Composition Roof | What are composition shingles | Composition shingle roof lifespan | Composition shingle roof cost
Did you learn you have a composition roof? Are you unsure what a composition roof actually is?
Anytime you get roofing work done, you get different roofing terms thrown at you. Well, the truth is, the term "composition roof" is only used in certain situations.
But even if the name isn't used often, it's still one of the most common roofing materials used in the United States.
For over 35 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has helped simplify the complexities of the roofing industry to help homeowners make decisions, avoid bad roofers, and everything else. So, let's break down what a composition roof is and what you need to know about it.
By the end of this article, you'll learn the answers to:
- What is a composition roof?
- What are the types of composition shingles?
- What's the difference between composite and composition shingles?
What is a composition roof?
A composition roof is a composite of man-made materials, such as fiberglass, tar, and granules, that are put on a fiberglass mat to make a shingle. Simply put, a composition roof is just a roofing industry term for asphalt shingles.
(Architectural shingles)
Most roofers use asphalt, but insurance companies use the term composition shingles on roof damage claims. However, composition roof is more than just the composition shingles.
The main materials and components that make up a composition roof are:
- Roof decking
- Roof flashing
- Underlayment
- Drip edge
- Ice and water shield
- Shingles
- Ridge capping
- Roof vents
- Pipe boots
- Flashing
Even though composition shingles make up the bulk of a roof, the other materials are just as important. And if even just one is missing, you'll have big problems.
What are the types of composition shingles?
While a composition roof is an entire roof system, there are three different types of composition shingles. They vary in quality with their own pros and cons, pricing, lifespans, and much more.
Let's look at the three types of composition shingles:
- 3-tab
- Architectural
- Luxury
3-tab shingles
3-tab shingles lay flat and get their name from the 3 tabs on each shingle strip. This asphalt shingle used to dominate the residential roofing industry until technology improved to create architectural asphalt shingles.
3-tab shingles cost, lifespan, and warranty |
 |
| Cost: $4.00 - $5.00 per square foot |
| Lifespan: 20 years at the most |
| Material warranty: 25-year limited warranty |
3-tab shingle pros:
- Cheapest roofing material on the market
- Ease of repair and installation
3-tab shingle cons:
- Shortest lifespan
- Being phased out of the roofing industry
- Hard to color matches for repairs and insurance
- Needs yearly maintenance
- Low curb appeal
- Prone to wind damage
Architectural shingles
Architectural (also called dimensional) shingles provide a random pattern to give your roof dimension or simulate the look of a wood-shake roof. It’s not only the most common asphalt shingle installed on homes today but also the most common roofing material in general.
Architectural shingles cost, lifespan, and warranty |
 |
| Cost: $5.00 - $7.00 per square foot |
| Lifespan: 22-25 years |
| Material warranty: 30-year warranty (prorated after 10 years), upgradable to 50-year non-prorated enhanced warranty. |
Architectural shingle pros:
- Affordability
- Ease of repair and installation
- Readily available materials and colors
Architectural shingle cons:
- Low curb appeal compared to other materials
- Needs yearly maintenance
- Prone to hail damage
Luxury shingles
Luxury (also called designer or premium) shingles are designed to look like a natural slate tile roof. They are larger, more durable, offer the highest curb appeal, and are the most expensive of three types of asphalt shingles.
Luxury shingles cost, lifespan, and warranty |
 |
| Cost: $8.00 - $10.00 per square foot |
| Lifespan: 30 years or longer in perfect conditions |
| Material warranty: 30-year warranty (prorated after 10 years), upgradable to 50-year non-prorated enhanced warranty. |
Luxury shingle pros:
- Durability
- Longevity
- High curb appeal
- Stands up well to storm damage
Luxury shingle cons:
- Expensive
- Longer installation compared to the other asphalt shingles
- Needs yearly maintenance
What's the difference between composite and composition shingles?
While a composition roof is just another name for asphalt shingles, there's also composite shingles. So, the two are sometimes confused.
Composite shingles are also a composite of man-made materials like asphalt shingles. However, composite shingles are made of synthetic polymer or recycled materials, like rubber and plastic, instead of asphalt based products on a fiberglass mat.
(Composite cedar shake shingles)
Composite shingles are specifically designed to mimic slate and cedar shake roofs with realistic grooves and shapes. They're more expensive than composition shingles, but last longer and provide higher curb appeal.
So, even though sound similar, composition shingles are very different than composite shingles.
How much will a full composition roof system cost?
After reading this article, you now know what a composition roof and three types of composition shingles. Just remember that composite shingles are a completely other roofing material.
However, there's one big thing that's left to learn. This, of course, is how much a full composition roof replacement costs. Unfortunately, the roofing industry likes to avoid talking about pricing.
But I take pride in doing things differently. That’s why I wrote another article breaking down pricing and everything you need to know about the cost of a composition roof.
Check out How Much Does an Asphalt Shingle Roof Cost to learn what you can expect to pay for a composition roof replacement.
