How to match old weathered roof shingles
Matching weathered shingles from roughly a decade ago is notoriously difficult because even standard color matches like Duration Brownwood do not quite align with aged materials, leaving repair professionals unable to achieve a seamless blend. Suppliers and lab reports often point to specific brands due to features like the SureNail, but the slight color discrepancy caused by aging makes exact replacements nearly impossible to find.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Removing a shingle to inspect itDid this help you?
- 2Comparing against different manufacturers' color charts for shadow lines and huesDid this help you?
- 3Comparing shingles against physical samplesDid this help you?
- 4Consulting with suppliers or third-party reporting services like ITELDid this help you?
- 5Considering alternative color linesDid this help you?
- 6Asking for crowd-sourced identification on online forums like RedditDid this help you?
- 7Asking roofer suppliers to check their books or catalogsDid this help you?
- 8Using paid or free mail-in identification services like ItelDid this help you?
- 9Posting photos in online contractor and roofing groupsDid this help you?
- 10Searching for reclaimed tiles far awayDid this help you?
- 11Trying alternative models that may not fit properlyDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Any thoughts on what this shingle is?”source ↗
“I have no documentation from previous owners (they are all deceased now so I can't even call them up and ask), but these four spares were in the attic. There is no writing or etching on them anywhere, so I can't identify the brand and product.”source ↗
“I believe they’re Sandtoft Calderdale mk1 but nowhere local me (North East England) seem to have any. They’re EOL and the closest reclaimed ones I can find are half way down the country.”source ↗
“Is anyone aware of a compatible tile that’s readily available? I’ve tried Marley Smooth but the face itself is about 8-10mm smaller so leaves a noticeable gap.”source ↗
“What type of shingles are these? Thanks”source ↗
“We get a lot of repairs for this shingle and ITEL and suppliers all point us towards Duration Brownwood. It has to be Duration because of the SureNail, but Brownwood doesn't quite match, even given wear.”source ↗
“Those Atlas Chalets are a dead giveaway once you've seen that weird faux-dimensional shadow pattern.”source ↗
“If they can't identify it then it was either an obscure product with a short market life span or custom made.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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