Does Weight Determine How Long Shingle Will Last?

shopman

Is weight the only factor that makes one shingle last longer then another brand? basically if you have the exact underlayments on three exact houses, vented the exact way all facing the same direction is the weight of the shingle the only thing that makes one last longer then the lighter one?

You guys are probably thinking I am thinking too much into this but I am deciding what shingle i want on my house. I have pretty much nailed my choices down to either a Tamko Heritage, or the certainteed landmark. I noticed on tamkos web site they dont publish how much they weigh/sq. i called tech services and they would not give me the exact number but they said they are about
Heritage30,AR=235lb/sq
Heritage40,AR=275lb/sq
Heritage50,AR=305lb/sq

From the post's I have read I dont think it will last 40 or 50 years, but I have heard the thicker ones look better, I just dont know if the extra cost is worth it.

MJW

Go with the Landmarks hands down. I have used both. Certainteed at least stands behind their warranty. We have never gotten a warranty claim on Tamko's. Certainteed has paid many times. Also, Certainteed is American.

maj

Go with the Landmarks, you won't be disappointed. Great shingle for the money. As far as weight determining longevity, yes that is the biggest factor,but each manufacturer has different formulas for making their shingle. Probably has to do with patents or something.

I have figured out the best value several times for clients. For the most part, I wouldn't pay the extra for the 50 year. The jump in price per square is just too much for the extra life. I usually will recommend a 30 year laminate or 35 year 3-tab, but we hardly use 3-tabs anymore because the laminates have really come close to the price of 3-tabs. Besides, it's less labor to install laminates and less waste.

Figure about 20 years out of a 25 year shingle
25 for a 30 year
30 for a 35 year
35 for a 40 year
40 for a 50 year

Shingle Monkey

You might want to do a little more research, certianteed is a french company.'


Tamko is an american owned company by a family.

I would go with the certainteeds also.

If you are looking for just weight as a deciding factor, the elk's weigh the most.

Shingle Monkey

In Indy if you have a warranty claim with cetainteed you are sent out a claim package from the factory to do the work yourself.

Tamkos rep will go to the house and look at it hisself.

MJW

Landmarks are made in Shakopee, MN. Used to be made in Ohio. Maybe I should have clarified. Tamko, I thought, are made in Canada??? They are 36" shingle right? I haven't used them in years.

MJW

Yes........
What's the difference? The one who pays is what matters, isn't it. This is just my experiences. Certainteed has a rep in our area, but doesn't come out too often. Just doesn't need to.

Glasshousebltr

Weight determines shingle life, but even more so, weight can have a hell of a bearing on a marriage.


Bob

__________________
Bob

Shingle Monkey

you either havent been around roofing long or dont care to know about the shingles you are installing.

My shingles for the Indy area by certainteed are made in Avery Ohio.

My shingles for the Indy area by Tamko are made in joplin MO.

Certainteed shingles from the avery plant were 12 x 36 up untill late last year. Tamko are still the standard cut also.

Shingles are made for different locations thru out the US. Usually by a plant that is in that area. Certainteed has atleat 3 plants that I know of.

Im not trying to be a d i c k, just get tired of misinformation posted on message boards as facts.

Shingle Monkey

My tamko rep lives less than 10 mins from me and the certainteed rep is 30 minutes away. The tamko rep will come out and take care of the problem at the drop of the hat. The certainteed rep will send out the claims kit and let you do all the leg work for them...oh they will pay you 50bucks

Grumpy

All shingle manufacturers have multiple plants across north america including canada. My tamko's come out of MN. They could possible have a Canadian plant as well.

No shingle weight is not the only factor in determining the quality of the shingle. Asphalt of Fiberglass? How is the weight acheived? Excessive granuals or thick heavy saturated matts which offer stability and reinforcement.

Compare a GAF Timberline 30 to a GAF timberline 40, and there is damned near no dofference. Now Compare a GAF timberline 30 to a GAF GRAND Timberline and you will see a pronounce difference. Same thing witha Certainteed Landmark 30 and a Landmark 40, they look the same. Now comapre a landmark 30 to a Landmark Tri-Laminate (TL) Wow! If you are going to buy a thicker heavier shingle buy it only for looks... and in that case you buy a premium architectural instead of a standard architectural.

