Roofing Materials Compared, Without the Sales Pitch
Most Ohio homes end up with architectural asphalt, and usually that is the right answer. Here is what the alternatives actually offer and when they are worth the difference.
The Four Variables That Matter
Cost, service life, weather performance, and appearance. Nearly every material decision is a trade among those four, and the right answer depends heavily on how long you intend to own the house.
A material that costs twice as much and lasts three times as long is excellent value over thirty years and poor value over six. That is not a knock on the material; it is a question about your horizon.
What Each One Is Good At
Three-tab asphalt
The cheapest option and increasingly a false economy. Flat appearance, lower wind ratings, shorter life, and carriers have grown less enthusiastic about older three-tab roofs. Mostly specified now for outbuildings or where budget is genuinely binding.
Architectural laminated asphalt
The default across central Ohio and a sound one. Two bonded layers give it depth, mass, and better wind performance, with high wind ratings available when installed to the enhanced nailing pattern. Wide colour range, straightforward to repair, and every competent crew in the state knows how to install it.
Impact-resistant (Class 4) asphalt
Laminated shingles tested to resist impact, rated Class 4 under the standard steel-ball test. In a region that sees regular hail this is a reasonable upgrade, and some carriers offer a premium credit for it. Ask your agent before you buy, since the credit varies.
Standing seam metal
Concealed-fastener panels with very long service life, excellent shedding of snow and ice, and low maintenance. Higher cost and a smaller pool of qualified installers. Best value on long ownership horizons, complex snow-load situations, or where the look is wanted. Exposed-fastener corrugated panels are cheaper but the gaskets at the fasteners become a maintenance item.
Synthetic slate and shake
Polymer products that mimic slate or cedar at a fraction of the weight, so they do not require the structural upgrades real slate does. Long service life, high impact ratings, and a distinctive appearance. Cost sits between asphalt and metal.
Natural slate and cedar
Both are beautiful and both are specialist work. Slate is extremely long-lived and extremely heavy, requiring a structure designed for it. Cedar needs maintenance and has fire-rating considerations. Neither is a casual choice, and both need a contractor who works with them regularly.
What the Numbers on the Wrapper Mean
Wind rating is expressed in miles per hour and is conditional on installation. Many shingles reach their highest rating only with a specified enhanced nailing pattern and proper starter courses at eaves and rakes. Installed the ordinary way, they carry the lower rating.
Impact rating runs Class 1 to Class 4, with Class 4 the highest, tested by dropping steel balls onto the shingle. It measures resistance to cracking, not immunity from damage. Fire rating runs Class A to C, with Class A the highest; most asphalt shingles over a suitable deck achieve Class A.
How to Actually Decide
Start with the horizon. Under about seven years, buy good architectural asphalt and do not overthink it. Over about twenty, metal and synthetic become genuinely competitive on cost per year. In between, the decision is mostly about appearance and hail exposure.
Then look at samples outdoors, on the actual house, at more than one time of day. Colour behaves very differently on a small board in a showroom than on a full roof plane in afternoon light, and this is the part people regret most often.
Finally, weigh the neighbourhood. A material that is wildly out of character with surrounding homes can affect resale, and some associations restrict materials and colours outright.
We carry samples and will bring them to you. Call (877) 521-7171.
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Common Questions
Architectural laminated asphalt shingles, by a wide margin. They balance cost, appearance, and weather performance well for this climate.
Over a solid deck with underlayment and an insulated attic, far less than people expect. The noise reputation comes from panels over open framing, as on a barn.
They resist cracking better and are tested to a higher standard, but they are not immune. Large hail can still damage a Class 4 roof.
Natural slate is very heavy and generally requires a structure designed or reinforced for the load. Synthetic slate delivers a similar look at a fraction of the weight.
Lighter and reflective products reduce attic heat gain somewhat, though in this climate adequate ventilation and insulation matter more than shingle colour.
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