How to Choose the Best Shingles for Your Roof

The most important step in the roofing process

After you’ve found a roofing contractor to replace your roof, it’s time to select the shingles for your home. You’ll want a quality weather resistant shingle that offers durability and curb appeal. This article explores the different options when it comes to choosing the best shingles for your roof.

The Type of Roof Matters

If you have a flat roof or a low slope roof, then you may need a different type of surface than a roof with a steeper pitch. Slate and tile are the heavier of the roofing shingles, so your roof’s structure will need to be adequate enough to carry the weight of these shingle types. Discuss this with your roofing contractor and designer before getting estimates. Choosing the wrong type of shingle for certain roofing styles is a big mistake that inexperienced roofers make. TruBlue Roofing and Remodeling has many years of experience selecting and installing the best shingles on the market. We can work with you in choosing the best quality shingles for your home.

Shingle Types

Whether it’s asphalt, metal, wood, tile, or slate, choosing the right color and materials will make all the difference in how long and how much you enjoy your new roof. Choose wisely and select the best roofing contractor when doing so.

• Asphalt: This is the least expensive and most commonly used shingle in the industry. It’s easier to install than the others, too. Asphalt shingles are made of a fiberglass pad enclosed with asphalt and a sandy granular surface. The granularity helps prevent weathering and it also adds color to the roof. Also, ask about AR algae resistant shingles. These shingles have tiny grains of copper in them which inhibits the growth of algae. Have you ever seen black stains on roofs? AR shingles prevent that.

  Usually there are two types of asphalt shingles to choose from: Standard single-thickness variety and Thicker, laminated variety. Standard is cheaper, but many choose the thicker laminated variety for its appeal and texture. Plus, laminated shingles last many years longer (25 years versus 10 years) than standard ones.

• Wood: Long ago, wood was the most popular shingle choice, but in some climates it’s not ideal. These shingles are made of redwood, cedar, or pine. You’re looking at a roof life expectancy of about 25 years similar to high-end asphalt shingles; however, wooden shingles cost twice as much.
• Metal: Starting at about $250 per square, metal shingles are among the most expensive ones on the market. They’re durable, but not for every type of roof. These shingles come in steel, copper, copper & asphalt, lead, and aluminum. As you can imagine, metal shingles are highly durable and long-lasting if you can afford them.
• Slate: Like metal, these shingles are highly durable; however, not all slate shingles are the same. An experienced roofing contractor like TruBlue Roofing and Remodeling will be able to help you choose the best slate shingles for your roof. They know from which states and which manufacturers, the best slate comes from. It’s believed that some slate roofs can last one hundred years. However, this shingle type is very expensive, running about $800 per square. The weight of slate shingles may not be ideal for your roof, so ask your roofing contractor to help you decide which shingle is best for your roof. Remember, some asphalt shingles today are made to look almost exactly like slate roof shingles. If you want the look, but not the expensive price tag, consider asphalt shingles.
• Tile and Cement: You’ve seen tile half cylinder shingles are Spanish Colonial homes in places like Florida and California. A few homes around Raleigh sport this historic shingle style. While these shingles give character, they are very heavy and not for every roof structure. Ask your roofing contractor for advice on choosing the right weight of shingle for your home.

Whichever shingle type you choose, remember you’ll need flashing and other roofing material and supplies. An experienced roofing company like TruBlue Roofing and Remodeling can help you choose the right shingles and roofing materials that will last for many years to come. Give us a call today at (919) 589-7290 to schedule a free no-obligation roof inspection and estimate.