8 Tips for Visualizing You New Home Exterior

A Guide to Virtual Remodeling from CertainTeed

Siding and roofing a home are big projects that you want to get right the first time and trying to visualize what your house will look like in a new color or style is not always easy. That’s where visualization tools, like CertainTeed’s ColorView, come into the picture. These tools let you see what your home will look like in a new color or texture well before the first piece of siding or roofing is installed.

Masking the image works by overlaying what is there with a digitally-rendered image. In this case the existing home is masked with new exterior building products. This process can be DIY with a visualization tool or, for a small fee, performed by a professional (recommended). The final product will provide a likeness of what the new exterior will look like, so you can feel confident in making a major curb appeal decision.

Ready to get started? First follow these 8 tips to make sure you get the best results – then upload your image to our ColorView tool and start designing!

Do: Your homework

It’s easy to take a picture of a house, right? While taking a picture is a lot less difficult than say, trying to photograph kids doing, well, anything, there is still an art to it - especially when taking a photo for masking. Follow these simple steps to help make sure you are completely satisfied with the results and are confident in your decision.

Don’t: Take a picture on a darkly overcast day

Images that are hidden behind dark shadows can be a problem. ColorView can’t replicate shadows, and replaces the entire area with a uniformly lit texture. This can give a shadowy image a strange, cartoon-like feel.

Don’t: Forget about the sun

When taking a picture outside keep the sun at your back. Washed-out images (typically a result of too much sun exposure) will cause areas to not have enough detail for masking. Also avoid taking photos at dawn, dusk or night, to prevent uneven lighting conditions that will affect the final quality of the image.

Do: Stand front and center

Take the photo straight on. Eliminating awkward angles will make masking a home easier – and the easier the masking process, the better the end result.

Don’t: Submit whatever you’ve got

It can be tempting to forward along any image you have on hand, but a poor image is a poor image. If the image is out of focus or taken from too far away the end result will be less than desirable. Also, do not rely on scanned images or Google street view.

Do: Be aware of your surroundings

While some obstructions are unavoidable, like trees, a clear view makes for a better picture. Move cars out of the line of sight, clear away any objects you can, and position your shot to eliminate as many obstacles as possible.

Do: Head outside

Take a few minutes to head outside and snap a picture of the home you want masked. Go to the front of your home and stand at the curb. Too far away and the photo will have to be cropped and a lot of detail will be lost. Too close, and you’ll miss key contextual elements. Remember to keep the sun at your back and choose a nice, lightly cloudy day.

Do: Start with a high-quality image

The final result can only be as good as the original image provided, so if you want a realistic visualization be sure to provide a high-quality digital image. For the best results provide an image between 300KB and 13MB in size. Accepted image file formats include jpg (or jpeg), png, gif or bmp.

When you’ve finished your photo session, upload your favorite image to ColorView to begin a customizing a beautiful new look for your home. It may take a few more minutes, but in the end you’ll be glad you took the time.

Visit ColorView on the CertainTeed Design Center.

8 Tips for Visualizing You New Home Exterior