What colour is Southerly, really?
BlueScope describes a cool grey with pale tones, named for distant hills, coastal shorelines and the southerly change. Beside Surfmist it reads as clearly grey. Beside Shale Grey it's a touch lighter and cooler in tone. In strong sun, a pale grey roof can look almost silvery.
Indoors, a small chip makes it look darker than it will on the roof, so stand a sample sheet against the house in daylight before you decide.
Which houses does it suit?
It tends to suit contemporary homes with concrete, render or pale timber, and BlueScope says it makes a crisp contrast against rich-coloured brick. BlueScope's palettes warm it up with Wallaby, use it as the paler partner to Bluegum Matt, or pair it with Monument for a sharp two-tone grey.
Southerly or Shale Grey?
| Southerly | Shale Grey | |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Cool, pale grey | Light, warm grey |
| Solar absorptance | 0.40 | 0.44 |
| Class under the NCC 2019 bands, worked out from that figure | Light | Medium |
| Class under NSW BASIX, worked out the same way | Light | Light |
| Made in Ultra | Not listed | Yes |
| Matt finish | No | Yes |
Heat and the coast
Southerly sits comfortably inside the 0.64 roof ceiling for the elemental pathway in climate zones 1 to 5, so on a new home the colour won't force the full energy-rating route. On a west-facing roof in a hot summer, it keeps more heat out of the ceiling space than a mid or dark grey would.
It isn't one of the Ultra colours. If you're within 200 m of breaking surf, Shale Grey is the near neighbour that is.
Where we'd start
If white feels too stark but you still want a cool roof, Southerly is where we'd start. Get sample sheets of Southerly and Shale Grey, lean them against your wall, and look at them at midday and again in the late afternoon. One will look right with your bricks, and that's your answer. Colorbond is BlueScope's trademark, and Find My Roofer isn't connected to BlueScope.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.