River Rat Dad

With regard to Tamko v Certainteed I would vote Certainteed . The name Tamko was short for texas,arkansas,missori,kansas,oklahoma, the states they originally marketed to.

My Certainteeds in SE Mi come from Avery. My Tamkos come from both Joplin and Fredricksburg, I think.

Also the Tamko's I get aren't exactly "standard". The Heritage measures 37" wide. The Elites, while 36" wide have an exposure of 5 1/8" rather than the standard 5". That extra 1/8" is importent when doing a count down.

Grumpy

In my area the Tamko's have Algae Relief standard in all their shingles, where the certainteed do have AR available, but it is special order and costs more... You can't even special order the GAF AR in my area, though they sell it in other areas. The AR is just an added bonus, for the same price IMO.

Plus I like Tamko's variety of color choices on their Architectural (heritage) shingles. Tamko has 17 heritage colors, Certainteed has 10 landmark colors.

MJW

I want to know where I stated anything incorrect. Certainteed is made in the US. I ASKED if Tamko was made in Canada.
Have you had an entire roof covered by Tamko for faulty shingles? I haven't. Don't say "They don't have faulty shingles", because they all have bad ones.

I did not know Tamko has AR standard. I don't use them and very few places sell them here.
Monkey, you haven't stated anything that we didn't already know.

I believe Landmark 30's are either 245lb or 255lb a square.

How come here in the roofing section it is all competition? Everyone thinks they know more than the next guy. They are shingles. We get paid to put them down. I have been in the business for over 10 years now. Dad has been for 25+ years.

Lab Rat

As of Jan 1st 2006 certainteed Landmark series are all Algae resistance,
They are 13 1/4 X 38 3/4 From the Avery Plant. They do have 10 different
colors in LM AR and LM plus (30-40 year) but offer 15 colors in LM Premium(50)
They are also 5 5/8" to the weather on there Metric LM Series.
The Weight of a Shingle is determined by the backcoating that is applied,
The heavier the shingle the more backcoating. The top coating is always
the same, or the Granuales would pressed thru the asphalt and you would
see black asphalt spots on the shingles. Tri Laminates are heavier, Thicker
and give you the LOOK of Shake shingles. But also carry the heavier price.
If your looking for a Shingle thats going to last 50 years. someone else
is going to be looking at it in 50 years, and its not going to matter to you so
buy what you like color wize and what you can afford price wize and have
it installed by a contractor who will install it right and not void the warrentee
by,not nailing in the nail lines, or racking a Laminate shingle, Most Shingle
companys list on every bundle how to lay that shingle and will stand by it
if it is done according to Specks. So Its the Buyers market and you can
can put a Roof on that you can afford and it will last as long as the next
Owner wants it to.

codos .......MJW

Shingle Monkey

heres one..thats like saying toyota is american just because they have factories here.

Shingle Monkey

Yes, tamko paid to have 13 roofs redone in 1997 that were done in 1995 that the shingles curled on, material and labor.

MJW

Simple mistake. I should have wrote "made in USA" like every other good product made.

joasis

Here in Oklahoma, I have been in construction for years and have never seen a claim paid on a roof by Tamko or Cert. Hail always gets them first.....I cannot state as a fact they don't pay in Oklahoma, just that I have never seen it happen. Roofing is a big business here during storm season, and when I began doing metal roofs, we quit shingles completely. Haven't had to replace a metal roof yet, knock on wood.

RooferJim

Certainteed is a French company they got big in the northeast after they bought out Bird. I like there Grand Manors,Carrige House and the Hatteras but dislike Landmarks, just dont like there look. GAF Timberline and Elk and Owens Corning make a better laminate.
IKO and BP are Canadian based and the quality is hit or miss.
Roof American with Americans

RooferJim
www.jbennetteroofing.com