GUTTER AND GUARD COLORS

GUTTER AND GUARD RESOURCES

• Why Should I Care About the Color of My Gutters?

  Compared to the bigger home maintenance issues that can crop up around the house, the color of your home’s gutters can seem like a small problem. While it’s true that the appearance of your gutters may not directly affect your gutter performance or your quality of life, your gutter colors can affect your personal satisfaction and sense of home.

  As an accent feature, similar to the trim in your home’s interior, different colors will offer different aesthetic experiences. And, if you plan to resell your home in the near future, clean, bright colors can add curb appeal among would-be buyers. While beautiful gutters may not increase the appraised value of the home, they can help make a strong first impression and increase competition for your home.

• What is the Best Way to Choose Gutter Colors?

  While a big part of choosing gutter colors will depend on your personal style, there are two basic approaches to take when assessing the kinds of color options you want to consider:

  • Blending in: When you want gutters to blend in, you should end up choosing a color that is already featured on your home. This could be the primary paint color of your home, but it could also be the trim color. The goal of “blending in” is to make your gutters less visible and distinctive on the outside of your home, in favor of drawing attention to other features.

  • Standing out: If blending in isn’t your style, you can choose to paint your gutters in a bold accent color. This could be a brand-new color to your home’s exterior palette, adding some personality and brightness by beautifying and highlighting your gutter system as one of the features of your home, rather than a piece of infrastructure.

• Does the Type of Gutter Material Affect My Color Options?

  Whether you’re looking to paint existing gutters or choose new gutters for your home, the materials used in your gutters—as well as the manufacturer of your gutter system—may limit or affect your color options.

  Vinyl gutters, for example, can’t be painted because the paint wears off too quickly. While vinyl gutters may be available in some limited color options, such as white, off-white, brown, and forest green, these color options are limited and can’t be changed without replacing the entire gutter system.

  Some gutter manufacturers also offer pre-painted aluminum and steel gutters in a variety of colors. Seek out a gutter color chart from any manufacturer you might be interested in, and use those color samples to pick out a pre-painted option from their available inventory. While you might have to compromise on getting the exact type of gutter color you want, these pre-painted options will come cheaper than having your home’s gutters custom-painted.

  If you’re seeking out a bronze gutter color for your home, you may be interested in the natural appearance of copper gutters. While this is the most expensive type of gutter system, the striking visual appeal of these gutters can’t be beat.

• I Don’t Like the Color of My Gutters. Can I Paint Them?

  It depends on the type of gutters you have. As mentioned above, vinyl gutters can’t be repainted. But other types of metal gutters, such as aluminum and steel gutters, can be repainted multiple times. This can make aluminum and steel gutters more cost-effective over time, since repainting can make them “like new” again and save you the cost of replacing your home’s gutters.

  If you choose to repaint existing butters, you’ll also have a wider variety of steel or aluminum gutter colors to choose, since you won’t be bound to a manufacturer’s color options. If you’re unhappy with these stock options, you can always purchase unpainted gutters and pay to have them painted in the color of your choice.

  In the end, your home’s gutter colors are a personal choice. If you need help, though, contact your local roofing expert to learn more about your options, and to get a quote on new gutter installation.