Painting Asphalt Shingles?!

[Shannon K.]

Hi everyone. I'm looking at a house with 2 different colored roof shingles. The house roof is light brown. The garage roof is dark gray. The garage is attached (so I have no clue why the 2 different colors) and the roofs are newer, done within the last 5 years.

Can I paint asphalt shingles to make the whole roof 1 color? If so, what products have people used?

I've had a few contractors tell me any latex paint is fine... Another said Home Depot will have what I'm looking for... Another said you need a "roof sealant" liquid to change the color. Anyone know for sure?? Thank you.

[Jeff Berg]

Hi Shannon,

I've painted asphalt shingles a couple of times with great results. We used regular factory-mixed latex paint in a very, very dark brown that looked almost black when applied. The secret was to clean the roof really well, using a good pressure nozzle on a big garden hose. Then using a long-nap roller, keeping a wet edge as you're painting to prevent overlap lines, and keeping the shingles just ever-so-slightly damp. We used a fiberglass-strand additive mixed into the paint that was supposed to add strength and life to the shingles. The end result looked like a new roof, and it lasted for years.

This was over twenty years ago. Today there are paint products designed specifically for roofs, and come in a variety of colors. There's a slim chance you might be able to match one of your two existing shingles, but I'm sure you'd be able to see the difference.

It's not difficult, and if it's done properly (can't empasize that enough), will look good and save you a ton of bucks for a re-roof that you don't need.

Good luck!