When you’re replacing your roof, the quality of the shingles makes a difference. Your roof has to handle years of New England sun, rain, snow, and wind and the temperature swings that come with them, all while keeping your home safe from the elements.
CertainTeed shingles have become a popular pick among homeowners because they manage to combine durability with excellent performance and style. But what actually goes into creating one of these shingles?
Making CertainTeed shingles starts with turning basic materials into a tough, weather-tight roofing product. Here’s a rough idea of how they make them and what gives them their durability.
What Are CertainTeed Roofing Shingles Made Of?
Asphalt shingles are the most common type of roof material used on homes all across the United States. While they may look relatively simple once installed, these shingles are made from several different materials that all work together to make a durable roofing product.
The main parts of an asphalt shingle are:
- Fiberglass mat that provides the backbone of the whole shingle. It’s the sturdy foundation that keeps things together.
- Asphalt, which gives the shingle the waterproofing it needs to keep the rain out.
- Limestone filler that gets mixed with asphalt to create the coating applied to the fiberglass mat.
- Mineral granules that protect the asphalt from UV exposure while giving the shingle its color and finished look.
Each material has an important role in helping the finished shingle stay strong against elements.
Creating the Asphalt Coating
The manufacturing process starts by preparing the asphalt coating.
Limestone rock is crushed into a fine powder and then mixed in with asphalt to create a filled coating. The asphalt mixture is heated so it can be applied evenly during manufacturing.
It’s important that the coating has quality and consistency because it does the major work of keeping water out and withstanding the changing weather conditions.
Building the Fiberglass Base
Large rolls of fiberglass mat are fed into the manufacturing line. This fiberglass mat serves as the backbone of the roofing shingle, providing strength and stability without adding unnecessary weight.
The mat goes through a coater, where the heated asphalt and limestone mixture gets applied to both sides so it coats the fiberglass completely and creates the waterproof base of the shingle.
This combination of fiberglass and asphalt in modern shingles gives them the balance of strength to do the job and flexibility to withstand the crazy New England weather.
Adding the Protective Mineral Granules
Once the asphalt coating has been applied, mineral granules are embedded into the top surface while the coating is still hot.
Those granules do much more than give shingles their color.
They help protect the asphalt from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which can cause roofing materials to deteriorate over time. They also contribute to the texture and finished appearance of the shingle.
A fine layer of material is also applied to the underside to prevent the shingles from sticking together during manufacturing, packaging, and storage.
Cooling and Sealing the Shingles
After the granules have been embedded, the roofing material needs to cool so the layers can set and harden.
As the material continues through the production process, sealant is applied to help the shingles bond together after they are installed on a roof. Once activated under the proper conditions, these adhesive strips help shingles resist wind uplift.
This is especially important during New England storms, when strong winds can put significant stress on a roofing system.
Cutting and Packaging the Finished Shingles
Up until now, the roofing material has been moving through the manufacturing process as a single, continuous sheet.
Specialized cutting equipment cuts the sheet into individual shingles in line with the design being manufactured. Shingle styles vary in shape, dimensions, and layering to create their finished appearance.
The shingles are then stacked into bundles so they can be loaded onto trucks and shipped off to waiting roofing suppliers and contractors.
Quality Control Throughout the Manufacturing Process
If your roofing shingles are going to be reliable, you need a fair amount of consistency. At every stage of the manufacturing process, quality control measures are used to check if the finished products meet the right specifications for areas such as thickness, weight, color, granule coverage, and overall construction.
These checks help ensure that the shingles arriving at a job site meet the manufacturer’s standards and are ready to provide the performance homeowners expect.
Why the Manufacturing Process Matters to Homeowners
Most homeowners will never see how their roofing shingles are manufactured. But understanding what goes into them can help you appreciate why choosing a quality roofing product matters.
Your shingles are the first line of defense against rain, snow, wind, sunlight, and other conditions your roof faces every day. The materials you use and how you combine them directly affect your roof’s performance.
That’s one reason we have trusted CertainTeed products for decades.
We have been installing CertainTeed roofing shingles and vinyl siding for more than 28 years and have even visited the CertainTeed manufacturing plant in Norwood, Massachusetts, to see the production process firsthand.
Seeing how these roofing products are manufactured reinforced our confidence in the materials we install. That’s why CertainTeed continues to be one of the products we recommend for homeowners who want a durable, attractive roofing system.
Picking the Perfect Shingles for Your Roof
A roof is only as good as its shingles, and the manufacturing process is only part of what matters. Choosing the right shingle and getting it properly installed are equally as important as the materials themselves.
There are a number of CertainTeed options available, each with its style, color, and performance features. A seasoned contractor will sit down with you to help compare the pros and cons of each option and pick out a shingle that not only looks great on your house but also provides the protection you need.
If you’re thinking of getting a new roof and are lost on which type of shingles are right for you, then get in touch with us at Robert Evans Jr. Contracting. We’ll help you navigate the process, figure out what will work best for your place, and get a roof system installed that will keep your house safe for years to come.
