CertainTeed shingles

What to know about CertainTeed before signing a CertainTeed quote

CertainTeed has been manufacturing asphalt shingles in the United States since 1904 and became part of Saint-Gobain in 1988. That ownership matters on a 30-year investment: Saint-Gobain is a 360-year-old public company with roughly 160,000 employees worldwide, so the institutional stability behind a CertainTeed warranty claim is arguably stronger than behind any domestically owned roofing manufacturer. CertainTeed holds an estimated 20-25% share of the U.S. residential shingle market, placing it clearly second behind GAF.

The workhorse product line is Landmark — a mid-weight architectural shingle sold in three weight tiers (Landmark, Landmark Pro, Landmark Premium) that together cover most of the architectural market from entry-level replacement to upper-mid luxury. Above Landmark sits the true designer tier: Presidential Shake for a cedar-shake aesthetic, Grand Manor for a four-layer slate look, and Symphony, a polymer composite slate alternative that is not asphalt at all. Northgate ClimateFlex is a separate SBS-modified impact-resistant line carrying UL 2218 Class 4.

Warranty coverage on CertainTeed is shaped by two variables: which product you select and which contractor credential tier installs it. The SureStart PLUS extended warranty — which adds workmanship and tear-off labor coverage on top of the material warranty — is only registrable by Select ShingleMaster contractors. A non-credentialed roofer cannot enroll you in SureStart PLUS regardless of installation quality, which is the single most important piece of fine print to understand before signing a CertainTeed quote.

Product tiers

Each CertainTeed product sits in one of these tiers. Prices are directional per roofing square (100 sqft) on material alone; installed cost is roughly 2–3× the material price depending on local labor and roof complexity.

What the warranty really covers

CertainTeed structures warranty coverage into two layers: the base material warranty that ships with every shingle and the SureStart PLUS extended warranty registered through a credentialed contractor. Understanding which is which is the difference between a paper promise and an enforceable remedy.

The base Lifetime Limited Material Warranty on Landmark and higher covers manufacturing defects in the shingle itself for as long as the original homeowner owns the home. It includes a 10-year non-prorated 'SureStart' period during which CertainTeed will pay full replacement cost for materials on a covered defect claim. Starting in year 11, the payout becomes pro-rated by age — by year 25 the material-only payout is typically a fraction of current replacement cost, and it covers materials only, not labor, tear-off, or disposal. The warranty transfers once to a second owner within 10 years of original install and converts at transfer to a 50-year stated term on most architectural products.

SureStart PLUS is the important upgrade and the one that changes the homeowner's actual position after a covered claim. It is only registrable by a Select ShingleMaster contractor, it extends the non-prorated coverage window, and critically it adds workmanship labor and tear-off costs to what the warranty will pay. Without SureStart PLUS, a covered material defect claim in year 14 pays for shingles only — you pay out of pocket to rip off the existing roof and install the replacement materials. Before signing a CertainTeed quote, ask the contractor (a) whether they are a Select ShingleMaster and (b) whether they will register you for SureStart PLUS after final inspection. Those two questions matter more than the shingle SKU.

• Lifetime = original owner only
  The Lifetime designation is tied to the original homeowner's ownership. On transfer to a second owner (one time, within 10 years of install), coverage converts to a 50-year stated term on most architectural products.
• 10-year non-prorated SureStart period
  The first 10 years of coverage are non-prorated — full replacement-cost materials on a covered defect. After year 10 the payout is pro-rated by roof age and drops steadily toward the end of the warranty term.
• SureStart PLUS requires Select ShingleMaster
  The workmanship-and-tear-off extended warranty (SureStart PLUS) can only be registered by a Select ShingleMaster-credentialed contractor. A Shingle Master (the lower credential) and non-credentialed contractors cannot enroll you in it.
• Six-nail install unlocks 130 mph wind coverage
  Standard Landmark-family wind rating is 110 mph. Reaching the 130 mph rating requires a six-nail installation pattern plus CertainTeed starter and hip/ridge accessories — verify these are spec-lined on the contract before signing.

What CertainTeed does differently

CertainTeed's identity in the market rests on three things: the Saint-Gobain corporate backing, the depth of the designer tier (Presidential Shake and Grand Manor have few genuine competitors at their price point), and the Select ShingleMaster contractor program that ties the strongest warranty coverage to a trained installer network. The 5-Star program is a further step above Select ShingleMaster and unlocks the most generous SureStart PLUS warranty terms CertainTeed offers.

