RESIDENTIAL
ROOFING
TYPES
FROM SPECIALTY ROOFERS INC
Why shingles?
DURABILITY
All GAF shingles are designed to help protect your home from the elements. If wind is a significant part of your area’s weather patterns, our most popular Timberline® Shingles offer all-around durability and performance. And now, Timberline® Shingles with LayerLock™ Technology may qualify for WindProven™ Limited Wind Warranty, the industry’s first wind warranty with no maximum speed limitation when installed with the required combination of GAF accessories.
Concerned about hail? Impact-resistant shingles like Grand Sequoia® AS and Timberline® AS II may be good options if your area is impacted by significant hail storms. They have rubber-like flexibility, allowing them to recover from impact.
If heavy sun exposure and energy efficiency are
concerns in your area, check out our ENERGY STAR®-certified GAF Timberline Cool Series Shingles. The highly reflective shingles of these cool roofs can help reduce temperatures in your attic and keep your house cooler.
If you are in a region with high moisture and plagued by blue-green algae discoloration, consider Timberline UHD™ shingles with StainGuard Plus®.
CURB APPEAL
Roofs are a key and often-underestimated part of a home’s look. They can represent up to 40% of curb appeal, so it’s important to consider style and color.
Our shingles fit with both current and historical home designs. Looking for a roof that works well with your home and complements what’s in your community? Start by looking at similar homes in your neighborhood and take note of their roofing shingles. Contractors can help you identify the products.
GAF shingles come in a range of colors. Consider a color that complements your house or neighborhood. Neutrals are always safe — and enduring — if you don’t have a preference. Or, start with our most popular shades: Weathered Wood, Charcoal, Pewter Gray, Barkwood, and Shakewood.
SLATE
Why slate?
The TruSlate® Premium Roofing System from GAF can make your dream of owning a genuine slate roof a reality.
Traditionally-installed slate roofing has typically been out-of-reach for most property owners, as the installation is often slow and expensive. In addition, traditionally-installed slate can be heavy, requiring expensive structural modifications to be made to the roof system. The ingenious design of the TruSlate® Premium System provides a faster, lightweight installation, allowing it to be installed on virtually any home!
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TruSlate® Slate is the real deal: Genuine, hand-split S1- Grade quarried slate from North America’s finest quarries. Not a synthetic imitation.
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The TruSlate® Premium Roofing System is lightweight, yet the slates themselves are the same thickness and quality as traditionally installed slate.
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The TruSlate® Premium Roofing System adds more slate where you can see it—and eliminates wasted slate where you can’t see it.
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TruSlate® Slates won’t curl up and warp the way some plastic imitation slates can: Only genuine slate weathers gracefully over time. In fact, a TruSlate® roof becomes even more beautiful as time goes by, adding charm to any house.
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TruSlate® offers some of the most highly desired slate colors and textures: Installed for over a century on the finest properties across North America, these beautiful slates are now even more affordable!
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Color Variation & Natural Weathering Note: TruSlate® Slate is crafted from natural stone, so there may be variations in color between different slates or from one lot of slates to another. Slate can fade or weather over time and each slate may fade or weather slightly differently, creating a natural mix of colors. It is this variation in color, combined with natural weathering, that adds to natural slate’s beauty, character, and charm. For more information about weathering of each TruSlate® color, please see the TruSlate® Brochure.
FAQs of Slate Roofing
Q: Is TruSlate® actually real slate?
A: Yes. Our slates are genuine, hand-split quarried slate.
Q: Why does the TruSlate® Premium Roofing System cost less than traditionally installed slate?
A: It’s simple: we’ve eliminated the wasted slate needed for a traditionally installed slate roof. Less slate also means less weight, so expensive structural modifications are typically unnecessary. Another advantage is it’s easier to install. Our unique hanger system makes installation a breeze, even for a contractor who has never done a slate roof.
Q: If only select components of the TruSlate® Premium Roofing System (such as the TruGripTM Battens and Hangers) are installed along with non-TruSlate® products, what is the warranty coverage?
A: There is no limited warranty coverage in this case. All TruSlate® system components, as specified in the TruSlate® Ultimate PledgeTM Ltd. Warranty or TruSlate® Smart Choice® Ltd. Warranty, must be installed as a system in order to qualify for the limited warranty coverage under those warranties.
