Roofing Materials

Architectural Shingles vs. 3-Tab Shingles

April 3, 2023

What is the difference between architectural shingles vs. 3-tab shingles?If you're driving through older neighborhoods, you'll notice many older homes still have 3-tab shingles on their roof. You'll also notice any newer roofs might have architectural shingles on them and there's a reason for this change.Sean Campbell, Cenvar Roofing's Corporate Technical Lead who oversees training and quality assurance talked about the differences between the two different types of shingles.3-tab shingles have a two-step process.

They're one layer of shingles that are laid down in a straight line. If your home has uneven rafters, it will be easier to see the imperfections in the rafters with 3-tab shingles. However, architectural shingles are laminated shingles and are made up of two layers. They're about 50 percent heavier than 3-tab shingles and are made of higher quality materials. The way architectural shingles are laid on your roof might be able to hide any imperfections in the roofline.

Pros for the architectural shingle

  • Owen's Corning rates the architectural shingle for wind resistance of 130 mph and 3-tab shingles are generally around the 60 mph rating.
  • Most architectural shingles come with a 10-year algae resistance lifespan
  • The Surenail technology Owen's Corning has created has a triple layer of reinforcement that holds against wind uplift
  • Overall more layers for water protection than the 3-tab shingle offers

Do you have a 3-tab shingled roof?

The 3-tab shingle was the most popular asphalt shingle used up until the 1980s when the architectural roofing shingle took over in popularity. In the 1970s the architectural shingle was created as manufacturers were looking to give consumers and homebuilders a higher-end product.Maybe you have a 3-tab shingled roof and are thinking it's getting close to replacing your roof. Cenvar Roofing provides free roofing estimates for homeowners where our sales representatives will be able to assist you in choosing what is right for your home. There could be a good chance your 3-tab roof has a few years left and our team will tell you if you can hold off replacing your roof.

Cenvar Roofing's Branches That Install Architectural Shingles

If you're in need of a roof replacement, give Cenvar Roofing a call or fill out the free roofing estimate form on our website!

Share this post