If you need new shingles to protect that newly built roof of yours, you’ve come to the right place, because we’re about to help you find the best shingles for your needs. However, to do this, you first need to know what the different brands out there are. That will allow you to make an informed decision as to which manufacturer best suits your needs.
Today, we are comparing two of the most popular brand of shingles, CertainTeed and Owens Corning. Let’s get to it and figure out which one of these two brands is best for you – if either.
CertainTeed Overview
First, we have CertainTeed, which is one of the oldest, largest, and most popular roofing and shingles manufacturers in the USA and Canada.
Furthermore, it was created in 1904, making it nearly 120 years old, and it currently has over 60 different retail locations and manufacturing facilities in North America. Furthermore, many people really like the asphalt shingles from this brand, especially in the United States, which is our main focus today.
On that note, most people love this brand because it has an absolutely massive selection of products, with tons of different asphalt shingles, but more so, these shingles are also very durable.
These shingles are designed to be up to 50% heavier than other shingles because they are made with more granules, more asphalt, and more material in general.
This allows them to feature an extremely high level of durability, which is why they are so sought after, particularly the Landmark shingles, which are some of the most popular ones from this brand.
Keep in mind that this is an expensive and high-end brand name, although there are a couple of more affordable options. That said, you get what you pay for, and with CertainTeed, you get some of the very best shingles in the world.
Owens Corning Overview
We then have Owens Corning, which has been around since the 1800s, although it didn’t start manufacturing shingles and roofing products until the 1930s. That said, regardless, this is one of the oldest and most popular brands in North America and in the whole world as far as relatively high-quality asphalt shingles are concerned.
Many people also love Owens Corning as a brand name because there are plenty of products to choose from, which include many types of shingles and other types of roofing products, and they’re all designed to be very affordable.
When it comes to this company, one of the biggest selling points is that all of the products and shingles are priced very low.
Most people would therefore say that Owens Corning is a budget-friendly brand name, and the products aren’t necessarily the very best when compared to others.
Yes, most people would agree that these products are more than good enough considering the low price they come in at, but they aren’t anything overly special and don’t generally stand up to other high-end or premier shingles manufacturers.
CertainTeed vs. Owens Corning: How Do They Compare?
Now that you know a little bit about both of these brand names, let’s take a much closer look at how they stack up against each other in a number of categories.
Product Lineup
When it comes to Owens Corning, the selection of shingles isn’t huge. The main website appears to have six different asphalt shingles to choose from.
One of the most popular shingles from this brand is the Duration. The selection isn’t massive, but the prices are fantastic.
If we are talking about CertainTeed, the selection is much bigger, with over 14 different types of asphalt shingles being available, and all of them come in many different colors. Certainteed just has a much larger selection of shingles to choose from, and this applies to all categories.
Overall Quality
When it comes to overall quality, there is simply no denying the fact that CertainTeed has the advantage here.
The reality is that Owens Corning has perfectly fine shingles for the prices they come in at, but they just aren’t anything special.
It’s not like they are bad shingles per se, but they could certainly be much better. There is a reason why Owens Corning is seen as a budget brand, the quality isn’t the best in the world.
Certainteed on the other hand uses many technologies and manufacturing processes that result in some of the very best shingles on the market.
Durability
Related to the above point, there is a big reason that CertainTeed products are so highly regarded, as they are anywhere between 20% and 50% heavier than other shingles.
This much greater amount of granules and asphalt also leads to higher durability, simply because these shingles are heavier, thicker, and have more to them. They are more wind-resistant, impact-resistant, tear-resistant, and more.
Yes, they do also put more weight on roofs, which you have to be careful of, but if we are talking simply about durability, you just can’t beat CertainTeed.
On the other hand, Owens Corning shingles are perfectly fine for the low prices they come in at, although they aren’t the most durable in the world. They will last for a decent amount of time if treated right but don’t expect any miracles out of them.
Wind Rating
In terms of wind ratings, most of the shingles from both of these brand names feature 130 mph ratings.
However, based on the selection alone, it appears as though CertainTeed has many more shingles that are rated at higher wind speeds than Owens Corning. If you need a product that can resist wind, it is CertainTeed that you need to go with.
Algae Resistance
Owens Corning is known for using some technologies that allow for great algae resistance in their shingles, which is also the case for CertainTeed. Although the former does not outpace the latter on this front, it doesn’t fall behind either, meaning that this category results in a tie.
Energy Efficiency
What is interesting to note is that the vast majority of singles from both of these manufacturers are Energy Star certified, which means that they should help reduce cooling and heating costs, and help save you money in the long run. This is something that both of these brand names do very well.
Fire Rating
All of the shingles created by both of these brand names feature Class A fire ratings, which is as good as it gets. This is another tie.
Warranty
Both Owens Corning and CertainTeed feature limited lifetime warranties, although those from CertainTeed are much more comprehensive.
Price
Expect to spend anywhere between $2.00 and $4 for the shingles from Owens Corning, and between $4 and $8.50 for CertainTeed shingles.
CertainTeed vs. Owens Corning: Which Offers Better Roof Shingles?
At the end of the day, if you need a great budget-friendly brand that won’t cost you too much, yet still produces fairly decent products, Owens Corning is a fine brand to consider. However, if you are looking for very high-end shingles that will last for many years to come, and you are willing to pay a premium price, then CertainTeed is by far the better brand to consider.
What it really comes down to here is a choice between a budget brand and a premier brand, so you need to consider what your requirements are. If you have money to spend and you want to build the best house possible, there is no question about the fact that CertainTeed is the better of the two brands.
How Do CertainTeed and Owens Corning Compare with Other Shingles Brands?
See how CertainTeed compares with: Atlas |BP | GAF | IKO | Malarkey | TAMKO
See how Owens Corning compares with: Atlas | GAF | IKO | Malarkey | TAMKO