If you are looking for a new brand of shingles to outfit your roof with, you have come to the right place. Today, we want to take a closer look at two extremely popular brands of shingles that can be found in North America. These two brands are GAF and CertainTeed. Both are well-known and respected as leading producers of shingles and related roofing materials. However, there are certain differences between the two that you need to be aware of.
These differences are exactly what we are here to figure out today. Let’s get to it and determine which of these two shingle brands is best for you.
GAF Overview
GAF is by far one of the oldest producers of shingles out there. It has been in the business since 1886, and it is generally considered the leading shingle and roofing manufacturer in all of North America.
Since it was first created, it has garnered a reputation for being one of the best shingles producers in the country. In fact, it is a part of one of the largest waterproofing and roofing businesses on the whole planet.
In terms of regular homeowners, what really stands out about GAF shingles is that they tend to be quite affordably priced without sacrificing quality. They tend to have pretty good algae, wind, and fire resistance, and they’re usually quite durable too.
We obviously cannot focus on the whole lineup of shingles at once, so we’ll be focusing on one of the more popular shingles from this brand, the Timberline. Let’s take a closer look at exactly what this product brings to the table.
CertainTeed Overview
CertainTeed is by far one of the largest shingles and roofing manufacturers in both the USA and Canada.
This is also one of the oldest companies around, as it has been in existence since 1904. It’s been known as the United States’ premier asphalt shingle brand for many decades at this point. It even has over 60 different manufacturing and retail facilities located throughout North America.
One of the things that stands out about this brand is that it features an absolutely massive product selection of both residential and commercial shingle solutions, with their asphalt shingles being some of the most popular. Another defining feature of this brand is that the products are generally extremely heavyweight.
Their shingles contain much more asphalt than those of other brands. They usually weigh at least 200 lbs for each square, with most weighing anywhere from 250 to 480 lbs per square.
That is extremely heavy, especially considering that most other brands have an average weight of 160 to 280 lbs per square. The result is shingles that are extremely impact resistant, don’t lose many grains, and are just extremely durable in general. They also tend to have great wind, algae, and fire resistance.
Again, we cannot review all of the shingles by this brand, so we’ll focus on one of the most popular lines, the Landmark line. This product is an extremely popular home residential asphalt shingle that people tend to really like. They are some of the more affordable shingles from this brand, although they’re still quite pricey in the grand scheme of things.
GAF vs. CertainTeed: How Do They Compare?
Now that we know what GAF and CertainTeed shingles are, let’s compare them based on a variety of factors.
Product Lineup
What is pretty surprising about both of these brands is that their product lineups are fairly similar. First, we have GAF, which has a massive product lineup. Here, on the website, you will find no less than 15 different types of shingles available for purchase.
These include a variety of three-tab shingles, designer shingles, and their ever-popular Timberline shingles. All of these products also come in many different styles and colors. Besides that, many people also appreciate that shingles from the GAF brand are usually quite affordable.
We then have CertainTeed, which also has a huge selection of products, no less than 14 of them on the main website. The most popular ones for homeowners, particularly for those looking to purchase cost-effective shingles, are the Landmark singles.
These are known for being some of the most durable shingles out there, especially at their price. When it comes down to it, it does appear as though GAF has a few more options to go with, although not many. CertainTeed is no slouch when it comes to product selection.
Overall Quality
If you are looking for high-quality shingles, look no further than CertainTeed, as their shingles are known for being some of the most durable shingles around.
As mentioned in the opening description of this brand, the shingles tend to be about twice as heavy as most other shingles. This means that they have much better impact resistance, wind resistance, and more.
Shingles from the CertainTeed brand in general tend to have great fire, water, and algae resistance, good wind ratings, and more. They are seen as being some of the best shingles around, although they do come with a higher price tag.
GAF shingles are also known for being fairly high quality, particularly the Timberlines, which is why they are so popular among residential homeowners. They are also known for having good wind ratings, algae resistance, and more.
They might not be quite as high quality as the Landmark shingles, but they’re also not nearly as expensive. Overall, the GAF Timberline shingles have pretty good durability and overall quality considering their price.
Durability
When it comes down to it, there is simply no denying the fact that the Landmark shingles from CertainTeed are a bit more durable, and this generally has to do with their much heavier weight.
They just have better impact resistance, they don’t suffer from as much grain loss, and they can handle more punishment in general. However, as we mentioned previously, that heavier weight does come with a much heavier price as well.
Now, this is not to say that GAF shingles are not durable, but they’re just not quite as durable as CertainTeed shingles, at least not in the grand scheme of things.
Wind Rating
Both of the shingles we are here talking about today are ASTM D3018 Type 1 certified. This means that they both feature the highest wind rating available on the market. Both the Timberline shingles from GAF and the Landmark shingles from CertainTeed should be able to resist winds up to 130 mph or roughly 210 kilometers per hour.
Landmark shingles also come complete with a 15-year warranty that covers winds up to 115 mph. In the grand scheme of things, both of these shingles have great wind resistance. Although, the installation method for the CertainTeed shingles might have an advantage here.
Algae Resistance
Both of these brands have excellent algae resistance. GAF is known for producing shingles that are quite resistant to algae. However, it really doesn’t stack up to the CertainTeed Landmark shingles.
This brand uses a special adhesion method, as well as other technologies, that prevent algae buildups from occurring. If we had to choose one here, it would be CertainTeed, as it even comes with a 10-year algae resistance warranty.
Energy Efficiency
Both of the shingles on the list today are Energy Star certified. This means that they are proven to be energy efficient, and they both lower heating and cooling costs by a great degree every year. These brands should perform equally well when it comes to energy efficiency.
Fire Rating
Both the Landmark shingles and the Timberline shingles have the highest fire rating class possible. This means that they are both extremely resistant to fire and should perform about equally well on this front.
Warranty
Shingles from GAF have a 50-year warranty, whereas the shingles from CertainTeed generally have a limited lifetime warranty.
Price
GAF shingles usually cost between $2.50 and $3 per square foot, whereas Certainteed shingles can run you anywhere from $4 to $8.50 per square foot.
GAF vs. CertainTeed: Which Offers Better Roof Shingles?
If you are looking for the better of the two products, then it certainly (no pun intended) is CertainTeed. These shingles are heavier, built to last longer, and just have better specs in general. This is not to say that GAF shingles are bad in any way, but they’re just not quite as good as CertainTeed shingles.
However, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, GAF is the way to go.
How Do GAF and CertainTeed Compare with Other Shingles Brands?
See how GAF compares with: Atlas | BP | IKO | Malarkey | Owens Corning | TAMKO
See how CertainTeed compares with: Atlas | BP | IKO | Malarkey | Owens Corning | TAMKO