The best shingle colors for brick homes are the ones whose undertone agrees with the brick, and there is more than one right answer for most houses. Brick is the one material you are not changing, so it sets the terms: warm brick (red, orange, brown) usually pairs naturally with warm and neutral roof colors, tan and cream brick are flexible, and cool-toned brick tends to like cool grays. That is general design guidance, not a rule. Because brick comes in many blends and mortar colors, the reliable way to decide is to carry full-size shingle samples outside and hold them against your actual wall in daylight.
Key takeaways
- Match undertone, not just color names. Look at whether the brick leans red, orange, brown, yellow or gray.
- Mortar counts. A light mortar line, a dark one, or a tinted one changes how the whole wall reads.
- Most brick has multiple tones in it. Pick one of those tones to echo in the roof rather than trying to match every one.
- There are no absolute rules. Many roof colors work on brick, and personal taste legitimately decides between them.
- Test samples outdoors against the brick, in morning and afternoon light, and see a finished roof from the street.
- Check HOA rules before you order.
Why does undertone matter more than color name?
Two shingles that are both called "brown" or both called "gray" can sit on opposite sides of the warm-cool line. Brick has an undertone too. If the roof and the brick lean the same direction, they tend to look like they belong together. If they lean in opposite directions, they can look slightly off, even when each color is nice on its own.
Think of three directions:
- Warm: red, orange, rust, golden brown, tan.
- Cool: blue-gray, silver-gray, slate.
- Neutral: mid grays, gray-browns, taupe.
Neutral roofs are the most forgiving beside brick, which is a big reason gray-brown blends are so common on brick houses. Warm and cool choices are not wrong, though. They simply need a more careful look.
How do you read your own brick?
Do this before you look at a single shingle.
- Stand back at the curb in daylight. Note the overall impression: red, orange, brown, tan, cream or mixed.
- Step closer and find the secondary tones. Many bricks are blends with darker flashes, lighter flecks, even touches of gray or purple.
- Look at the mortar. Is it white, cream, gray, tan or dark?
- Use white paper as a reference. Hold a clean sheet beside the wall. The paper makes the brick's undertone easier to see.
- Look at other fixed materials. Stone accents, concrete, a front door, shutters and trim all join the palette.
Take a photo, but do not trust it for color. Phones adjust color automatically, so use the photo as a reminder of layout, not as a color match.
Which shingle colors go with red brick?
Red brick leans warm, often with orange or brown in it. Here is how our crews think about the options, and it remains a matter of taste.
| Roof choice | How it tends to look with red brick |
|---|---|
| Gray-brown or weathered wood blends | Neutral and natural; picks up the brown in the brick and mortar |
| Medium or warm brown | Traditional and cohesive; check that it does not clash with orange tones |
| Dark brown | Rich and classic; adds contrast |
| Charcoal or dark gray | Calms the red and adds crisp contrast; very common on red brick |
| Medium or cool gray | Can look good, but a very cool gray can feel disconnected from warm red |
| Black | Bold and graphic; strongest contrast |
| Very light gray or tan | Lowers contrast; may look washed out against deep red |
If your red brick has a strong orange cast, a roof with a strong orange or red undertone may feel like too much of one thing. If your red brick leans toward burgundy or brown, a wider range of roofs will sit comfortably.
What goes with brown or dark brick?
Brown brick is forgiving. Gray-brown, medium brown and dark brown roofs all tend to feel natural, and charcoal gives a polished contrast. Very warm tan or reddish roofs can blur into the brick, which some owners like and others find flat. If you want the roof to read as its own element, choose a tone either clearly lighter or clearly darker than the brick.
For more on how browns differ, our guide to brown shingle colors sorts them into families.
What goes with tan, buff or cream brick?
Light brick leaves more room. Warm grays, gray-browns, medium browns and dark browns tend to work, and charcoal gives a crisp, high-contrast look. A roof that is nearly the same tone as light brick can make the house look uniform, which is a style choice. The risk to avoid is an undertone mismatch: a cool, blue-leaning gray beside a yellow-cream brick can look chilly for some tastes.
Many of our crews' installs on light-colored homes have gone to a gray-brown or a charcoal, but we would not call either one the only answer.
What about multi-color, painted or gray brick?
- Multi-color or blended brick: Pick the tone you want the roof to echo, often the dominant one, and test the sample against several bricks, not just one.
