2 new roof shingles you might not have heard of are SBS-modified shingles and stone-coated steel shingles. Both of these roof coverings are somewhat new to the roofing industry. SBS-modified shingles are common asphalt shingles that have been modified with rubber. Stone-coated steel shingles resemble traditional asphalt shingles, except instead of a fiberglass mat, they have a tin mat or foundation.
- SBS-Modified Asphalt Shingles
- Owens Corning’s TruDefinition Duration Flex
- Tamko’s StormFighter Flex
- Stone-Coated Steel Shingles
- Westlake Royal Roofing’s Steel Shingles, Shake, Tile
What Are SBS-Modified Roofing Shingles
A somewhat new roof shingle you might not have heard of is SBS-modified shingles. SBS (styrene-butadine-styrene) modified shingles are shingles whose asphalt has been modified or blended with rubber. The asphalt in shingles is the layer that holds the granules to the fiberglass mat. The result is a more flexible and durable shingle, and one that holds its granules better. If you’re looking for a step-up from traditional impact resistant shingles, consider SBS-modified shingles from Owens Corning or Tamko.
Pros
The primary advantage of SBS-modified shingles is greater durability and flexibility. Another benefit is better granular adhesion – rubber simply hangs-on to the granules better because it’s more flexible. As a result, SBS-modified shingles last longer than most other shingles.
- Flexible
- Durable
- Better Granular Adhesion
Flexible
Rubber is simply more flexible than asphalt. If a layer can give a little when hit by hail, it will survive the impact better and be ready for the next impact. Being more flexible, means it’s more durable.
Durable
Because rubber is more flexible than asphalt, it lasts longer. Hail bounces off SBS-modified shingles better than non-SBS-modified shingles. They also don’t dry-out as much as traditional asphalt shingles.
Better Granular Adhesion
Another benefit is they hang-on to granules better. Over time, it’s normal for asphalt shingles to slowly lose their granules. (Granules are the little pebbles you see on top of the shingles.) SBS-modified shingles lose fewer granules over their lifetime.
Who Offers SBS-Modified Roof Shingles
- Owens Corning
- Tamko
We recommend SBS-modified shingles from either Owens Corning or Tamko. Both of these shingle manufacturers make quality SBS-modified shingles you can count on. Owens Corning’s is called TruDefinition Duration Flex. It’s a Class-4 impact resistant shingle that also comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty, up to a 130MPH wind warranty, and is offered in 9 attractive colors, including Onyx Black, Summer Harvest, Storm Cloud, Estate Gray, and more.
Tamko’s SBS-modified roof shingle is called StormFighter Flex. It offers either a Class-3 or Class-4 impact rating, a 160PMH wind warranty, and comes in 7 colors, one of which is a Cool Roof Rating Council rated product – Olde English Pewter. This color of this shingle will be more energy-efficient than others.
Are SBS-Modified Roofing Shingles Worth It
For the above reasons, we feel SBS-modified roof shingles are worth it. Being more flexible and retaining their granules better means these new roof shingles usually outlast others. In Colorado, it’s always worth it to have Class-4 impact resistant shingles. What’s more, SBS-modified shingles usually resist our strong winds better.
What Are Stone-Coated Steel Roofing Shingles
Another somewhat new roof shingle you may not have heard of is stone-coated steel shingles. These are basically just like traditional asphalt shingles, except instead of a fiberglass mat, there’s a steel sheet. Stone-coated steel shingles are shingles with granules adhered to a formed tin sheet with asphalt. From a distance, they look like dimensional asphalt shingles. Although, other profiles are available, such as Barrel and Pacific tiles.
Pros
Stone-coated steel shingles have many advantages over other roof coverings; thanks to their steel mat, they offer superior strength and durability, they’re also more energy-efficient than traditional asphalt shingles, unlike asphalt shingles they’re recyclable in our area, they’re lighter in weight than most other roof coverings, their screws offer superior holding power over asphalt shingle’s nails, and they’re very low maintenance.
- Superior Durability
- Energy-Efficiency
- Recyclability
- Low-Maintenance
- Lightweight
- Superior Holding Power
Superior Durability
Steel is among the strongest, most durable material. Period. Although SBS-modified shingles are more durable than traditional asphalt shingles, tin is more durable still. Steel is more resistant against hail. When traditional roof shingles lose their granules and their asphalt is exposed, they’re are risk of water leak. Not steel.
Energy-Efficiency
Stone-coated steel shingles are more energy-efficient than asphalt shingles. Traditional asphalt shingles have a Solar Reflectivity of only .15. Westlake Royal Roofing’s Pinecrest Shake or Barrel Vault tiles in White have a Solar Reflectivity of .41. (1 is the highest). This is the say, stone-coated steel shingles reflect heat better than traditional asphalt shingles.
Recyclability
We’ve searched the entire state of Colorado to find an asphalt shingle recycling center, and haven’t found one. On the other hand, we have found multiple metal recycling facilities, from Denver to Fort Collins. When you’re new metal roof shingles do finally wear-out, we take them to the nearest metal recycling center.
Low-Maintenance
Although SBS-modified shingles are more durable than non-SBS-modified ones, it’s inevitable that they need some form of maintenance. You will have to occasionaly reseal random shingles, hammer a nail back down, etc. Stone-coated steel shingles, on the other hand, require less maintenance. This is partly due to the fact that they use screws to hold them down to your roof deck. Screws offer better holding power nails.
Asphalt shingles use asphalt adhesive to secure one shingle to another. Over time, this adhesive can dry-out and lose it’s ability to adhere. Steel shingles don’t rely on asphalt adhesive to hold them down. Instead, they rely on the strength of metal and metal screws to hold them down. Simply put, there’s less to go wrong with stone-coated steel shingles.
Lightweight
You would think that steel would weigh more than fiberglass shingles. In fact, they weigh less. Weighing less means your roof is under less stress, especially under wet and heavy snow.
Longevity
Because steel is more durable and resists hail, mold, algae, wind, rain, etc., they last longer. You can expect your SBS-modified shingles to last around 25 years. Stone-coated steel shingles, on the other hand, should last 70 years or more. Although they cost more initially, they usually end-up costing less in the long run.
Are Stone-Coated Steel Roofing Shingles Worth It
We feel stone-coated steel shingles are definately worth it; they last longer, often cost less in the long run, are more energy-efficient, are recyclable, low-maintenance, and lightweight. All this means you’re having your roof replaced a lot less frequently.
The Bottom Line
If it’s time for a new roof, these 2 new roof shingles you might not have heard are worth your consideration. Both last longer than traditional asphalt shingles and add value to your home or small office. If you’re shopping for new roof shingles, contact us for a free consultation, inspection, or estimate.