On the mainstream architectural tier, Landmark is competitive but not category-leading. It carries the same Lifetime warranty header as its top competitor but ships at approximately 229 lb/sq versus roughly 240 lb/sq for the best-selling competing product, and industry reviewers have repeatedly noted that Landmark has a thinner hand-feel than the leading competitor's architectural SKU despite comparable warranty language. Homeowners who care about the feel of the shingle at installation may notice this; homeowners focused on paper specs will not.

• StreakFighter algae resistance
  Copper-containing granules resist the blue-green algae streaking (Gloeocapsa magma) that discolors roofs in humid climates. Coverage term varies by product — 10 years on standard Landmark, 15 years on Landmark Pro and higher.
• Select ShingleMaster contractor tier
  The middle tier of the CertainTeed credentialing program. Required to register homeowners for the SureStart PLUS extended warranty. The lower Shingle Master credential does not qualify.
• 5-Star contractor tier
  The top CertainTeed credential, reserved for Select ShingleMasters who have held the credential multiple years and maintained claim-free installation history. A 5-Star install unlocks the broadest SureStart PLUS terms.
• Saint-Gobain parent company
  CertainTeed is owned by Saint-Gobain, a Paris-headquartered public building-materials conglomerate operating since 1665. The scale of the parent company is relevant for a long-term warranty — a 30-year warranty is only as good as the entity standing behind it.
• True designer tier depth
  Presidential Shake, Presidential Shake TL (tri-laminate), and Grand Manor compete directly with slate and cedar-shake aesthetics in the luxury residential segment. Few asphalt manufacturers match this breadth at the top of the line.

Who CertainTeed fits

CertainTeed is a sensible choice across most of the residential roofing market and particularly strong at the two ends: budget architectural replacement and genuine luxury aesthetics. Here is where we would push a homeowner toward CertainTeed and where we would steer them elsewhere.

• Homeowners pursuing a true slate or cedar-shake look on an asphalt budget
  Presidential Shake, Presidential Shake TL, and Grand Manor are the strongest designer-tier asphalt products on the market. Few competing brands produce four-layer laminates or tri-laminated shake profiles in this weight range.
• Homeowners who have a Select ShingleMaster or 5-Star contractor available
  The SureStart PLUS extended workmanship warranty is the single largest differentiator CertainTeed offers over a base manufacturer warranty. If a credentialed installer is active in your metro, the paper position after a covered claim is meaningfully stronger than on a non-credentialed install.
• Homeowners in hail-belt markets evaluating Class 4
  Northgate ClimateFlex uses SBS polymer modification, which keeps the asphalt flexible in cold weather and improves hail impact performance in real-world thermal cycling. Where a carrier offers a Class 4 discount, ClimateFlex is a direct competitor to GAF Timberline AS II and the IKO Nordic line.
• Homeowners prioritizing corporate stability behind the warranty paper
  A Saint-Gobain-backed warranty has institutional depth behind it that domestically owned roofing manufacturers cannot fully match. On a 40-year second-owner transferred warranty, the identity of the corporate guarantor matters.

Where CertainTeed may not fit

CertainTeed is a credible choice but not the right shingle for every home. Here are the honest tradeoffs homeowners should weigh against competing brands.

• Standard Landmark weight is modest for its price point
  At approximately 229 lb/sq, the standard Landmark shingle is lighter than the best-selling competing architectural product (roughly 240 lb/sq) and noticeably lighter than the competing thicker-tier architectural at 280-plus. This has led to an industry perception that Landmark has a thinner hand-feel despite comparable warranty terms. If a thicker architectural is important to you within the CertainTeed line, step up to Landmark Pro or Premium.
• Base wind rating is 110 mph, not 130
  The headline wind rating on Landmark is 110 mph — reaching 130 mph requires a specific six-nail install plus starter and ridge accessories. This is normal industry practice, but the competing best-seller's 130 mph baseline is a clearer default. Confirm the six-nail pattern is spec'd on the contract in writing.
• StreakFighter 10-year term on standard Landmark is short for humid climates
  In the Southeast, Gulf Coast, Pacific Northwest, and humid Midwest, algae streaking is typically the first visible failure mode on an asphalt roof. A 10-year algae warranty on standard Landmark is shorter than the 25-year term some competing products carry on the equivalent tier. Stepping to Landmark Pro or higher gets you the 15-year term, which closes the gap somewhat.
• SureStart PLUS gating on Select ShingleMaster
  If no Select ShingleMaster contractor is operating in your metro, you cannot enroll in SureStart PLUS regardless of installation quality. This narrows the practical warranty advantage in rural markets and small metros where the credentialed network is thin.
• Designer-tier pricing sits above competitor designer lines
  Grand Manor and Presidential Shake TL are legitimately premium products, but they are priced accordingly. On a direct per-square comparison to competing designer-tier asphalt shingles, CertainTeed's top-end products typically run 10-20% higher. The aesthetics are worth the premium if the designer look is the goal; they are not worth the premium if you simply want a heavier-feeling architectural.