Q: The TruSlate® Premium Roofing System is lighter in weight than a traditionally installed slate system. Are the slates thinner than traditionally installed slate?
A: No. In fact, at 1/4” to 3/8” our slates are comparable to traditionally installed slate. Our weight savings comes from the length reduction. We have cleverly eliminated the wasted slate (i.e., the part you never see) and replaced it with an ultra-tough material (UnderBlockTM UV & Moisture Barrier). In short, what you see is real, genuine slate. What you don’t see, isn’t.
Q: What is the ultra-tough material and is it durable?
A: UnderBlockTM UV & Moisture Barrier is a specially blended high density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is widely known for its durability and is commonly used as a geomembrane for landfill liners and pond liners. It has also been used for decades as a covering for telephone wires and electrical cables. When exposed, properly blended HDPE has shown exceptional resistance to weathering, freezing, and stress cracking. Experts claim that when exposed, it should last for over 100 years. When covered (as in a landfill or with slate) it should last for hundreds of years.
Q: What type of roof deck protection is recommended?
A: We recommend Deck-ArmorTM Roof Deck Protection, a tough, breathable, non-asphaltic underlayment product.
Q: What type of roof deck protection is recommended for Class A fire protection?
A: For UL Class A fire rating, use VersaShield® Fire-Resistant Roof Deck Protection in combination with an approved GAF Roof Deck Protection or GAF Leak Barrier product.
Q: What is the ASTM C406 rating on your slate?
A: All slate colors in the TruSlate® Premium Roofing System have achieved ASTM C406 S1
rating, as tested by independent and accredited laboratories.
Q: How does GAF ensure the quality of its slates?
A: Beyond typical ASTM C406 testing, GAF tests its slates to various parts of European standards and conducts comprehensive chemical and long-term testing. Much of this chemical and long-term testing is unique to GAF within the slate roofing industry.
Q: Where does your slate come from?
A: We offer only slate quarried in the United States and Canada. Our slates are selected on both quality and availability. As a natural stone, certain quality, colors and textures of slate can only be found in specific locations.
Q: Why is North American-quarried slate more expensive?
A: These high-quality slates feature some of the most unique and sought-after natural slate colors and textures in the world. Quarried at select New England and Canadian locations renowned for their exceptional quality standards, the slates have been installed for over 100 years on countless distinctive properties and fine homes across North America. Their premium price and position in the market is also related to the rather limited supply and productioncapacity of roofing slates in North America. We’re proud to offer these proven-quality slates — you won’t find a more affordable North-American quarried slate option for your roof anywhere else.
Q: Can my roof support the TruSlate® Premium Roofing System?
A: In most cases, as long as your roof meets code, it will support a TruSlate® System (on average about 550 lbs. per roofing square). However, we suggest that you check with a qualified roofer, architect, or engineer to be sure you don’t need additional support.
Q: Can I install over asphalt shingles?
A: No. The asphalt shingles would need to be torn off to provide a clean deck surface.
Q: Is there a maximum or minimum sloped roof that TruSlate® can be installed on?
A: Yes. You should not install TruSlate® on slopes of less than 4:12. On slopes of 4:12 up to and including 5:12, a GAF-approved leak barrier membrane must be applied to the full roof deck.
Q: My neighbor recently replaced his roof with a synthetic slate. Some of the slates have curled up and warped. Some are also fading. Does real slate do that?
A: No. Real, genuine slate weathers gracefully over time. Because each piece will age slightly differently, a genuine slate roof becomes more beautiful over time, adding charm and elegance to any home.
Q: How do you cut slate?
A: The simplest way is with a standard, guillotine-type slate cutter. Some roofing contractors prefer abrasive style-saw blades or wet-saw-type cutters.
Q: How do you drill holes in the slate?
A: TruSlate® Field Slate installs without nails. So, unless you have a unique situation or detail, no nail holes are required. If needed, a standard 3/16” masonry bit on a drill motor works fine. TruSlate® Trim Slates have pre-drilled holes for easy installation.
Q: How are ridges and hips done?