- Painted brick (white or light): You have the most freedom, since the roof is now the main color on the house. Think of it like siding: choose by contrast and mood.
- Gray or cool-toned brick: Neutral and cool grays usually look matched. A warm roof can look beautiful too, as long as the mortar and trim support it.
- Brick with strong mortar color: Mortar changes the average color of the wall. Light mortar brightens the wall, and dark mortar makes it feel heavier. Look at the wall from the curb, where the two blend together.
How do trim, gutters and stone change the choice?
Brick homes rarely have brick alone. A few common situations:
- White trim: Works with nearly everything and increases contrast with dark roofs.
- Cream trim: Pairs best with warm roofs. Beside a very cool gray, cream can look yellow.
- Dark trim or windows: Makes charcoal and black tie in naturally. A medium roof gives a gentler step.
- Stone accents: Match the undertone of the stone as well as the brick. When the two disagree, the roof is a chance to bridge them.
- Gutters and fascia: Choose colors that look intentional with both brick and roof.
- Vents and flashing: These show from the street, so ask your roofer about accessory colors early. A vent stack that fights the roof is easy to spot from the curb.
Why should I test samples in daylight?
Daylight is the only light that shows you what you are actually buying. Indoor bulbs shift color, and a sample in a truck bed under a cloudy sky shows only one version of the truth.
- Go outside with the samples.
- Hold them against the brick, not a white wall.
- Look twice. Morning and afternoon light can change warm and cool relationships.
- Look on a sunny day and a cloudy day if you can.
- Step back to the curb. A shingle in your hand shows granules. The roof on the house shows the blend.
- Use more than one shingle, laid together, so the pattern shows.
- Judge from the ground. You never need to be on the roof to judge color.
Better still, ask your roofer to point you to a nearby finished roof in the color and line you are considering, ideally over brick similar to yours. Seeing it from the curb is worth more than any chip.
What are good ways to narrow it down?
- Read the brick's undertone and the mortar color in daylight.
- Decide the contrast you want: tonal and quiet, or crisp and defined.
- Pick two or three candidates from different families, for example a gray-brown, a medium brown and a charcoal.
- Confirm availability in the product line you need, including impact-resistant lines if that matters to you.
- Test full-size samples outdoors against the wall.
- See finished roofs of the candidates over similar brick.
- Check HOA or neighborhood rules and get approval in writing. Our guide to HOA approved shingle colors explains how that works.
- Put the exact manufacturer, product line and color name on the estimate.
If you are torn between gray-brown blends, weathered wood vs driftwood is a good next read. If gray is on your list, see our overview of gray shingle colors.
What mistakes do homeowners make with brick homes?
- Choosing from a photo. Brick and roof colors both shift on screens.
- Ignoring the mortar and the secondary tones in the brick.
- Matching a name instead of an undertone. "Brown" can be warm or cool.
- Holding the sample against white siding or a table instead of the brick.
- Forgetting stone, trim and gutters, which shape the whole palette.
- Assuming a neighbor's roof will look the same on your brick. Brick blends vary house to house.
- Skipping the product line check.
- Ordering before the HOA approves.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best roof color for a red brick house? There is no single best, and our crews would not claim one. Gray-brown blends, medium and dark browns, and charcoal are common choices. Test samples against the brick outdoors and see which one you like in real light.
Should my roof be lighter or darker than my brick? Either can work. A roof clearly darker or lighter than the brick gives the roof its own presence, while a similar tone feels more uniform. It is a style choice.
Can I put a gray roof on a brick house? Yes, and many homeowners do. Undertone is the thing to check: neutral and warm grays often sit comfortably with warm brick, and cool grays often suit cool brick.
Do I need to match my mortar color? You do not need to match it, but mortar affects how the wall looks overall, so include it when you test samples.
What roof colors go with cream or tan brick? Warm grays, gray-browns, browns and charcoal commonly work. Watch the undertone, since a cool gray can look chilly beside a yellow cream.
Is it okay to pick a roof color I love that is not a classic pairing? Yes. These are design suggestions, not rules. Test it in daylight, see a finished roof if you can, and check your HOA guidelines.
Talk to us before you order
If you are choosing a shingle color for a brick home, we are glad to bring full-size samples so you can hold them against your own brick, mortar and trim in daylight. Call 405-415-5841 to schedule an inspection or to ask about colors, or learn what we do on our services page. Our guide to choosing a shingle color covers the broader decision.