CertainTeed FAQ

• Is CertainTeed Landmark really a "lifetime" shingle?
  In CertainTeed's warranty language, lifetime means the lifetime of the original homeowner's ownership of the home. It is not a literal unlimited-years promise. When the original owner sells, the warranty transfers once (within 10 years of install) to the next owner and converts to a 50-year stated term on most architectural products. The first 10 years of coverage are non-prorated; after year 10, the payout is pro-rated by roof age and declines steadily. Practically speaking, a Lifetime Limited warranty pays out meaningfully for roughly the first 10-15 years.
• What is SureStart PLUS and do I automatically get it?
  No — SureStart PLUS is the extended workmanship-and-tear-off warranty and it is only registrable by Select ShingleMaster or 5-Star contractors. The base material warranty you get on any CertainTeed install covers manufacturing defects in the shingle itself, but it does not cover the labor, tear-off, or disposal costs involved in actually redoing the roof. SureStart PLUS adds those labor and tear-off costs to what the warranty pays on a covered claim. Ask your contractor in writing whether they are Select ShingleMaster credentialed and whether they will register you for SureStart PLUS after final inspection.
• What is the difference between Shingle Master, Select ShingleMaster, and 5-Star?
  Shingle Master is the entry-level CertainTeed contractor credential and does not qualify the contractor to register homeowners for the SureStart PLUS extended warranty. Select ShingleMaster is the mid-tier credential, requires additional training plus business-practice standards, and does enable SureStart PLUS registration. 5-Star is the top tier — reserved for Select ShingleMasters who have held the credential multi-year and maintained clean installation history — and unlocks the broadest SureStart PLUS terms CertainTeed offers. When comparing CertainTeed quotes, the credential tier of the installer is as important as the shingle SKU being quoted.
• Does CertainTeed offer a Class 4 impact-resistant shingle?
  Yes — Northgate ClimateFlex is CertainTeed's UL 2218 Class 4 impact-resistant architectural shingle. It uses SBS polymer modification of the asphalt, which keeps the shingle body flexible at low temperatures and improves real-world hail impact performance. Most hail-belt states (Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota) offer a wind/hail insurance premium discount for a Class 4 roof, typically in the 5-35% range on the wind/hail portion of the policy. The exact discount varies by carrier and by state insurance regulation, so confirm the specific discount with your insurance agent before signing.
• How does Landmark compare to the best-selling competing architectural shingle?
  Paper specs are close: both carry Lifetime Limited material warranties and both hit 130 mph wind ratings when installed to the manufacturer's accessory spec. The differences are at the margin. Landmark ships at approximately 229 lb/sq versus approximately 240 lb/sq for the leading competitor — industry reviewers have repeatedly noted Landmark has a thinner hand-feel in side-by-side comparisons. StreakFighter on standard Landmark is a 10-year algae term; the competing product offers a 25-year algae term on its equivalent SKU. For homeowners focused on the workmanship-and-tear-off warranty rather than shingle feel, the comparison turns on which contractor network is stronger in your metro — the Select ShingleMaster presence versus the competing brand's top contractor credential.
• Is Symphony actually asphalt?
  No — Symphony is a polymer composite slate alternative, engineered to mimic natural slate at approximately one-third the weight. It is not an asphalt shingle and does not share the installation details, underlayment requirements, or repair methods of an asphalt roof. Symphony is priced well above any asphalt product in the CertainTeed catalog and is typically specified on homes where the owner wants a slate aesthetic without the structural framing upgrades real slate requires. Because the installation details are substantially different, confirm that any contractor quoting Symphony has specific Symphony installation experience, not just general CertainTeed credentials.