When it comes to all of the different shingles manufacturers out there, you have quite a choice to make. There are dozens, if not hundreds to choose from, and this can make coming to a final decision fairly difficult. However, this is what we are here to help you with today. In this article, we want to compare two of the more popular brand names in the world of shingles, CertainTeed and Malarkey.
Today, we’ll figure out which of these brands is better for your next project.
CertainTeed Overview
First, we have CertainTeed, which is by far one of the largest shingles manufacturers in the USA and Canada, and also very old, as it was first created in 1904. There are currently over 60 different retail and manufacturing locations in the USA and Canada.
It is also regarded as one of the most popular and largest producers of asphalt shingles in the United States. On that note, many people like the CertainTeed brand name because the product selection is massive, with tons of different asphalt shingles being available for purchase.
Many people also like this brand because the shingles are very heavy and large, generally more so than with other brands. They are up to 50% heavier than shingles from other brand names, which allows for much better durability.
Certainteed shingles are therefore some of the most sought-after shingles in North America, with their signature Landmark series being one of the best sellers of all. Keep in mind that this is a very expensive and relatively high-end brand name, so you’ll definitely end up paying a good deal of money for these shingles, but most people say that they are worth the investment.
Malarkey Overview
We then have Malarkey, which is another leading name in the world of roofing and shingles. It was created in 1956 in the USA, therefore making it well over 60 years old at this time. As far as professional builders are concerned, this is one of the most popular and high-end options out there.
On an interesting note, unless you are a certified contractor, you cannot purchase Malarkey shingles.
As a general homeowner, you must go through a certified roofing agent or contractor to purchase from this brand, and you do not have access to them yourself. That said, Malarkey as a brand is considered to be one of the highest quality and most premium brands in the world.
These are fairly expensive shingles but also have super high-quality features, as well as great impact resistance, algae resistance, and more. Interestingly enough, both CertainTeed and Malarkey are viewed as being two of the highest-quality brand names as far as shingles are concerned.
CertainTeed vs. Malarkey: How Do They Compare?
Now that we know what both CertainTeed and Malarkey are, let’s take a closer look at how they compare to each other.
Product Lineup
What is nice about the CertainTeed brand name is that it comes with over 14 different shingles to choose from, and they come in plenty of different colors. If product selection is what you are going for, CertainTeed definitely does not come up short.
We then have Malarkey, which only has three major types of shingles to choose from. The product selection from Malarkey is decidedly small, but all of the products are viewed as being some of the very best in the world.
Overall Quality
In terms of quality, Malarkey shingles are held in very high regard, but they’re also quite expensive. They tend to rank very highly in all possible categories, as you will see below.
We then have Certainteed shingles, which are about 50% heavier than other shingles, which means that they have great impact resistance, plus they are also very highly rated in general. Although both brands have super high-quality shingles, CertainTeed is probably the slightly better option.
Durability
There is no denying the fact that Malarkey shingles are high-quality. They are known for being very durable, and this goes for wind resistance, granule loss, impact resistance, and more.
However, what it really comes down to here is that CertainTeed shingles are up to 50% heavier and larger than Malarkey shingles. This means that they are automatically more durable thanks to having more impact resistance, more wind resistance, and better features in general.
Wind Rating
All of the shingles from the Malarkey brand name are rated to withstand winds up to 130 mph, with all of the shingles from the CertainTeed brand name also being very highly rated.
Not all of the shingles from CertainTeed have as high a rating as all of the products from Malarkey, but what you need to realize is that Malarkey only has three shingles to choose from, whereas CertainTeed has many times more.
Algae Resistance
In terms of overall algae resistance, both of these brand names are fairly even. Both use advanced technologies to ensure that algae does not grow on their shingles and in both cases, this should last for at least five years, if not longer. That said, if we had to put our money on one brand or another, it would most likely be CertainTeed.
Energy Efficiency
All of the shingles from the Malarkey brand name are Energy Star certified, as well as a majority of the shingles from CertainTeed.
When it comes down to it, both of these brand names produce great shingles that should allow for energy savings.
Fire Rating
All of the shingles from both brand names feature Class A fire ratings, which is as good as it gets.
Warranty
both of these brands feature limited lifetime warranties on the vast majority of their products, although the warranties from CertainTeed are likely a little more comprehensive.
Price
For Malarkey shingles, expect to spend anywhere between $3 and $6 per square foot, and for CertainTeed shingles, you can expect to spend anywhere between $4 and $8.50 per square foot.
CertainTeed vs. Malarkey: Which Offers Better Roof Shingles?
Determining which of these two brand names has the better shingles is quite difficult. This is mainly because both brands are considered some of the very best in the world. They both have excellent fire ratings, algae resistance, wind ratings, overall durability, and more.
With that being said, because CertainTeed shingles are so heavy and large, and due to the special manufacturing process by which they are made, they are arguably the better shingles. If what you are going for is overall quality, and you don’t mind spending a good deal of money, then CertainTeed is a fantastic option to consider, although Malarkey is no slouch either.
The bottom line here is that while you cannot go wrong with either of the two brands, if you have the money to spend, we recommend CertainTeed.
How Do CertainTeed and Malarkey Compare with Other Shingles Brands?
See how CertainTeed compares with: Atlas | BP | GAF | IKO | Owens Corning | TAMKO
See how Malarkey compares with: Atlas | GAF | IKO | Owens Corning | TAMKO