America's most popular roofing style is also one of its most colorful

The composition shingles on this Missouri home give it an elegant look and Class 4 hail protection (the highest level).

Composition shingles are often thought to come only in black, but myriad styles and tones are available.

When legendary automaker Henry Ford was pressed by a salesman to offer more Model T colors, he responded, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” This policy held sway until 1926, when Ford loosened up a bit and offered a few variations.

When homeowners think of composition (asphalt) shingles, they may have a similar understanding of options. This is a common (though understandable) error because many composition shingles are black. In fact, “black” seems to be synonymous with “shingle.” But sometimes widespread beliefs are mistaken.

“ Composition shingles, in fact, vary widely in terms of color, texture and shape.”

Colors, and variations of these, include brown, green, tan, red, blue, black and gray. In addition, composition roofs can include multiple, complementary colors on the same roof.

Although slate and tile are stylish, composition roofing remains by far the most popular style in the United States. While only certain roofs can support heavier materials, all can support composition (asphalt) shingles. Composition roofing owes its name to the fact that it is a composite, meaning a blending of materials. It’s a recyclable, budget-friendly option.

The composition shingles on this Missouri home (above) give it an elegant look and Class 4 hail protection (the highest level). If you’d like to explore the wide variety of composition roof styles available, Owens Corning has created a roofing visualizer tool that allows you to upload a photo of your home and displays how it will appear in numerous styles and colors. Check out the DesignEyeQ tool.