Asphalt Shingle Roofing

Protect Your Home with Low-Maintenance Architectural Shingles

We offer a wide selection of options for all of our Maryland roofing jobs. Among the variety of roofing material choices, many homeowners like to stick with the traditional style of asphalt shingle roofs. Asphalt shingle roofs are a popular option due to their stability, design and color options, ease of installation, and their affordable cost. Here is some vital information about shingle roofing you should be aware of.

Asphalt roof shingles are the most popular roofing material used on homes across North America, and with good reason. They are designed to protect a home through decades of weathering with minimal upkeep and are available in hundreds of colors and styles.

In additional to offering a variety of style choices, architectural shingles are widely available, and are easy to install, making them an attractive option for homeowners. Asphalt shingle roofs are among the most affordable options available. In fact, if an existing roof deck (the structural surface beneath the roofing system) is in good condition, new architectural shingles can even be installed over older shingles, reducing the need (and cost) of a tear off of the old roofing.

Different Types of Asphalt Roofing Shingles

Strip Shingles

Also known as 3-tab shingles (due to the cut of the shingle) or simply strips, strip shingles are the original and most basic asphalt shingles. They are made from a single layer of asphalt and have a very flat appearance that typically offers a slate look. Since they are made from a single layer, they generally weigh and cost less than other asphalt shingles. Prior to designer shingles being introduced in the 1980s, strip shingles were the predominant asphalt roofing shingle in the market. Today, strip shingles are used most often used by home builders that manufacture inexpensive homes, or by homeowners who are replacing roofing shingles on residences that already have strip shingles on the roof.

asphalt shingles


Architectural Shingles

Also known as dimensional or laminate shingles, architectural shingles are the most prevalent asphalt shingles. These products are manufactured with two or more layers of asphalt that are fused together for a thicker and richer multi-dimensional appearance and are engineered to replicate the wood shake and natural slate roofing aesthetics. Dimensional shingles are typically heavier than strip shingles and have improved warranty protection.

architectural shingles


Designer/Luxury Shingles

Designer / Luxury shingles are the highest-quality laminated shingles available, offering a differentiated appearance or functionality that outclasses that of dimensional shingles. Apart from being shingle ‘heavyweights’ that offer premium protection for weathering, luxury shingles are stunning to look upon, presenting the highest quality, coloration, and dimensionality. These products offer the most realistic representation of the old-world wood shake and quarried slate roofing. GAF’s Slateline, Woodland, and Camelot products are prime examples of Designer / Luxury roofing shingles.

GAF Designer Shingles

CertainTeed’s Luxury Shingles

asphalt roof repair


The Dynamic Benefits of Asphalt Shingle Installation

Due to modern engineering techniques and the dynamic properties of asphalt, manufacturers are capable of producing numerous specialty products that exist across all shingle types. These include shingles that fight algae growth, offer enhanced resistance to damaging hail, and offer cool roof color technologies that reflect the heat of the sun to keep homes cooler and can reduce the expenses of air conditioning. Depending on your location, choosing a specialty shingle can even reduce your insurance costs. In addition, asphalt shingle roofs are naturally fire resistant.

Interested in exploring the different asphalt shingle installation options available to you? Try out GAFs Virtual Home Remodeler tool – you can upload a picture of your own home to try out different shingles and colors to help bring your asphalt shingle roof to reality. Contact the Mid-Shore Exteriors team to learn more and get started on your roofing project!

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