Technical Information & Advice

We now allow you to request a copy of your digital colours via our order form. The digital colours we provide are in RGB, CMYK and Hexidecimal format and can be used to represent our colours in software and other applications.

We also have texture files available for use with CAD Programs here.

COLORBOND® steel is not available in a low gloss finish. When addressing this question, it's important to understand that all materials are reflective to some degree. Reflectivity limits tend to restrict the opportunity to use light colours - which is at odds with good thermal efficiency design principles. Building owners should therefore be encouraged, rather than discouraged, to use products made from lighter COLORBOND® steel colours. Notwithstanding, we recognise these choices can occasionally cause concern to neighbours. But if homes and buildings are designed appropriately and considered on a case-by-case basis, there is room to use materials that ensure the building is thermally efficient and, at the same time, nobody is inconvenienced.

Note that if you are required to use a darker colour, you can have confidence in specifying COLORBOND® steel knowing that the chosen colour has been thermally optimised by the inclusion of Thermatech®.

For more information Download Technical Bulletin TB 28 - Building Materials and Reflectivity (233 kb).

The solar absorbtance of COLORBOND® steel colours have been rated for the BCA and Basix classifications, see Classification of COLORBOND® steel Colours for BCA.

All the major paint manufacturing companies have colour matching codes to produce paint that will match to the COLORBOND® steel colours. Simply quote the trademarked COLORBOND® steel colour name and they should be able to provide you with paint to match, allowing you to paint trims and accessories to fit in with your COLORBOND® steel products. For further detail on overpainting (including touch-ups), Download Technical Bulletin TB 02 - Overpainting and Restoration of COLORBOND® prepainted steel sheet (224 KB). Please be aware that when matching paint using new colour codes to older weathered material, there could be a difference in the colour due to fading of the existing product.

On standard COLORBOND® steel it's called Shadow Grey; on COLORBOND® Ultra steel it's Bass Grey; on COLORBOND® Stainless steel it's Hastings Blue; and on COLORBOND® Metallic steel it's Snowgum Green.

COLORBOND® steel incorporating Thermatech® technology provides a new level of thermal protection for houses & commercial buildings constructed in Australia. This leading edge technology works by absorbing less heat from the sun and therefore providing less heat in the roof space. This provides greater thermal comfort in buildings specified with COLORBOND® steel.

By absorbing less heat from the sun it has a lower surface temperature as illustrated below:

Woodland Grey® Comparison Laboratory	Woodland Grey® Outdoors Winter
Next Generation COLORBOND® steel Readings in Degrees Celsius	Next Generation COLORBOND® steel Readings in Degrees Celsius

What are the advantages of COLORBOND® steel incorporating Thermatech® technology?

• When used in roofing applications, it improves the thermal performance of COLORBOND® steel across the entire colour range.
• Average reduction of solar absorptance across all colours is 5%
• Greatest improvement from reduced solar absorptance is in the dark colour range.
• Under BASIX colour classification – Sandbank® & Dune® move from a "medium" colour to a "light" despite no change to the actual colour.
• Similarly Wilderness®, Manor Red® & Jasper® move from a "dark" to a "medium" classification.
• In some parts of Australia this means real savings in the amount of insulation that is required to meet building regulations, eg under deemed-to-satisfy rules
  • medium to light under BASIX = reflective foil at roof is not required.
  • light colours under BCA = drop of R0.5 for roof insulation.
  • very light colours under BCA = drop of up to R1.0 for roof insulation.

You can order colour samples using our order form, or contact your local supplier.

Pale Terracotta, Torres Blue, Blue Ridge®, Ironbark, Bronze Olive or Saltbush is now discontinued as a standard colour for roofing & rainwater goods. Suppliers are still able to order non-standard colour from us, although price surcharges and/or minimum order requirements may apply. Please see our Where to Buy page to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia.

Night Sky® is now discontinued as a standard colour. Suppliers are still able to order non-standard colour from us, although price surcharges and/or minimum order requirements may apply. Please see our Where to Buy page to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia. This colour is still available in our fencing range, for post and rails only, however the colour name is specific to the fencing product range. Eclipse® is the fencing colour that matches the discontinued COLORBOND® steel colour Night Sky®. Please view information on Fencing range including the warranty.

Plantation® is now discontinued as a standard colour. Suppliers are still able to order non-standard colour from us, although price surcharges and/or minimum order requirements may apply. Please see our Where to Buy page to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia. This colour is still available in our fencing range, however the colour name is specific to the fencing product range. Hedge® is the fencing colour that matches the discontinued COLORBOND® steel colour Plantation®. Please view information on Fencing range including the warranty.

Stone® is now discontinued as a standard colour. Suppliers are still able to order non-standard colour from us, although price surcharges and/or minimum order requirements may apply. Please see our Where to Buy page to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia. This colour is still available in our fencing range, however the colour name is specific to the fencing product range. Riversand® is the fencing colour that matches the discontinued COLORBOND® steel colour Stone. Please view information on Fencing range including the warranty.

Wheat is now discontinued as a standard colour. Suppliers are still able to order non-standard colour from us, although price surcharges and/or minimum order requirements may apply. Please see our Where to Buy page to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia. This colour is  still available in our fencing range, however the colour name is specific to the fencing product range.   Harvest® is the fencing colour that matches the discontinued COLORBOND® steel colour Wheat. Please view information on Fencing range including the warranty.

All coloured materials will change colour when exposed to UV light - the paint finish on your car, the clothes on your line, and so on. When it comes to steel building materials, the extent of colour change is influenced by factors such as the colour itself, the aspect, the design of the structure and the environment. Dark colours are inherently prone to more noticeable colour change than lighter colours. Individual perceptions also come into play. How you see colour can differ greatly to someone else.