3 Most Durable Types of Residential Shingles

by Kevin Smith Author

When you think of the standard residential roofing project, you more than likely think about the humble asphalt shingle. While the 3-tab asphalt roofing shingle is the go-to choice for roofing in many areas of the country and offers great durability for the lowest price point, there are more shingle options on the market now than ever before. These alternative shingles provide many advantages such as additional durability and aesthetic beauty, all of which come at a high price point.

If you’re planning a roofing project in the future, consider the benefits and costs involved with some of the extremely durable shingles that are currently available. While your material and installation costs may be higher upfront, the additional service life of durable shingles may balance the long-term costs in your favor. Read on to learn more about some of the most durable types of shingles on the market today.

Architectural Shingles

Technically, architectural shingles are in fact asphalt shingles, though they are an upgraded form of the tried and true standard. They feature enhanced base materials as well as extra layers that provide additional thickness to architectural shingles, also known as dimensional shingles. They have a thicker, more luxurious appearance and can be made to visually mimic other types of shingles such as wood or metal at a lower price point. With proper maintenance, they can last 30 to 50 years before they’ll need to be replaced.

Metal Shingles

Metal roofing has been around for a long time, but metal shingles are a relatively new roofing material that offers the easy maintenance and attractive appearance of shingles with the durability of metal. Metal shingles have one of the longest lifespans of any shingle type, as they can last 70 to 100 years under the right conditions. This type of shingle is also incredibly light, which means metal shingles can be installed on almost any residential building without structural amendment. They can be made of copper, tin, stone coated steel, zinc, or aluminum. They combine beauty with longevity in an unbeatable package, though they can carry a significantly higher cost.

Slate Shingles

While other shingle types may mimic the look of stone, slate shingles are really made of thin slabs of stone. As a result, they are tremendously heavy, which makes them highly resistant to damage from high winds and adverse weather. They can’t be installed on all homes because their weight requires an especially robust roof structure beneath them. However, they last longer than almost any other roofing material, which an average lifespan ranging from 60 to 150 years.

If you’re looking for durability when shopping for residential roofing shingles in Melbourne, FL, consider these three types first. Architectural shingles, metal shingles, and slate shingles will all provide decades of protection from the elements.