Choosing a shingle brand for your Colorado roof isn't like picking a paint color. This decision affects how your roof handles hail, UV radiation, temperature swings, and wind for the next 20 to 50 years. Get it right and you're set. Get it wrong and you're back on the phone with a roofer way too soon.
We install all three major brands. GAF, Malarkey, and CertainTeed. We hold the highest certification level from each one, which makes us one of the only contractors in Colorado qualified to offer the full lineup. That also means we don't have a financial incentive to push one brand over another. We just want you to pick the right shingle for your home.
Let's break down how these three stack up for Colorado conditions.
GAF: The Industry Giant
GAF is the largest roofing manufacturer in North America. They make more shingles than anyone else, and their products are installed on more homes than any competing brand. There's a reason for that. They're reliable, widely available, and backed by strong warranties.
What GAF Does Well in Colorado
GAF's Timberline HDZ is their flagship architectural shingle, and it's one of the most popular roofing products in the state. It features their StrikeZone nailing area, which makes installation faster and more consistent. That matters because proper nailing is one of the biggest factors in how a roof performs during a windstorm.
Their Timberline AS II line comes with a Class 4 impact rating, which is the highest rating for hail resistance. In Colorado, a Class 4 rated roof often qualifies you for a discount on your homeowner's insurance. That discount can add up to thousands of dollars over the life of the roof.
GAF also offers their WindProven warranty on certain installations, which provides unlimited wind speed coverage with no maximum. That's a big deal along the Front Range where we regularly see 70 to 90 mph gusts.
GAF Warranty Highlights
As a GAF Master Elite contractor, Gates Enterprises can offer GAF's top tier warranty packages, including the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty. This covers materials and workmanship for an extended period and is only available through Master Elite certified installers. Less than 3% of roofers in the country hold this certification. our certifications
Malarkey: The Sustainability Leader
Malarkey Roofing Products is based in Portland, Oregon, and they've carved out a reputation for innovation and environmental responsibility. They were one of the first manufacturers to incorporate recycled materials into their shingles, and they continue to push the industry forward on sustainability.
What Malarkey Does Well in Colorado
Malarkey's Vista and Legacy lines use their proprietary Flexor polymer modified asphalt. This is a big deal for Colorado. Standard oxidized asphalt gets brittle in cold temperatures, which makes shingles more vulnerable to cracking during our harsh winters. Polymer modified asphalt stays flexible, which means better performance through freeze and thaw cycles.
Their Highlander NEX architectural shingle offers Class 4 impact resistance and is one of the most competitively priced impact resistant options on the market. For homeowners who want the insurance discount without the premium price tag, Malarkey is worth a serious look.
Malarkey also uses their Scotchgard protector from 3M on most of their shingle lines, which resists algae growth. Those dark streaks you see on older roofs? Much less likely with Malarkey products.
Malarkey Warranty Highlights
Malarkey offers strong warranty coverage, and their environmental commitment appeals to homeowners who care about sustainability. Their shingles use recycled rubber and plastics, which keeps millions of pounds of waste out of landfills every year.
CertainTeed: The Premium Choice
CertainTeed has been manufacturing building products since 1904. They're owned by Saint-Gobain, one of the largest building materials companies in the world. Their roofing lines tend to position themselves at the higher end of the market, and the quality reflects that.
What CertainTeed Does Well in Colorado
CertainTeed's Landmark series is their workhorse architectural shingle, and it's a solid performer. But where CertainTeed really shines is their premium lines. The Grand Manor and Carriage House shingles offer a luxury aesthetic that's hard to match.
For Colorado specifically, their NorthGate SBS modified shingle is a standout. SBS (Styrene Butadiene Styrene) modified asphalt gives the shingle rubberized flexibility, which provides excellent impact resistance and cold weather performance. The NorthGate carries a Class 4 impact rating and handles Colorado's temperature extremes beautifully.
CertainTeed's Solaris line also offers solar reflectance for homeowners concerned about energy efficiency. In Colorado's intense sun, a reflective shingle can measurably reduce cooling costs during summer months.
CertainTeed Warranty Highlights
As a CertainTeed Shingle Master Pro contractor, Gates Enterprises can offer their highest warranty tier, the SureStart Plus warranty. This provides extended coverage on both materials and labor. Shingle Master Pro is CertainTeed's top contractor level, and very few companies in Colorado hold it. our certifications
Head to Head: How They Compare for Colorado
Hail Resistance
All three brands offer Class 4 impact rated options. GAF has the Timberline AS II, Malarkey has the Highlander NEX, and CertainTeed has the NorthGate. All three perform well in standardized impact testing.
In our experience installing thousands of roofs across the Front Range, the polymer and SBS modified options from Malarkey and CertainTeed tend to show slightly better real world hail performance. The rubberized asphalt absorbs impact energy rather than cracking. That said, GAF's impact resistant line holds up well and comes with excellent warranty backing.
Wind Performance
GAF edges ahead here with their WindProven unlimited wind warranty, which no other manufacturer currently matches. Malarkey and CertainTeed both offer strong wind ratings (up to 130 mph on premium lines), but GAF's unlimited coverage is a unique selling point for the Front Range.
Cold Weather Performance
Malarkey and CertainTeed both use polymer modified asphalt in their premium lines, which maintains flexibility in cold temperatures. GAF uses standard oxidized asphalt in most of their products. For Colorado's harsh winters, the polymer modified options have a performance advantage when temperatures drop well below freezing.
Aesthetics
CertainTeed generally offers the widest range of premium aesthetic options. Their luxury lines look stunning and can genuinely transform a home's curb appeal. Malarkey and GAF both offer attractive profiles, but CertainTeed has the edge if aesthetics are your top priority.
Price
Malarkey typically comes in at the most competitive price point for comparable performance levels. GAF sits in the middle. CertainTeed's premium lines command a higher price, though their standard Landmark series is competitively priced.
So Which One Should You Choose?
There's no single best shingle for every Colorado home. It depends on your priorities.
Choose GAF if you want the most widely available product with the strongest wind warranty and the backing of the largest manufacturer in North America.
Choose Malarkey if you want excellent cold weather performance, strong hail resistance, competitive pricing, and sustainability matters to you.
Choose CertainTeed if you want premium aesthetics, top tier cold weather performance, and you're willing to invest in the highest end product available.
Why Your Installer Matters More Than Your Shingle Brand
Here's something most homeowners don't realize. The quality of the installation matters more than the brand of shingle you choose. A perfectly good shingle installed poorly will fail before a mid range shingle installed correctly.
That's why contractor certifications exist. Manufacturers only grant their highest certification levels to contractors who meet strict standards for training, installation quality, and business practices.
Gates Enterprises holds the top certification from all three brands. GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed Shingle Master Pro, and Malarkey certified. Plus our Emerald Premium certification. We're quadruple certified, which is something no other contractor in Colorado can say.
That means no matter which brand you choose, you're getting an installation that meets the manufacturer's highest standards. And that's what unlocks the best warranty coverage. about Gates Enterprises
Ready to talk shingles? Call Gates Enterprises at (720) 766-3377 or contact us to schedule a free consultation. We'll walk you through all three options and help you pick the perfect shingle for your home and budget.