Metal Roof Colors & Coatings: How to Choose
Quick answer
Metal roof color affects both looks and energy. Interlock's Alunar PVDF finish comes in designer colors, all cool-roof capable — lighter and specialty colors reflect more solar heat (Aged Copper Penny reflects 0.55, greys about 0.37) while even darker tones carry a high 0.84 thermal emissivity. Choose a color that complements your home and suits your climate.
Why the coating matters
On a metal roof, the coating is what you see and what protects the color for decades. Interlock uses the Alunar PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) coating — the premium fluorocarbon family specified on architectural metal — because it holds color and resists UV, chalking, and fading far better than lesser paints. It is warranted 30 years against excessive chalk and color change, which is why an Interlock roof still looks like the color you chose long after cheaper finishes would have faded.
Color and energy: cool-roof reflectance
Color is not just cosmetic — it changes how much solar heat your roof reflects. Every Alunar color is engineered as a cool roof, pairing solar reflectance with a high 0.84 thermal emissivity that radiates absorbed heat away. Reflectance varies by shade:
| Alunar color | Initial solar reflectance | Emissivity |
|---|---|---|
| Aged Copper Penny | 0.55 | 0.84 |
| Commercial Red | 0.40 | 0.84 |
| Grey | 0.37 | 0.84 |
| Blue | 0.33 | 0.84 |
| Charcoal | 0.28 | 0.84 |
| Black | 0.25 | 0.84 |
How to choose your color
Balance three things: your home's exterior palette (roof color should complement siding, stone, and trim), your climate (in hot, sunny regions a higher-reflectance color yields bigger cooling savings), and any HOA or neighborhood guidelines. Because every Alunar color performs as a cool roof, you rarely have to sacrifice the look you want for efficiency. Use a roof visualizer to preview options and request a physical sample to confirm the shade in your own light before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best color for a metal roof?
The best color complements your home and climate. In hot regions, higher-reflectance colors (like Aged Copper Penny at 0.55) maximize cooling savings, but every Alunar color is cool-roof capable, so you can choose largely on looks.
Do darker metal roofs get hotter?
Darker colors reflect less sunlight, but Interlock's darker Alunar shades still carry a high 0.84 emissivity that sheds absorbed heat, and metal does not store heat like asphalt — so even dark metal roofs stay cooler than you'd expect.
What is a PVDF or Kynar coating?
PVDF (also known by the Kynar 500 brand) is a premium fluorocarbon paint used on architectural metal for its outstanding color and UV retention. Interlock's Alunar finish is in this family, warranted 30 years against fade and chalk.
Will my metal roof color fade?
Minimally. The Alunar PVDF finish resists fading and chalking and is warranted for 30 years against excessive change, so the color stays close to what you chose for decades.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR Roof Product List — Interlock Alunar values — Reflectance & emissivity by color
- Interlock — Coating system — Alunar PVDF finish
Explore Interlock Metal Roofing
Last reviewed 2026-07-11 · Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing