40-50 year Composition Roof Shingle Recommendations

[ultrarunner]

Any brands to stay away from or ones that are particularly good?

Need to re-roof about 25 squares of roof... 4 in 12 pitch except for a covered porch that is 3 in 12. Home is in the SF Bay Area of California... snows about 1" every 25 years... do have 80 to 90 mph gusts every 5 years or so.

Existing roof has a first layer of 1959 wood shingle over skip sheathing with another layer of 1980 composition on top of the wood.

80% of the roof looks ok... 20% has lost all the granules... and looking at the roof, it looks like quality control in manufacturing might be the reason for the bad areas because it can be found in groups throughout the roof.

I would like to put on a long lasting quality roof.

Two products I have used in the past are Genstar and Elk...

I think both have changed ownership or merged since I last bought.

In 2004, a neighbor paid 11k to tear off two layers, put down OSB and install Tamko Heritage in Autumn Brown... like the look of the roof... just get mixed reviews on the Brand and have never used OSB.

Any thoughts about:

Owens Corning True Definition Duration

Certainteed Premium Max Definition

Elk Prestige

GAF Timberline

Tamko Heritage 50

 

[wcampbell47]

Most any roof repair involving wood shingles is normally a tear off, deck with something solid and go back with your preference of shingle. OSB nowdays is generally accepted as good stuff. Here on the Gulf Coast wind storm requirements are 6 nails per shingle.

 

[aczlan]

We have used Timberline 50s and like them. 6 nails per shingle in the nail strip no matter where you live. Nails in the top rather than the nail strip will cause you to have to tearoff and re-roof within 5-7 years (I didnt do it, but I had to arrange for the tearoff and re-roof)...
If you have a "easy" roof (not many valleys or other things to work around) you might also look at steel, on a simple roof it can be cheaper than shingles...

Aaron Z

 

[dmccarty]

We used Certainteed shingles when we built the house. I can't remember the shingle's name and the names on the website don't look familiar.

The shingles had a 40 or 50 year warranty and I think it took 5 bundles to cover a square instead of 3. The roof is going into it's ninth year and looks as good as the day it was installed. Figured the warranty was just a hopeful indication of quality and certainly the shingles weight helps hold down the house. In 40 or 50 years I don't know that I will give a dang about the shingles.

I did notice that Certainteed had specific installation instructions to get the warranty but I think that is pretty common.

Later,
Dan

 

[ultrarunner]

I was a little overwhelmed at the options this time around.

Basically looking for this to be a lifetime roof... my lifetime at least.

 

[SARG]

I just had my roof done this summer. The contractor I hired told me that the GAF shingles were the best available now. He advised that there was a time in the past he used multiple brands but over time he noted such a marked difference in how they held up ........ he uses strictly the GAF now to avoid issues.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I have osb roof with tamko heritage 30. shingles are good (made local to me), mine are just algea streaked, although pretty sure they were the AR ones. they have been on 15 yrs now.

 

[CurlyDave]

1. If you are more comfortable with plywood than OSB, the cost to upgrade is minimal. Some people claim that OSB is better, but I have had 3 building inspectors tell me that they were happy to see I had used plywood instead.

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever had was the statement: "On any job, the real costs walk on two legs." Labor is going to be you largest expense.

2. I have had good results with both GAF and Elk.

3. Double 30 lb paper is the best quality improvement you can make, and it is inexpensive.

4. I have both installed roofs myself, and had contractors do it. The instructions for how to nail down the shingles are printed on the inside of the wrapper of every bundle of shingles and are also on the internet at the manufacturer's web site. Maybe I have had bad luck, but I have never had a contractor, or his labor, install the shingles according to the manufacturer's directions.

At this point I make a point of adding a clause to every roofing contract the the shingles will be installed according to manufacturer's directions. I check this during the work and take photos. I try to get the labor to do it correctly, but sometimes there have been terrible arguments over this. (Come down from the roof before discussing it with anyone, especially if they are not doing it properly.) It usually devolves into "we have always done it this way before". I have had both workers and contractors admit that they have never read the wrapper on any bundle of shingles.

Anyway, this is a real pain and you have to be on your toes to prevent a poor installation.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've been very pleased with the roofs I've done... followed the manufacturers instructions, used a string line and measuring tape, drip edges, etc.

I was going to get the same roof as my neighbor... then I did a little research and was disappointed with the reviews.

Could be I'm getting older... just didn't feel comfortable doing the tear off and with the height. A good friend about 20 years older than I am, a retired contractor was helping his son this past summer and fell off the roof... he will never be the same... got me to thinking of letting the job...

I will use the verbiage Installed per manufacturer's instructions.

 

[cqaigy2]

Corning Oakridge from Lowes in Olympia Wa. You can get a Local Business Account (LBA) for a good discount on your first order, plus delivery is something like $20. We ordered the shingles, felt, metal roof vents, rake/eave drip edge and ridge shingles e.t.c. for shop and house so that first order was a good amount.