Asphalt Shingle Product Line Equivalents by Manufacturer

Introduction

If you’re trying to compare asphalt shingles from different manufacturers, you’re probably seeing a confusing mess of brand names, shingle lines, warranty terms, and product tiers. It can be hard to figure out which line of shingles from one manufacturer is the equivalent of which line of shingles from another manufacturer.

The information here should make things easier.

I analyzed the current warranty documents and product data sheets from the nine major asphalt shingle manufacturers in North America: Atlas, BP Canada, CertainTeed, GAF, IKO, Malarkey, Owens Corning, PABCO, and TAMKO.

I grouped the shingle lines into four common performance tiers:

• 3-Tab Shingles: cheaper, basic, flat-profile, one layer of material, not laminated
• Architectural / Dimensional Shingles: typically two layers of shingle material laminated together; by far the most popular type of shingles today
• Luxury / Designer / Premium Shingles: thicker, heavier, high-profile laminated shingles designed to look like slate or shakes
• Impact-Resistant Shingles – Class IV shingles designed to withstand hail and storm damage

For each tier, you can see which shingle lines from each manufacturer are in that tier, so these are essentially the product line equivalents from each manufacturer. I included the manufacturer-assigned names for the warranties that each shingle line can qualify for to make it easier to compare warranty coverage. I also added tables for comparing shingle lines by wind resistance guarantees and algae resistance warranties.

All information is based on the actual warranties and product data sheets provided by the manufacturers as of 2024/2025. This should help you figure out which product lines to compare if you want to do more research and make an accurate apples-to-apples comparison across brands.

3-Tab Shingle Product Lines

3-tab shingles (also called “strip shingles”) are the most basic type of asphalt roofing shingle, with a flat, uniform appearance and three evenly spaced tabs per shingle. They tend to be the cheapest shingles, and they’re fairly easy to install, but they don’t last as long as architectural shingles. They are typically rated for winds up to 60 or 70 mph. 3-tab shingles have largely been replaced in recent decades by laminated architectural shingles in residential construction.

Architectural / Dimensional Shingle Product Lines

Architectural (or dimensional) shingles are laminated asphalt shingles made with multiple layers (normally two) to create a thicker, more durable product with visible depth texture and contours. They typically come with “limited lifetime” warranties and wind ratings between 110 and 130 mph. This type of shingle has become the most popular choice by far for residential roofing due to its improved performance and appearance compared to traditional 3-tab shingles.

Luxury / Designer / Premium Shingle Product Lines

Luxury (also called designer or premium) shingles are high-end laminated asphalt shingles designed to replicate the look of natural slate or cedar shakes. Some luxury shingles may be manufactured by laminating up to 3 layers of material together. They are heavier, thicker, longer-lasting, and more dimensionally complex than standard architectural shingles. These shingles often carry top-tier warranties and wind ratings of 110 to 130 mph or more. They tend to be significantly more expensive than standard architectural shingles.

Impact-Resistant Shingle Product Lines

Impact-resistant shingles are specially engineered asphalt shingles designed to withstand hail and other debris without cracking or tearing. They are tested to meet UL 2218 Class 4 standards, the highest available impact rating, and may qualify for homeowner insurance discounts in hail-prone areas. These shingles look similar to architectural shingles but typically contain modified asphalt or augmented reinforcement layers for added strength. Most carry wind ratings of 130 mph or higher when properly installed and typically qualify for enhanced warranty programs.

Wind Ratings by Shingle Line

Wind rating refers to the maximum wind speed that a roofing shingle is warranted to resist without damage such as blow-off, tearing, or lifting — when installed according to the manufacturer’s requirements.

It’s expressed in miles per hour (mph) and is a key performance measure found in asphalt shingle warranties and technical data sheets.

Algae-Resistant Shingle Product Lines

Only shingles that explicitly include an AR suffix, Scotchgard™, StreakGuard®, or equivalent are guaranteed to offer algae resistance. Many product lines include both AR and non-AR versions, and warranties typically limit coverage to discoloration only, not growth or granule loss.

Sources

• Atlas Roofing
• BP Canada
• CertainTeed
• GAF
• IKO North America
• Malarkey Roofing Products
• Owens Corning
• PABCO Roofing Products
• TAMKO

About the Author

Jack Gray spent 20 years as a principal roof consultant with the Moriarty Corporation, an award-winning building enclosure consultant firm founded in 1967. Mr. Gray has worked in the roofing industry for over 25 years, with training and practical experience in roof installation, roof inspection, roof safety, roof condition assessment, construction estimating, roof design & specification, quality assurance, roof maintenance & repair, and roof asset management. He was awarded the Registered Roof Observer (RRO) professional credential in 2009. He also served as an infantry paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and has a B.A. from Cornell University.