snakerog

Sat Jul 16, 2005 6:45 am

I live in NW Florida (Ft Walton Beach). We seem to be a magnet for hurricanes lately. Anyways, I need a new roof and have no idea what to get. Most of my neighbors have architectural shingle roofs and I think I would like the same. Could someone please tell me which brand of shingle they would buy if it were THEIR house? I have been looking around a little and I see GAF, Owens Corning, Elk, and I think Certainteed may be available. What do you think of these brands? I am leaning towards the Elk. Thanks, Ben

G-Tape

Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:13 pm

In your area, I think the OC would be the best. For no other reason than them having a continuous tar strip that holds the next shingle down. They are the best shingle for hold down.

Pride_roofing

Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:42 pm

Most all dims will fail in the same manor. Some like Elk, OC, GAF Certainteed. It really is a personal choice. Certainteed is the only one that upgrades the wind warranty with 6 nails and has it in writing. If the nails are not in the correct spot does not matter what shingle you have. I would spend the little extra and go with a 100 mph shingle with a 50+ warranty since the weather is so harsh The investment might be worth that extra 2000.00 + the insurance company might give you a break on insurance due to the high warranty and low wind failure rate. A 50 Certainteed Landmark 30 is a standard 36 inch shingle with a 5 inch exposure. I like to use standard shingles on high wind areas due to the less likelyhood of blow off. Here in Michigan I installed a 30 year landmark in an open field were very high winds come from the west and mny shingles have failed. It has withstood over 80mph and its rated at 70 + with the upgraded warranty brings it to 80 and nothing has moved yet. The Installer is really the main reason shingles fail and blow off. Shingles are all made very similar and truely it is in the installers had to properly install the shingles. Dims are very prone to blow off when high nailed. My thoughs go with a Certainteed LAndmark. And yes they are Dade county approved.

snakerog

Sat Jul 16, 2005 3:52 pm

Thank you for the responses so far. Is using 6 nails per shingle the standard now? There is a lot of roofing going on in my area right now. I can hear the nail guns. I usually only hear a rat, tat, tat which leads me to believe they are using only three nails. Should I insist they use six? Thanks. Ben

Pride_roofing

Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:39 pm

I would insist it and make sure that it is done. 3 Nails on any shingle voids warranty of the whole roof not just that shingle. If they are using 3 nails they should learn to read the wrapper that shingles come in. 6 nails are the standard for high wind area's but mind you there are people in this business just for the money nothing more and could care less if your home is correct or not. Any roof i do that is high pitched or in high wind areas are 6 and 7 nails per shingle, that is 1 shingle 6 or 7 nails not 2 shingles. You should not have to pay any more for this service unless there is some gouging in that area. I do it so i know I will never have to go back and fix anything. When I do this I know I have given a high quality job. Very few contractors in my area want to buy an extra box of nails and teach the crew to run 6 nails when 4 are faster. Hopefully this helps but seriously think of using 50 year shingles it will be worth the extra money when that wind comes.

Master

Sat Jul 16, 2005 7:56 pm

As far as it soinding like three nails, I ahve seen guys that will three nail and then hit the fourth nail (the exposed nail in the rack) on the way back down to start the next rack, thus four nailing accomplished. I have also seen these same guys forget to hit the last nails, so we do not allow this practice.

Pride_roofing

Sat Jul 16, 2005 10:21 pm

Either way i think with the weather that you get they should run 6 nails or they are not a quality run company. Pesonally 4 nails on any shingle does nothing for the 70+ mph winds you see. Once people read the whingle wrapper or the manual the manufacturer sends out they will understand this. If I was in Florida I would run an 8 nail pattern with nothing less than a 110 mph shingle or I wouldnt be there. Anything less is a waste of the cumtomers money. Since every year they get blasted with 90+ mph winds. Im sorry but now firing, I feel when i do a job i want it to last for 30+ years not till the warrany ends that i gave. Just a thought. I give on lifetime shingles a warranty of 20 years for labor. I hand nail every shingle for proper placement. And i do disagree if you hear 3 taps that a racked shingle and is not advise according to any shingle applicators manual. But sinice im an installer that fixes these types of messes i could care less what everone else does. Racking is a bad thing and leads to color shifts in any shingle. 5 inch step off is the perfered way of layin 3-tab shingles. 7 and 14s on dims. Sorry i follow directions and so should everyone.

dougger222

Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:02 am

I don't care for any of the cheap Menards brands such as Owens Cornings. Luckily the only time I have to deal with these shingles is when the homeowner buys them and I do the labor.

To correct an incorect post on the dimentions of the Landmark 30's. The shingles for the past few years have been metric in size or 38.5 inches wide by 13.2 inches tall with a 5 and 5/8th inch exposure.

My shingle of choice in the 30 year catagory have to be the Landmark 30's. The only thing I don't like about them is there constantly going up in price ($45 per square 04 price was $40 delivered on top the roof) and there's no warranty againts algea. In the past month I've been able to do two roofs with the Landmark TL Shanandoah shingle which is really a nice looking laminate shingle.

Pride_roofing

Tue Jul 19, 2005 10:31 am

Well where i am at they are still a standard and well yesterday i had to lay a few squares. Put one next to a gaf and or grab the old measuring tape. Just pulled the msa and the 2005 version still a 5 inch exposure with a 36 inch shingle. You must be buying the metric version due to they make both. Pink wrapper up here is standard blue is metric. I had to double check. Metric landmark is 38 3/4 with a 5 5/8 exposure. But they still make the standard and i use them every day. My thoughts are how can you figure a to use 5 or 5 and 5/8 exposure with any shingle, or the landmark? Its depending on what shingle you use not your choice. If you use your choice it will end up like this post. http://www.roofersreview.com/gallery2/main.php/v/woyzeck/?g2_navId=x2c47af38

dougger222

Tue Jul 19, 2005 2:26 pm

Really surprised your still getting the old style LM 30's. My shingles come form a lumber yard that only carries Certainteed products which is 30 miles from the Shakopee, MN facility. For the past year or so they have been wrapped in plastic packages and for the past 6 months the nail strip was made a hair taller and the tar is now on the back like the Timberlines. The tar now has rubber in it too which makes strings when the shingles are sealing and you pull them apart.

I think in the past 10 years I may have roofed up to 5 roofs with the smaller Landmarks. Roofed hundreds of the easy to lay New Horizons which are junk!

Pride_roofing

Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:56 pm

Thats very possible this is the motorless city. And they do buy a few 1000 squares at a time of each color.