Residential / Steep-Slope Roofing Professionals

Thanks in recent years to a profusion of styles, textures, and colors -- modern architects, builders, and contractors now have more asphalt roofing choices at their fingertips than ever before. And with each passing year, the choices get even more spectacular!

Asphalt steep-slope shingles can now be manufactured to look like natural materials such as tile, wood, cedar shakes, or slate -- while totally outperforming them. Nor can metal or concrete tiles match asphalt roofing for its overall combination of beauty, durability, and longevity -- at a fraction of the cost.

Want to let your imagination roam free? Want to crown your design with a roof worthy of your artistic vision? Asphalt truly is the roofing industry's great all-around leader. From colors and styles, to beauty and performance, asphalt roofing is the answer.

SPEC ASPHALT ROOFING WITH CONFIDENCE

FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASPHALT ROOFING SHINGLE

METAL vs. ASPHALT ROOFING

CONCRETE & CLAY TILE vs. ASPHALT ROOFING

SLATE vs. ASPHALT ROOFING

WOOD SHAKES vs. ASPHALT ROOFING

SPEC ASPHALT WITH CONFIDENCE.

Asphalt shingles are cost-effective, easy to install, easy to repair, and easy to maintain. If you possess an artistic imagination and a flair for making design statements, there's an asphalt shingle to match your vision and bring it to life. From Victorian mansions to 1950s Ranchers and beyond, there's an asphalt shingle designed to match your client's home or building perfectly.

Asphalt shingles come in a wide range of styles and colors, and are carried by hundreds of distributors across North America, so you can be sure of availability all the year round. Best of all, when you spec asphalt shingles you can rest assured your choice will delight and satisfy homeowners now and in the future. Asphalt shingles will go on protecting your reputation for years to come. From the point of view of the modern architect, builder and contractor, what's not to love?

FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASPHALT SHINGLE.

1. Strip Shingles -- about three times as long as they are wide. Manufactured in both standard and metric dimensions, strip shingles are distinguished by the number of cutouts or tabs they have. The most common type of strip shingle is the "three-tab" shingle. You can achieve different textural and lighting/shadowing effects with strip shingles depending on the number, shape and alignment of the cutouts.

2. Laminated Shingles -- contain more than one layer of tabs to create extra thickness. They are also called three-dimensional or architectural shingles because they give your roof the visual depth and beauty of a custom look. It's no surprise laminated shingles are a favorite among builders, roofing contractors and homebuyers.

3. Interlocking Shingles -- designed to mechanically fasten to each other, and are used to provide greater wind resistance. They come in various shapes and sizes providing you with a wide range of design possibilities.

4. Large Individual Shingles -- generally rectangular or hexagonal in shape, and do not use cutouts or tabs.

METAL vs. ASPHALT.

While no one can deny that slate, tile, wood, and metal, often look very attractive on a roof (at least initially), in the final analysis, over a range of factors, they simply can't compete with the overall benefits and features of asphalt shingles, which in many cases look the same (or better) than natural materials, while delivering superior performance and longevity -- at a fraction of the cost.

Here's how metal stacks up:

Metal shingle roofing products make a house feel like an oven on warm days, as the metal reflects attic heat back into the home. Metal panels have far fewer architectural choices and are typically much more expensive than even the high-end architectural heavy weight asphalt-based shingles. Walkability and water infiltrations can be serious problems for metal roofs, resulting in expensive callbacks and hassles. In addition, metal will dent from hail, is noisy during rainstorms, can corrode easily if not maintained properly, and is subject to paint color fading and cut edges.

CONCRETE & CLAY TILE vs. ASPHALT.

While no one can deny that slate, tile, wood, and metal, often look very attractive on a roof (at least initially), in the final analysis, over a range of factors, they simply can't compete with the overall benefits and features of asphalt shingles, which in many cases look the same (or better) than natural materials, while delivering superior performance and longevity -- at a fraction of the cost.

Here's how concrete and clay tiles stack up:

Concrete and clay tiles are very heavy, and pose both a safety risk and cost premium because they can be up to 400 (are we sure it’s 400?) percent heavier than the heaviest architectural asphalt shingles -- needing more reinforcement in the home's structure to hold the weight and protect against earthquakes or high winds. They are inherently not waterproof -- relying on longevity and durability of the underlayment to maintain the building moisture integrity. They have an inconsistent quality, with colorations that are hard to match and works only with limited architectural styles. They also absorb moisture, providing a place for algae to grow, and have a colored surface which fades over times. Concrete tile, in particular, displays poor freeze/thaw capabilities, tending to crack in cold weather.

SLATE vs. ASPHALT.

While no one can deny that slate, tile, wood, and metal, often look very attractive on a roof (at least initially), in the final analysis, over a range of factors, they simply can't compete with the overall benefits and features of asphalt shingles, which in many cases look the same (or better) than natural materials, while delivering superior performance and longevity -- at a fraction of the cost.

Here's how slate stacks up:

Like concrete, slate is generally very heavy, and is difficult to replace. It requires a longer lead-time for ordering, and a specialized installation process. It is also extremely expensive.

WOOD SHAKES vs. ASPHALT.

While no one can deny that slate, tile, wood, and metal, often look very attractive on a roof (at least initially), in the final analysis, over a range of factors, they simply can't compete with the overall benefits and features of asphalt shingles, which in many cases look the same (or better) than natural materials, while delivering superior performance and longevity -- at a fraction of the cost.

Here's how wood shakes stack up:

Wood roofing materials have historically had poor fire resistance and a limited variety of colors. They are susceptible to infestations from termites and wood rot, and have higher installation costs, and insurance companies require higher rates because of their vulnerability to fire.