A: TruSlate® Trim Slate pieces are predrilled and ready to install. The standard piece is 7” wide x 16” long and when installed has a 10” exposure. Traditional saddle-type installation is the most popular, although some customers prefer copper ridge caps, antique Spanish clay tile, or other custom methods.
Q: Can I use a ridge vent with your System?
A: Yes. TruSlate® Ridge Vent was designed specifically for the TruSlate® System.
Q: What are the hangers made of? Can you see them?
A: The hangers are made of spring-hardened, powder-coated stainless steel wire. They are virtually invisible from the ground.
Q: What is the availability of your slate?
A: It depends on the color and quantity you need. Although we strive to maintain an inventory, our stock is constantly changing. When ordering slate, it is best to plan on an 8-week lead time although, in most cases, we’ll have it in stock or already on the way to our warehouses.
Q: Will I see gaps when installed?
A: When installed correctly, you should not see gaps in between the slate courses or between the slates.
Q: Because the slate isn’t overlapped like traditionally installed slate, should I be concerned about leakage?
A: No, because the UnderBlockTM UV & Moisture Barrier is the foundation of the TruSlate® Premium Roofing System and is made from a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) providing exceptional resistance to weathering, freezing, and stress cracking.
Q: Will slate fade or weather?
A: TruSlate® Slate is crafted from natural stone and can fade or weather over time when exposed to UV and the elements. Each slate may fade or weather slightly differently, creating a natural mix of colors. The weathered look of natural slate adds to its old-world charm and is a highly desired feature. For instance, many architects and property owners select TruSlate® Autumn Dusk for its natural weathering characteristics – which over time, provide a natural warm blend of greys, greens, tans, and buffs throughout the roof.
Q: How do different lighting conditions affect the look of the roof?
A: Because it is a completely natural material, the appearance of a TruSlate® roof will vary depending on the amount and type of light that reaches the roof. It is not uncommon for the appearance of a TruSlate® slate roof to vary considerably throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. For example, a Greystone roof can range from light and mirror-like (in bright sunlight) to darker with less contrast (under cloud cover). This variation is part of the charm and natural beauty of a genuine slate roof.
STANDING SEAM METAL
Why standing seam metal?
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Proven performance expectation of 50+ years
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Beautiful styles to match any home or neighborhood
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Interlocking panels for maximum wind resistance
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Fire resistance
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Energy efficiency by keeping homes cooler
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Low weight to help preserve structural integrity & life
TILE
Why tile?
BEAUTIFUL & ENDURING
Distinctive, beautiful, sustainable tile is the roofing material of choice for quality and longevity. Its natural aesthetics have been highly valued for thousands of years, and are so today, with the addition of a multitude of shapes, profiles and colors for endless decorative possibilities. And unlike wood shakes or asphalt shingles, tile reliably holds its color and maintains its beauty over a very long lifespan.
STRONG
Tile has much more to offer than good looks. Tile roofs are exceptionally resistant to water, frost, fire, wind and insect damage, lasting for centuries rather than decades.* When a building owner invests in a properly installed tile roof, it’s the last roof they’ll ever need to buy – a huge plus when it comes to resale value.* See specific manufacturers warranties
VERSATILE
There’s no roofing material more versatile than tile. Clay and concrete can be molded to resemble wood shakes, chipped stone and shingle-style slate, along with more
traditional barrel and s-shaped profiles. There’s a perfect match for every architectural style.
ENERGY EFFICIENT
In virtually every climate and geographic area, tile roofs provide exceptional thermal properties, reducing heat loss or gain. Natural air ventilation under the tiles creates a heat transfer barrier that can help cool a house in summer and warm it in winter, lowering energy costs by as much as 20%.
SUSTAINABLE
Tile is made from raw materials that don’t deplete limited natural resources, unlike petroleum-based roofing such as asphalt shingles. Tile roofing contains no preservatives, and waste from production can be immediately recycled back into the manufacturing process instead of landfilled.
SOLID INVESTMENT
Tile roofs offer unparalleled value when cost per year of use is factored in. While upfront costs are higher, customers who choose a clay or concrete tile roof will enjoy the aesthetics, quality, energy efficiency and sustainability for a lifetime.
