Asphalt and organic shingles are among the most common and cost effective materials used in residential roofing as well as in some commercial applications. An asphalt based sheet is cut according to various patterns and the portion of the shingle which will be exposed to the elements is coated with granules of stone, gravel or synthetic material. Most asphalt shingles are warranted for a service life of fifteen to thirty years. In recent years, the completely regular shingles of the past have been replaced with more irregularly cut pieces which look from a distance like more expensive wood or slate shingles or shakes. These shingles are also known as designer shingles or architectural shingles.

There are several large and some smaller manufacturers of asphalt shingles in the North American market. These are noted in this section of the directory.

Four large domestic manufacturers dominate the North American market for asphalt shingles, GAF Material Corporation and CertainTeed have the majority of the market with Owens Corning, and Tamko Building Products splitting a smaller share.

• GAF I can hardly recommend the GAF website as it consistently hangs up my computer. GAF manufactures its own line of shingles and also manufactures under the ELK name, a Canadian manufacturer it purchased. It is well known among homeowners, is very competitively priced and offers extensive support programs to assist contractors in selling its products. Site has product specifications under two sections - material for homeowners and material for contractors/suppliers.
• CertainTeed Roofing provides material for builders and contractors based on their location - since product availability varies by region. Shows small color swatches and price legends for a wide range of steep slope roof products including its full line of asphalt/organic shingles.
• Owens Corning Roofing products are, like the two manufacturers above, just one element of a long line of residential building products, but in the case of Owens Corning, the market share is less dominant than its insulation products and some other lines. Still, Owens Corning offers a fairly wide range of products and a competitive set of builder/contractor support programs.
• Tamko Building Products Roofing division is more of a specialist in roofing materials other than asphalt but produces a line of asphalt shingles as well.

Some foreign suppliers have begin to test the waters of the US market. For the most part, shingles are such heavy products that transoceanic transportation is ruled out. However, recently Chinese manufacturers are coming in at such low prices as to be able to be marginally competitive even with such a high freight cost penalty.

There are also several smaller suppliers below the range of the largest four domestic manufacturers of asphalt shingles.

• Iko Corporation, a Canadian manufacturer offers a green certified line of architectural shingles, in addition to commercial roofing products.
• Malarkey Roofing Products produces standard 3-tab shingles in a range of conventional colors. It offers 30 and 40 year warranty shingles as well as hip and ridge shingles. Oregon based, mainly serving western states.

Products related to shingles: sealants, cleansers.

• Nationawide Chemical Coating MFG Inc., Sarasota, FL produces and distributes an acrylic shingle coating which waterproofs and extends the life of older shingle roofs without necessitating replacement.

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