Three-Tab Shingles
Asphalt shingle is easily the most popular type of roofing material in the country today, covering about 80% of steep-sloped roofs in the United States. Combining easy installation and affordable maintenance costs with style and performance, it’s no wonder why many homeowners prefer asphalt shingles over other alternatives such as brick tiles, slate or wooden shakes. There are three different types of asphalt shingles: three-tab, architectural, and designer. Of these, the three-tab variant is the simplest but it is also the most preferred.
What makes three-tab shingles such a favorite? Here’s a quick rundown on the three-tab shingle, and why it’s a favorite among many homeowners:
Design
A three-tab shingle roof has a very basic design: rows of uniformly-sized shingles placed next to each other, forming a flat surface, giving the roof a clean, seamless look that matches a number of architectural styles nicely.
Anatomy
A three-tab shingle may look like appears to be made of three individual pieces, but is actually just one, solid, rectangular piece. In fact, only half of this type of shingle actually looks like it’s made of smaller pieces. The upper half (the part that is covered by flashing or the shingle directly above it) has a smooth, continuous surface. The illusion of having three separate shingles is created by the exposed lower half of the shingle, which has two deep cuts or engraved lines that divide it into three segments.
Advantages
The simple design of a three-tab shingle roof is the key to its strengths. Because of the smooth finish, it is a very popular roofing option for modern-themed houses going for a minimalist design but at the same time three-tab shingles also work well with more traditional home styles. But just because it is simple in form doesn’t mean that three-tab shingles offer very little variety; asphalt shingles are available in various colors so there’s sure to be one that will perfectly fit your home’s color scheme.
Aside from being beautiful, the smooth surface of a three-tab shingle also makes it easier to shed rainwater and snow. In case a shingle is damaged or missing, repairs or replacements are also easy to do.
Up next, architectural shingles! Head on over to Part 2 of this three-part blog series to see what architectural shingles can offer you and your home.
