If you’ve clicked on this blog, (welcome!) you’re probably already familiar with the roofing industry, and you want to take a deeper look into one of the latest products on offer: GAF’s new Timberline UHDZ architectural shingle!
If you understand those words, great! Click on down to the sections where we address the specifics of what this new shingle brings to the table, and how it differs from other GAF products, and the competition.
If that first sentence was a bunch of mumbo jumbo to you, but your roofer has suggested that you get this shingle installed on your roof, don’t fret. We’ll get you caught up to speed with everything you need to know before you understand what the Timberline UHDZ shingle is!
In this blog, we’ll be going over:
Alright, let’s get started!
GAF is the biggest name on the roofing market, and one of the industry’s leading brands.
The roofing side of the company was founded as The Standard Paint Company in 1886, and got involved in roofing in 1892, creating RU-BER-OID asphalt roofing rolls. In 1912, they began manufacturing asphalt shingles that were pretty close to how we know them today. Those became so popular, the company rebranded to The RUBEROID Co. and began focusing its energy on producing those shingles.
The company became an innovator in the roofing space, creating interlocking shingles, adding a mix of granules that are still used today, and creating the first architectural style of shingle, the Timberline, in 1967, the same year the company merged with GAF, which was primarily a photographic film company at the time, and kept the GAF name.
Today, their most popular shingle is the Timberline HDZ, an upgraded version of the 1967 Timberline that has high-definition granules and algae protection. GAF claims the Timberline HDZ to be the best-selling asphalt shingle in North America, but also offers three-tab and luxury lines of asphalt shingles.
GAF offers a certification program to contractors that use their product, that allows for contractors to set themselves apart from competition, and show consumers that they have GAF’s backing.
As we mentioned in the previous sections, architectural shingles were first introduced in 1967, by GAF, and they’ve become the most common roofing material that you’ll see used across North America. They’re made similarly to other asphalt shingles, starting as a fiberglass mat between layers of asphalt, before being covered in a mix of protective granules, and adding asphalt sealant strips on the bottom.
What makers architectural shingles different from those that preceded them is their two-ply construction, which means that there’s a whole extra layer of shingle, that increases its durability and longevity. This extra layer usually comes in the form of a sawtooth pattern, which gives the shingle a more dimensional appearance than cheaper options.
As architectural shingles have become more popular, there are now many roofing manufacturers selling upgraded versions that carry algae resistance, stronger wind resistance, more defined looks, and other features.
That’s where our subject today comes in, the GAF Timberline UHDZ architectural shingle.
The Timberline UHDZ (the UHD standing for Ultra High Definition) shingle is GAF’s latest addition to their architectural shingle lineup and is an upgraded version of their best-selling Timberline HDZ shingle. It’s heavier, contains more protective granules, and has an enhanced dimensional look to it.
We’ll break down how those compare more in a later section, but for now, you just need to know that those are the main ways that the UHDZ differs from the HDZ, in addition to the increase in price that you’ll likely see by opting for a Timberline UHDZ shingle.
The Timberline UHDZ shingles come in 6 different color schemes: Barkwood (Dark brown), Charcoal (Black), Pewter Gray, Shakewood (Light Brown), Slate (Gray-Green), Weathered Wood (Gray-Brown).
The Timberline UHDZ shingle comes with several features that make it unique from other asphalt shingles on the market.
The first, and perhaps most important to many homeowners, is GAF’s patent-pending Dual Shadow Line. Most architectural shingles include a patch of darkly colored granules that appear on the base layer to create the look of shadows cast from the sawtooth layer. UHDZ improves on this concept by putting two shadow line areas, one on the base layer, and one on the bottom of the sawtooth layer, which adds even more dimension to the shingle. GAF makes the claim that the Dual Shadow Line gives your roof the golden hour sunset look all day long.
The Shingles also boast GAF’s DuraGrip adhesive, which, combined with the shingle’s extra weight, allows GAF to offer the WindProven Limited Warranty, which warrants against wind damage, no matter the speeds of the winds.
Another stronger warranty offered for the UHDZ shingles, is the StainGuard Plus PRO Algae Protection Warranty, which provides 30 years of warranty towards blue-green algae growth on your roof. The original GAF Timberline HDZ shingles offered a similar StainGuard Plus warranty, which covers out to 25 years. This five year increase in the warranty is due to an increased number of copper-infused granules, which are included to help prevent the blue-green algae growth.
And one last warranty feature, if you work with a GAF Master Elite contractor, get a UHDZ roof, with a qualifying GAF roofing system, and a Golden Pledge Limited Warranty, you will also be offered 30 years of workmanship coverage. This means that any damage found to be caused by poor installation practice or negligence will be covered by the manufacturer.
The main differences between GAF’s main shingle line and their latest upgrade come in some of the additions and boosts that the UHDZ has received. The UHDZ is a heavier shingle than the HDZ, has the Dual Shadow Line to emphasize its dimension, and has additional copper granules added to extend the shingles defense against blue-green algae.
From a cost perspective, it’s hard to give any kind of firm numbers in a blog like this, especially since it is so early on in the lifespan of the shingle. The material cost will vary from place to place, and contractor to contractor but wherever you are, you can expect to pay a chunk of change more for the benefits and warranty options that come with the Ultra HDZ over the standard HDZ. GAF describes the price point for the UHDZ as sitting between the Timberline HDZ and their Luxury shingle lines.
For the past few years, CertainTeed, one of the biggest roofing companies in North America, has also offered a high-end architectural shingle, the Landmark Premium.
Similar to the UHDZ, the Landmark Premium have added weight to them, and sport an enhanced colored granule blend that increase the definition of the shingle. CertainTeed also has an algae-fighting technology, known as StreakFighter. That being said, GAF’s warranty for algae-resistance is far greater, up to 30 years with the UHDZ, while the Landmark Premium only carry a 15-year warranty against it.
Wind resistance is another area where the UHDZ are ahead of the Landmark Premium. CertainTeed’s shingle carries a 15-year warranty for winds up to 110 mph, while the UHDZ shingles have no limitation on wind speed for their 15-year WindProven warranty.
If you’re looking to learn some more about different shingles available on the market, check out our blog on the best shingles of 2022!
Or if you want to look at some of the most reliable shingle manufacturers across the world, we’ve got a blog for that too.
Whatever the next steps are in your roofing process, I hope having learned more about the GAF Timberline UHDZ shingles helps you feel more comfortable with the roofing industry, and your own project!
On Tops Roofing has been helping Raleigh, NC homeowners learn about the roofing process since we opened in 1991! Whatever your roofing project requires, We’re on it!
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