Atlas Burnt Hickory is one of the most requested shingle colors we install in the North Hills and across Pittsburgh. It is a warm brown with deep charcoal shadow lines, and it belongs to the Atlas Pinnacle Pristine line, the architectural shingle we use on most of our complete Atlas roof systems. If you have been searching for photos of Burnt Hickory on a real house instead of a two inch color chip, this page shows one of our own jobs, explains what the color does next to brick, siding and stone, and covers the Scotchgard algae protection and the 50 year warranty that come with it when we install the full system.
We are Malick Brothers Exteriors, a family owned roofing company founded in 2022 by Ryan Malick with a shop at 500 Perry Highway in West View. We are an AtlasPro+ Platinum Select contractor, which is why we can offer the Atlas 50 year warranty on complete Atlas systems. You can read about the full line we carry on our Atlas Pinnacle Pristine shingles page. This post is only about the Burnt Hickory color.
What color is Atlas Burnt Hickory?
Burnt Hickory is a blended brown. Atlas builds the color from several granule tones rather than one flat shade, so a finished roof reads as a rich medium to dark brown with darker charcoal streaks that follow the shadow line of each shingle. In bright sun the lighter granules pull toward a warm tan or cinnamon. On an overcast Pittsburgh day the roof reads darker and closer to espresso.
That range is the reason people like it. The contrast between light and dark granules shows off the dimensional profile of the Pinnacle Pristine shingle, which is the point of an architectural shingle.
Other manufacturers use the name Hickory for colors that lean red or gray. Atlas Burnt Hickory is the warm brown and charcoal blend listed on the current Atlas Pinnacle Pristine color chart. Ask for a full size sample board, not a brochure photo, and look at it against your house in the afternoon.
Burnt Hickory on brick, siding and stone
The roof is the largest single color on most Pittsburgh houses, so the question we hear most is whether Burnt Hickory will fight with the walls. Here is how it behaves with the exteriors we see every week.
Red and orange brick
This is the best pairing. Most of the brick in Bellevue, Ben Avon, Ross Township, Brookline and the older parts of Pittsburgh runs red to orange. Burnt Hickory shares the warm undertone, so the brick and the roof look like they were chosen together. A black roof on red brick can look heavy and a gray roof can look cold. Burnt Hickory sits between them.
Tan, buff and blonde brick
Also a good match. The lighter brick lets the darker charcoal streaks in the shingle do the work, and the roof gives a pale house some visual weight. Keep the trim white or cream rather than bright white so the three tones stay in the same warm family.
Vinyl and fiber cement siding
Burnt Hickory works with cream, tan, khaki, sage green, soft blue and most warm grays. It is at its best with the earth tone siding colors we install most often, such as James Hardie Monterey Taupe and the warm Mastic Dutch lap colors. If the siding is a cool charcoal or a crisp white with black windows, a Black Shadow or Pewter roof usually fits better. We are happy to bring sample boards for both when we quote siding and a roof together.
Stone and stone veneer
Most Pittsburgh stone, whether it is old sandstone foundations or new cultured stone on a Cranberry or Mars front elevation, has brown, tan and gray mixed through it. Burnt Hickory picks up the brown and tan without clashing with the gray. It is a safer pick than a red toned shingle, which can make gray stone look purple.
Trim, gutters and accents
White trim and white 5 inch or 6 inch seamless gutters are the classic look. Almond gutters disappear into tan siding. Bronze or dark brown gutters, fascia and drip edge make the roof look like one continuous dark band and suit newer homes and anything with a craftsman feel. We install all three gutter colors, so you can decide at the sample stage rather than after the roof is on.
Pittsburgh house styles that suit Burnt Hickory
Burnt Hickory is not right for every house we roof. Here is where it tends to land well.
- Brick four squares, Tudors and 1920s to 1950s city homes in Bellevue, Ben Avon, Brighton Heights, Squirrel Hill and Dormont. Warm roof, warm brick, white trim. This is the pairing we photograph most.
- Post war brick ranches and split levels in Ross Township, McCandless, Shaler and West View. These houses have a long low roof line, so the roof color matters more than on a tall house. Burnt Hickory keeps the long roof from looking like a black slab.
- Newer colonials and two stories in Cranberry, Mars, Wexford and Allison Park with tan siding, stone water tables and bronze fixtures.
- Craftsman homes, farmhouses and rural homes in Butler County that sit against trees most of the year.
Where we steer people elsewhere: modern homes with white board and batten and black windows usually want Black Shadow, and gray painted brick usually wants Pewter or Weathered Wood.
Scotchgard Protector: no black streaks
Western Pennsylvania is humid, shaded and wet for a large part of the year, which is exactly what roof algae likes. The black streaks you see running down older roofs in the North Hills are a blue green algae called Gloeocapsa magma feeding on the limestone filler in the shingle. They do not hurt the shingle much, but they ruin the look of a brown roof in particular, because the dark streaks read as dirt against the lighter granules.
Every Atlas Pinnacle Pristine shingle, including Burnt Hickory, is made with 3M Scotchgard Protector. The shingle carries copper bearing granules spread across the whole surface rather than in stripes, and the copper stops the algae from establishing. Atlas backs that with a limited warranty against algae streaking. On a warm color like Burnt Hickory this is the single feature that keeps the roof looking the way it did on install day ten years later, and it is one reason we specify Pinnacle Pristine over a cheaper architectural shingle on most jobs.
