortlist, in order.
Your siding: White or light gray
CharcoalCrisp, high-contrast and timeless.
Midnight MesaDeeper and richer for a modern look.
Pewter GraySofter contrast for a calm, coastal feel.
Your siding: Blue or navy
Pewter GrayIts cool undertone matches blue siding.
CliffsideA newer GAF gray with extra depth.
SlateClassic blue-gray for crisp white trim.
Your siding: Beige, cream, or tan
Weathered WoodOur go-to over warm, light siding.
Chestnut ValleyWarmer reds and browns for richer contrast.
BarkwoodEarthy and traditional.
Your siding: Red or orange brick
HickoryPicks up the gold in the mortar and brick.
Weathered WoodBlends brick and trim together.
SlateCool contrast that calms busy brick.
Your siding: Stone accents
Mission BrownDeep brown that grounds stone.
Sierra SandLight, warm blend for tan stone.
ShakewoodWarm wood tones for natural stone.
Your siding: Dark gray or black
CharcoalMonochrome and modern.
Pewter GrayLighter roof so the house doesn’t read as one dark block.
Weathered WoodWarmth against a cool, dark exterior.
Your siding: Sage or green
Weathered WoodNatural, cabin-like warmth.
ShakewoodSoft wood tones that flatter sage.
CharcoalSharp outline for green siding and white trim.
Top shingle colors only look right next to the siding they share a house with. Changing the siding too? Plan both together. Our siding replacement team works from the same samples, and Designing Your Home Exterior walks through how roof, siding, and trim colors work as one palette.
The full lineup
All 13 Colors We Show Homeowners
Our top shingle colors come from this board. It covers GAF’s High Definition and Bold Definition collections plus four longtime favorites. Filter by tone, and see the pairing our crew suggests for each. These are the same swatches from our Choose a Shingle guide.
High DefinitionWeathered WoodPairs with beige, cream, and stone accentsHigh DefinitionCharcoalPairs with light gray, white, or deep-colored sidingHigh DefinitionPewter GrayPairs with blue, white, and gray sidingHigh DefinitionBarkwoodPairs with red brick and warm earth-tone sidingHigh DefinitionShakewoodPairs with cream, sage, and warm stoneNew for 2026Chestnut ValleyPairs with cream, white, and warm stoneNew for 2026CliffsidePairs with white, gray, and blue sidingNew for 2026Midnight MesaPairs with bright white or light gray modern exteriorsNew for 2026Sierra SandPairs with tan, white, and natural stoneMore GAF colorsHickoryPairs with red brick, tan, and natural stoneMore GAF colorsMission BrownPairs with cream, tan, and brick exteriorsMore GAF colorsSlatePairs with crisp white trim and navy sidingMore GAF colorsHunter GreenPairs with white or beige siding and natural wood accents
GAF lists the Bold Definition collection as US only, and its color guide groups more shades than we show here. Ask us about any of them; our top shingle colors are only the starting point. For specs, warranties, and the technology behind the shingle, see Timberline shingles and our GAF shingles collection.
How we choose
How Our Crew Helps You Pick
Choosing between top shingle colors is easier with the house in front of you. This is the four-step routine we follow with every homeowner.
1
Start with what stays
Brick, stone, and any siding you’re keeping set the palette. We narrow the roof to colors that agree with them first.
2
Hold real samples outside
Screens shift color. We bring full-size shingle samples and look at them against your house in daylight, from the street.
3
Drive past real roofs
We point you to Miami Valley homes we’ve roofed in the colors you’re weighing, so you see a whole roof, not a chip.
4
Check the rules
If you have an HOA, we confirm what it allows before you fall for a color it won’t approve.
From the job site
Four Color Choices We Think Twice About
Even top shingle colors can look wrong on the wrong house. These are the situations where we slow down and bring out more samples.
Matching the siding too closely
A dark roof over dark siding, or tan over tan, can blur the house into one shape. A step lighter or darker keeps the roofline crisp.
Picking from a phone screen
GAF’s own Timberline HDZ page warns that screens show color differently. Always decide with a physical sample.
Chasing a trend before you sell
GAF’s color tips note that a neutral keeps a house looking current. Statement colors are a great fit when you plan to stay.
Choosing a dark shade to hide streaks
Darker shingles hide algae longer, but they don’t stop it. Algae protection does that; see algae resistant shingles.
Going for the modern farmhouse look? Our Modern Farmhouse Look guide shows how a dark roof, white siding, and black accents work together. And when you’re comparing quotes, our roofing estimates guide shows what should be written down, including the exact shingle color.
Since 1960
Three Generations of Picking Roof Colors
Wilbur Thrush founded Thrush & Son in 1960. W. Allen Thrush owns the company today, and Corey Thrush is the third generation. More than 31,000 Miami Valley homeowners have trusted us, from our Brookville headquarters and offices in Troy and Lebanon.
That history is where our top shingle colors come from: decades of roofs we can still drive past. As a GAF President’s Club Contractor, we install every color as a full roofing system with matching ridge caps, and StainGuard Plus algae protection on qualifying shingles keeps the color you picked looking right. Browse the project gallery and homeowner reviews.
Best of Dayton 2024 Winner2025 & 2026 FinalistBBB A+President’s Club Contractor
Questions
Top Shingle Colors Questions, Answered
What homeowners ask us most when it’s time to pick a roof color.
What are the top shingle colors for Miami Valley homes?
On the roofs we install, the top shingle colors are Weathered Wood, Charcoal, Pewter Gray, and Barkwood, with Midnight Mesa and Hickory close behind. They pair with the brick, vinyl siding, and stone found on most homes here.
What is the most popular shingle color?
GAF says more customers choose Weathered Wood than any other shingle color. It’s a blend, so it works with warm and cool exteriors.
What are GAF Bold Definition colors?
Bold Definition is a newer Timberline HDZ collection introduced in January 2026 with four colors: Chestnut Valley, Cliffside, Midnight Mesa, and Sierra Sand. They have deeper tones and stronger contrast than the classic High Definition colors.
Can I see a shingle color on my house before I choose?
Yes. We bring full-size samples to your home, and you can compare roof and siding colors at our Exterior Design Center. GAF’s Virtual Remodeler can also show colors on a photo of your house.
Should my roof be lighter or darker than my siding?
Most houses look sharpest when the roof and siding contrast by at least a shade or two. A dark roof over light siding is the most common pairing among the top shingle colors we install; a lighter roof can keep a dark house from looking heavy.
Do HOAs restrict roof colors?
Some do. Many associations publish an approved list or ask you to submit the color before work begins, so check your rules first. We can help you find one of the top shingle colors on that list that still fits your home.
See Your Shortlist on Your Own House
We’ll bring full-size samples of the top shingle colors for your home, hold them up against your siding, and give you a written quote with no pressure. See our roofing services, and ask about financing.
