Roofing Basics - Types Of Shingles

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are the most commonly used type of shingle. They're reinforced with fiber glass or paper and range in durability - typically 20 to 30 years.

Asphalt shingles usually have three sections or "tabs" per shingle and an overall length of 3'. Most have dabs of tar or roofing cement on front to hold down the shingle that will lay on top of it.

Asphalt shingles now come in all kinds of colors and profiles. Along with the 3-tab shingles, a wide range of "architectural" shingles, whose profiles suggest the random shadows and patterns of slate, wood shingles, or ceramic tile, are readily available.

Laminated Shingles

Laminated shingles have gained a lot of popularity recently. Designed to add character, color and depth to the roof, laminated shingles are made of multiple, staggered layers of material (usually asphalt).

From afar, some types of laminated shingles give the look of an expensive slate or shake covered roof by incorporating angled or rounded tabs and shadow lines.

Slate

Slate (stone) shingles are highly durable (100+ years); but about 3 times heavier per square foot than asphalt. Slate is a bit more difficult to work with and less forgiving than asphalt shingles because they break easily. However, a slate roof can create a colorful, hand-crafted look that adds to the overall appearance of a house.

Cutting slate to size requires using a special pressure cutter or a pick-like hammer that splits the slate. Slate is easily damaged by walking on it, so you may want to contact a pro for repairs.

Wood Shakes & Shingles

Shakes are typically made of cedar, spruce or treated pine. Hand-split shakes have a rough, textured look on the front and often smooth on the back. Wood shingles are machine sawn smooth on both sides.

Generally, cedar is the highest performing wood for making shakes. But, treated pine shakes also perform well. Shakes are brown or reddish in color when new, but usually fade in the first year to a gray color.

Shakes normally last about 30 years before needing to be replaced and throughout that time individual shakes/shingles may shrink, warp, or splinter.