Performance in Pittsburgh weather
The color sells the shingle. Here is what matters under the granules.
- Class 3 impact resistance. Pinnacle Pristine carries a Class 3 rating under the UL 2218 steel ball test. That matters for the spring hail that comes through Butler and northern Allegheny County most years.
- Wind. The shingle carries a 130 mph wind warranty on its own, and up to 160 mph when installed as part of an Atlas Signature Select roofing system, which is how we install it.
- Wide format. The shingle is 42 inches wide with a reinforced nailing zone and a double sealant line, which gives the crew a bigger target and gives you more sealed shingle per course. Fewer seams per square also means a cleaner looking roof.
- Winter installs. We work all winter, and January installs like the Ben Avon job above are normal for us.
The Atlas 50 year warranty on a complete system
Malick Brothers is an AtlasPro+ Platinum Select contractor, the top level in the Atlas contractor program. That status lets us register your roof for the Atlas 50 year warranty when we install a complete Atlas system, meaning Atlas shingles, Atlas underlayment, Atlas starter and hip and ridge, and Atlas ventilation, all on the same roof.
Two points we make clear at the estimate. First, the 50 year coverage applies to the complete system, not to Burnt Hickory shingles dropped onto someone else's underlayment. Second, the warranty is registered through the installing contractor, so the contractor's Atlas status matters as much as the shingle. Our roof replacement page lists what goes into one of our complete systems, and the written estimate spells out every component so you can see that it qualifies.
Real Malick Burnt Hickory jobs
The photos on this page are from a Burnt Hickory roof we installed in Ben Avon in January 2026. It is a complete Atlas Pinnacle Pristine system, installed in winter conditions, and it shows what the color does in flat January light, which is the hardest light for a brown roof. The same roof will read warmer and lighter on a July afternoon.
In the past year we have also installed Morning Harvest in Allison Park and Ross Township, Black Shadow in Bellevue and Emsworth, Weathered Wood in Squirrel Hill and Copper Canyon in Allison Park. If you want to see a color in person, ask us and we can usually point you to a finished roof near you. Our service areas page lists where we work, including Bellevue and the river towns next to Ben Avon.
How to decide on Burnt Hickory
- Get a full size sample board, not a printed chart. Printed browns are never right.
- Look at it in morning sun, afternoon sun and overcast light. Burnt Hickory shifts more than a black or gray shingle.
- Hold it against the brick or siding, the trim and the gutters at the same time.
- Decide trim and gutter color before the roof goes on.
What drives the cost of a Burnt Hickory roof is the same as any shingle roof: the size and pitch of the roof, how many layers come off, the condition of the decking, the number of penetrations and the ventilation work needed. We give a free written estimate that lists every component, and financing is available if you want to spread the cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is Atlas Burnt Hickory brown or black?
It is brown. Burnt Hickory is a warm brown blend with charcoal shadow granules, so from the street it reads as a rich medium to dark brown, not black. In direct sun the lighter granules show a cinnamon tone. If you want a roof that reads black, Atlas Black Shadow is the color to compare it against.
Should my roof be lighter or darker than my house?
On most Pittsburgh homes the roof should be darker than the walls, and Burnt Hickory is darker than nearly every brick and siding color except charcoal and black. A darker roof anchors the house and hides debris and weathering better. The exception is a very dark house, where a mid tone roof keeps the home from looking like one solid block.
Will Burnt Hickory show black algae streaks?
It is built not to. Every Atlas Pinnacle Pristine shingle has 3M Scotchgard Protector with copper granules across the full surface, and Atlas backs it with a limited warranty against algae streaking. On a warm brown roof this matters more than on a black one, because streaks show against the lighter granules.
Does Burnt Hickory come with the Atlas 50 year warranty?
Yes, when it is installed as a complete Atlas system by an AtlasPro+ Platinum contractor such as Malick Brothers. The 50 year coverage requires Atlas shingles, underlayment, starter, hip and ridge and ventilation on the same roof. Burnt Hickory shingles alone on another brand's underlayment do not qualify.
What siding colors go with Atlas Burnt Hickory shingles?
Cream, tan, khaki, taupe, sage green, soft blue and warm gray all work. It also pairs naturally with red, orange and buff brick and with most stone veneer. It is a poor match for cool charcoal siding and stark white modern exteriors with black windows, which usually want a black or gray roof.
Can you install an Atlas roof in winter in Pittsburgh?
Yes. We work all winter. The Ben Avon Burnt Hickory roof on this page was installed in January 2026. Atlas shingles have a double sealant line that bonds as the roof warms, and we follow the Atlas cold weather installation guidance on winter jobs.
See Burnt Hickory on your house
If you are weighing Atlas Burnt Hickory for a Pittsburgh home, we will bring full size sample boards of Burnt Hickory and the two or three colors closest to it, look at them against your brick or siding, and leave you a free written estimate for a complete Atlas system with the 50 year warranty. Contact Malick Brothers Exteriors or call the shop in West View and we will set up a time.
