If you're replacing your roof, one of the most important decisions you'll make is which asphalt shingles go on it. With dozens of manufacturers competing for your business, the options can feel overwhelming, and the marketing language doesn't always help you separate a great product from a mediocre one.
I'm J. Bretz, owner of Excel Roofing. I've been in the roofing business for over 35 years, and we've installed every major shingle brand on the market. We've also handled warranty claims for each of them, which gives us a perspective most homeowners never get to see.
Here are our honest rankings, and exactly why we rank them the way we do.
Our Asphalt Shingle Rankings
- Owens Corning - Our Top Pick
- Pabco
- CertainTeed
- GAF
- Malarkey
- Tamko
Let's break down why, and what actually separates a great shingle from a poor one.
What to Look for When Comparing Asphalt Shingles
Before evaluating any brand, you need to understand what actually makes one shingle perform better than another. There are two critical factors: the nailing zone and the seal-down strip.
The Nailing Zone
Every asphalt shingle has a target zone where nails should be driven. Get it right, and the nail holds both the top and bottom layers of the shingle securely. Get it wrong by nailing too high, and the nail misses the lower shingle entirely, leaving it vulnerable to wind uplift.
Owens Corning is the only manufacturer with their patented SureNail® strip, a reinforced fabric band running across the shingle's nailing zone. It gives installers a clear, forgiving target, and the nail catches approximately 50% overlap between shingle layers. That patent is the reason competitors haven't copied it yet. When it expires, they will.
Pabco has an excellent nailing zone with roughly 75% overlap, among the best we've seen. CertainTeed has a wide nailing zone, but the overlapping area is surprisingly narrow, which is why they double-mark it. GAF has a wide zone with only about 25% overlap. Malarkey sits around 50%. Tamko uses only a thin line as the nailing target, leaving less room for error during installation.
The Seal-Down Strip
On the back of every asphalt shingle is a line of tar adhesive. When the shingle heats up in the sun, this tar activates and bonds the shingle to the one below it. This is the primary wind-resistance mechanism of any asphalt shingle, not the nails alone.
All six manufacturers include a seal-down strip. The difference is in formulation quality and how much adhesive is applied. Owens Corning stands apart here too. Their SureNail strip sits in perfect alignment with the seal-down strip of the shingle above it. When the tar melts, it bonds directly to that reinforced fabric layer, creating an exceptionally strong, lasting seal. If you've ever tried to separate two Owens Corning shingles that have been on a roof for a season, you know what we mean. You need a pry bar.
Why Owens Corning Is Our #1 Recommendation
Owens Corning consistently outperforms the competition in three areas: shingle performance, warranty coverage, and manufacturer support.
The wind performance story is the one that convinced us years ago. Our team works in some of the windiest markets in the country. We once installed a Tamko roof and an Owens Corning roof on two houses side by side. After a major windstorm, we had multiple Tamko shingles blow off. The Owens Corning roof had not one shingle lost.
That experience is a big reason Excel Roofing has been an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor for many years.
The Owens Corning Warranty Advantage
When you install five Owens Corning products together, including underlayment, ice and water shield, starter shingles, field shingles, and ridge shingles, you qualify for a 10-year non-prorated warranty. No extra cost. No requirement for a certified installer.
With some competing manufacturers, if shingles begin to fail, you may be required to pay out of pocket toward the replacement cost even during the warranty period. That fine print can cost homeowners thousands of dollars. Owens Corning's non-prorated coverage means they stand fully behind the product for the first ten years, no exceptions.
Why Pabco Is Our Strong #2
Pabco earns its place at number two with a superior nailing zone, excellent shingle performance, strong availability, and reliable manufacturer support. If Owens Corning isn't available for your project or timeline, Pabco is a product we confidently recommend.
The Rest of the Rankings
CertainTeed (#3) is solid across the board, a reliable choice with good availability and consistent performance.
GAF (#4) is widely available and well-known, though the limited nailing zone overlap is a concern we note for customers.
Malarkey (#5) deserves credit for being first to market with impact-resistant, flexible shingle technology, an important innovation for hail-prone climates. However, availability can be inconsistent, warranty terms are weaker than competitors, and manufacturer support has been unreliable in our experience.
Tamko (#6) sits at the bottom of our list. We've had ongoing difficulties with Tamko over the years in both shingle performance and warranty support. The side-by-side wind test tells the story.
What This Means for Your Roof
Homeowners in our service area deal with conditions that test roofing systems hard, including hailstorms, high winds, freeze-thaw cycles, and heavy snow loads. The shingles on your home need to perform through all of it.
Our recommendation is straightforward: choose Owens Corning. If you want a strong alternative, Pabco is an excellent product. Both give you the nailing security, wind resistance, and warranty backing your home deserves.
Ready to Schedule Your Roof Replacement?
Excel Roofing has been serving homeowners since 1993. We're a family-owned company, not private equity, and we've completed over 50,000 projects.
You don't pay a cent until you're content.
Call us at 303-761-6400 or use our self-scheduling tool at excelroofing.com to book your free consultation.