How to Achieve the Weathered Grey Shingle Look With Paint

You can easily make these shingles look weathered with a faux finish.

While most homeowners prefer to have the shingles on their roofs look as new as the rest of the exteriors of their homes, weathered shingles can sometimes be necessary. For example, if you need to stage a house for a film or if you're building a set, weathered gray shingles might be necessary to convey the time period or location of the artistic project. Alternatively, you might simply like the look of weathered gray shingles and the character they give your home. Regardless of the reason, you can easily achieve this look with a strategic painting technique.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 cup bleach
• 1 gallon water
• Bucket
• Mop
• Ladder
• Hose
• White latex paint for exteriors
• Gray latex paint for exteriors
• Paint roller
• Paint roller pan
• Crackle glaze
• Clear weatherproof top coat

Instructions

1. Combine 1/2 cup bleach with 1 gallon water in a bucket. Carefully carry the bucket and mop up your ladder to your roof. Mop down your roof carefully, killing any mold or fungi that might be growing, and wiping off dirt and debris. You'll have to move your ladder to reach all areas of the house. Hose the roof with clean water when done and let it air-dry.

2. Pour the white latex paint into your paint roller pan and apply it to the shingles on your roof, moving the paint roller in one direction. Continue in this manner until you've covered the entire surface of the roof. Allow it a full 24 hours to dry.

3. Rinse off your paint roller and pan. Pour the crackling glaze into the pan and apply it to the shingles. Apply it in a single direction, making smooth, even strokes. Allow it one hour to dry.

4. Rinse off your paint roller and paint roller pan. Pour your gray latex paint into your paint roller pan. Dip your paint roller in this second color and apply it to the roof, making strokes in the direction 90 degrees opposite the direction that the crackle glaze was applied. This top coat of paint will now crackle.

5. Rinse out your paint roller pan and paint roller, and apply a clear weatherproof top coat to the roof to protect all your hard work.

References

• How-to-faux-finish.com: How to Crackle Finish
• Faux Crackle Finish: How to Crackle Finish