What are Architectural Roofing Shingles?

Thirty years ago a generation of products redefined roofing design, and they continue to inspire today.

In the 1980s, enhancements to the dimensional shingle resulted in a new generation of high-quality asphalt roofing products with distinctive, often dramatic, appearances. With these advancements came a new name: architectural roofing shingles. Also known as laminated or dimensional shingles, architectural roofing shingles are among the highest quality roofing products made.

Traditionally, they are composed of a heavy fiberglass mat base and ceramic-coated mineral granules that are tightly embedded in carefully refined, water-resistant asphalt.

Architectural Shingles - Cedar Shakes: Some of the most attractive architectural roofing shingles simulate cedar wood shakes (such as CertainTeed's Presidential Shake® shingles). These shingles are quite thick with random slots similar to real shakes.

Architectural Shingles - Slate: Another unique architectural shingle design imitates the look of slate (such as CertainTeed's Belmont® , Grand Manor® and Carriage House® shingles) without the weight issues that normally accompany those materials. These architectural roofing shingles do not require any additional roof support as slate would.

The products' random colors and textures better accent the steep roof planes, turrets, and gable features of roofs. Many product lines offer hip and ridge accessory shingles (such as CertainTeed's Cedar Crest®, Shadow Ridge® and Mountain Ridge®) that highlight a roof's many sections and complement the shingle.