Comparing GAF and CertainTeed Shingles for Northern Virginia Homes

When you have begun receiving quotes on a new roof, you are likely to have heard both these names mentioned GAF and CertainTeed. The two are the largest manufacturers of asphalt shingles in the country, and they are used by most roofing contractors in Northern Virginia.

However, when a contractor gives you a brochure on each of them and tells you to choose, it is helpful to actually know the differences. This is the simple comparison on what is important to the homeowners in this region.

A Quick Overview of Both Brands

GAF is the biggest manufacturer of roofing in North America. Their Timberline HDZ line is the highest selling shingle line in the country. You will find it on the houses between Manassas and McLean.

Saint-Gobain, a French and building materials company owns CertainTeed. They have a history of more than 100 years of roofing products. Their flagship residential product is their Landmark series and it is popular across the metro area of D.C.

The two companies produce good products. The differences are in the details.

Warranty Comparison

These two brands begin to part ways in warranties:

• GAF Timberline HDZ: It has a limited warranty on the shingles. With a GAF certified contractor (Master Elite or equivalent), you may upgrade to the Golden Pledge warranty that applies to labor and materials over 25 years with no proration during the first 10 years.
• CertainTeed Landmark: Another limited lifetime warranty is also offered. They have a SureStart Plus warranty that is the best in the industry and includes 100 percent of the material and labor expenses during the first 10 years and then prorates. Must be installed by CertainTeed credentialed contractor.

Both warranties are good, but the actual value will greatly rely on whether the contractor you hire has the right certification with that manufacturer. A GAF shingle by an uncertified contractor provides you with a significantly inferior warranty than a GAF shingle by a Master Elite contractor.

Durability in Northern Virginia’s Climate

This is where it comes into practice. The two shingle lines are both high wind, with GAF Timberline HDZ rated to 130mph, CertainTeed Landmark rated to 110mph (their Landmark Pro is higher).

In our area, which is our specific location, the following is what to take into consideration:

• Algae resistance: The two brands have algae resistance shingles, which is essential in homes in places such as Woodbridge, Dale City, and Burke where trees cover roofs and keep them shady and wet.
• Impact resistance: To get Class 4 impact resistance (the highest hail rating) GAF has it in their Timberline AS II line and CertainTeed has it in their Landmark IR line. It is not in either standard product line.
• Color fade: CertainTeed uses their own technology of StreakFighter and GAF uses their technology of StainGuard Plus to solve this dark streaking that is seen on older roofs. Practically, the two work in a similar manner within 10+ years.

Color and Style Options

Both brands have a great variety of selection, yet they do it differently:

• GAF is more bold and more homogenous in color. Their color scheme is effective on the modern building that you are seeing in Ashburn, Gainesville, and Bristow where houses are inclined toward modern neutral appearance.
• CertainTeed has been associated with a more subtle variation of color and a little more dimensional look. That rough appearance suits the brick colonials and traditional-style houses prevalent in Arlington, Fairfax and Falls Church.

Frankly speaking, taste in color is subjective. Request your contractor to bring you physical samples and not online pictures – shingles do not appear the same way in natural light in Virginia like on a screen.

Price Difference

Generally, CertainTeed Landmark shingles are a little more expensive per square than GAF Timberline HDZ – about 5-15% depending on the product, and the price of your contractor. That could be a few hundred dollars of difference in cost of material on a normal 2,000 to 3,000 square foot Northern Virginia home. If you are trying to understand the full cost of a roof replacement in Northern Virginia, the shingle brand is just one piece of the puzzle.

The larger variable cost is typically the labor and the mark up of the contractor, rather than the brand of the shingles.

So Which One Should You Choose?

No objectively wrong answer to this question. Both are good products applied on thousands of houses in this region. Some factors that could swing the vote:

• Stick to the brand which your contractor is licensed in – that is the way you can get the best warranty cover.
• Should the wind resistance be a priority consideration, the 130 mph rating of GAF has a slight advantage.
• In case you are concerned about depth and texture of the colors, the CertainTeed Landmark line is more likely to be photographed on the traditional-style houses.
• You want to know what your contractor is the most familiar with, which he/she has the most experience in installing, the more familiar he/she is the better the workmanship.

And the end of the day, it is how well it is installed that counts rather than the brand name on the wrapper. The GAF roof will secure your home over decades, as well as the CertainTeed roof.

When you are considering the possibilities and you want an honest opinion of a contractor what will be a good choice to your home, Nation’s Choice Exteriors is a certified GAF installer – but we will tell you straight up what your home really needs regardless of the brand.