Types of roof shingles for Pittsburgh homes

3-tab shingles

Three tab shingles are a single flat layer, cut to look like three separate tabs. They were standard for decades, and you will still find them on many older Pittsburgh homes. They are the cheapest option, but they are thinner and handle wind less well. Many manufacturers have cut back their 3-tab lines, and today they mostly make sense for a garage, a shed or a rental with a tight budget.

Architectural shingles

Architectural roof shingles, also called dimensional roof shingles or laminated shingles, are made of two bonded layers. This gives them a thicker, shadowed look, more weight and better wind ratings. They also hide the slight waves of an old roof deck, which matters on many older homes here. This is the type we install most, and it is the best value for nearly every asphalt shingle roof around Pittsburgh.

Designer and luxury shingles

Designer shingles are heavier again, cut to look like slate or cedar shake. Examples include GAF Grand Sequoia and Slateline, CertainTeed Presidential and Grand Manor. They can look great on a Tudor or a large house where the roof is a big part of the view. They are mainly a looks upgrade, though the extra weight can help in wind.

Other shingle types

• Composition shingles and composite shingles are general names for asphalt and fiberglass shingles, though "composite" can also mean synthetic slate and shake.
• Metal shingles, including steel shingles and aluminum shingles, are stamped to look like other materials. See metal roof vs shingles.
• Cedar shake shingles look beautiful but need upkeep, and they are a specialty job in our damp climate.
• Ridge cap shingles finish the peak of the roof. A proper ridge cap holds up better than cut-down 3-tabs.
• Rolled asphalt roofing is a low-cost roll product for sheds and low slopes. It has a short life, and we would rather use EPDM rubber on a house.

Shingle makers you will hear about

All of the big manufacturers make solid architectural shingles, and most roofers around here use one or two of them. We choose the product to suit the roof, and we aren't tied to any one brand. These are the lines you will see most often in quotes.

What Owens Corning makes

Owens Corning shingles, especially TruDefinition Duration, are common here for fair reasons: they are widely available, and the reinforced nailing strip makes the correct nail line easy to see. Oakridge is the step-down line, and it is still a good architectural shingle. Duration comes in blended colors that work well with brick. Estate gray shingles, driftwood shingles and onyx black shingles are the ones we are asked about most.

What GAF makes

GAF roofing shingles are everywhere, and GAF Timberline HDZ shingles are one of the most common architectural shingles in the country, so colors and matching ridge caps are easy to get. Weathered Wood, Charcoal, Barkwood and Pewter Gray are all popular colors on Pittsburgh homes. If you want a slate look at a much lower price, GAF Slateline is worth a look.

What CertainTeed, IKO and Atlas make

CertainTeed shingles have a strong reputation, and CertainTeed Landmark shingles are a heavier architectural line with a wide color range. IKO shingles are often a good value. IKO Cambridge shingles are the everyday line, and IKO Dynasty shingles step up with a wider nailing area. Atlas shingles are less common, but Atlas roofing shingles such as Pinnacle Pristine are a good pick under trees, since they are built to resist algae streaks.

Choosing a shingle color for brick

Pittsburgh is a brick city, and red and yellow brick push shingle color in different directions. Grays and charcoals work with almost everything. Weathered wood and brown blends warm up a red brick. Onyx black gives a crisp look, but it shows dirt and heat more. Bring a sample outside and hold it against the wall in daylight, since the small chip in the brochure won't tell you much.

• Red brick: charcoal, driftwood, weathered wood
• Yellow brick: estate gray, pewter gray, soft browns
• White siding: almost any color, including onyx black
• Stone fronts: pick up the darkest color in the stone

What are 30 year and 50 year shingles?

Those numbers are warranty labels, not a promise of how long the roof will last. Most manufacturers now call their architectural lines limited lifetime shingles. In practice, you can expect around 20 to 30 years in our freeze-thaw climate, and the warranty fine print is more about manufacturing defects than wear. Don't choose a shingle because of a bigger number on the wrapper.

What matters more than the brand

A mid-priced shingle installed well will beat a premium shingle installed badly. Nail placement, flashing, ice and water shield and roof ventilation make more difference to the life of a roof than the name on the bundle. Ask your roofer what they do at the eaves, valleys and walls, not just which shingle they use. Our roof replacement page shows how we build a roof, and the cost guide covers full prices.

Algae, wind and impact ratings

On shaded Pittsburgh slopes, the black streaks you see are algae. Many shingles now come with copper granules to resist it, which is worth having under trees. Wind ratings mostly depend on correct nailing and sealing. Impact resistant shingles are useful in hail country, and some insurers give a discount, but we see far more wind damage here than hail.

Common questions

More roofing services

• repairs from our Pittsburgh roofers
• new roofs from our roofers
• help with roof leaks
• emergency roofers
• slate roofers in Pittsburgh
• rowhouse rubber roofs
• metal roofing in Pittsburgh
• small commercial roofs
• seamless gutters in Pittsburgh
• soffit and fascia work
• roof inspection in Pittsburgh
• ice dam removal
• roof ventilation

Roofers near you

• Lawrenceville
• Shadyside
• Squirrel Hill
• Bloomfield
• Wexford
• Sewickley
• Fox Chapel
• Allegheny County

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