Rolled Roofing vs Shingles – Asphalt Roofing Cost Comparison

December 2, 2022 Author: Jamie

Rolled Roofing

$2,640 – $5,040

(1,500 sq.ft. rolled roofing installed)

The cost of asphalt rolled roofing is $1.65 – $3.15 per square foot depending on the quality of the material, whether old roofing is removed and general job conditions.

Shingles

$4,400 – $8,560

(1,500 sq.ft. asphalt shingles installed)

The cost of an asphalt shingle roof is $2.75 to $5.35 per square foot based on the shingle you choose, whether an old roof must be torn off, complexity of the work and local cost of living.

Asphalt Rolled Roofing

Rolled asphalt roofing

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Second layer w/o tear-off OK
  • Installs easily and quickly
  • OK for 2/12 roofs and steeper
  • Ideal for outbuildings
  • Decent durability for cost

Cons

  • Lasts only 7-15 years
  • Looks cheap on homes
  • Will hurt resale value
  • Susceptible to tearing in high wind
  • Limited colors – most is black or green

$2,640 – $5,040

(1,600 sq.ft. rolled roofing installed)

Check Local Pricing

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Asphalt Shingles

Reddish asphalt shingles

Pros

  • Last 15-30 years
  • Most popular roofing type
  • Cool Roof / Energy Star Options
  • Cost less than metal, slate, wood
  • Wide range of styles and colors
  • Easy to install or replace
  • Better resale value than rolled
  • Wind resistance to 110-160 MPH
  • Impact-resistant (IR) options

Cons

  • Not suitable below 3/12 slope
  • Not as durable as metal roofing
  • Usually not recycled – goes to landfill
  • Little insulation value
  • Algae staining if untreated

$4,400 – $8,560

(1,600 sq.ft. Asphalt roof shingles installed)

Check Local Pricing

Get free estimates from roofing contractors in your city.

When you compare asphalt shingle roofs to asphalt rolled roofing, also called roll roofing, most customers are considering their options for a shed, barn or commercial building.

Rolled asphalt is rarely used on a home, but it can be where local code allows and there are no homeowner association rules to follow that forbid it. Asphalt shingles remain the number-one choice for roofing a house.

This RenoCompare roofing material comparison guide takes that approach – the best material for a non-residential building such as an outbuilding or commercial building. If you’re planning to reroof your home, then comparing asphalt shingles to metal roofing is a more common consideration.

WHAT IS ASPHALT ROLLED ROOFING?

Roll roofing starts with a base of fiberglass or similar mesh material. It is soaked in oil-based asphalt and topped with a mineral coating or granules. For this reason, this is known in the industry as MSR, or mineral-surfaced roll roofing.

The material comes in rolls typically 3 feet wide and in lengths of 33, 50 and 100 feet.

The weight of asphalt rolled roofing is 70-80 pounds per 100-foot roll.

WHAT IS ASPHALT SHINGLE ROOFING?

Shingles remain the most popular roofing option in North America – a dependable choice for homes but also for commercial buildings, outbuildings like sheds and other roofing projects.

The construction of asphalt shingles is very similar to rolled roofing in that a layer or layers of fiberglass is soaked in asphalt. The lower portion is covered in granules that reflect sunlight and give the roofing its color.

Shingles are available in two basic options, 3-tab or strip shingles and laminate or layered shingles. The laminated shingles are called dimensional, architectural and designer shingles. Shingles range from about 35 to 42 inches wide depending on the brand, and they’re 12-14 inches from top to bottom. For more info please read the difference between 3-tab and architectural asphalt shingles.

You get much more choice with asphalt shingles. They’re available in a spectrum of color from nearly white to charcoal and black. Browns, blues and reds are all popular, and often more than one color granule is used to form a color blend or lightly mottled appearance.

The single layer of 3-tab and the top layer of dimensional shingles is cut to give the shingle the appearance of being individual pieces mimicking wood shakes or shingles or slate.

Asphalt shingles are much heavier than rolled roofing – generally 1.5 to more than 4 pounds per square foot, with an average of around 2 pounds/sq.ft.

INSTALLATION DIFFERENCES

Both materials can be installed over one layer of existing asphalt roofing. On a new roof, an underlayment like rolled felt paper saturated in asphalt is laid first whether you’re installing rolls or shingles.

Rolled roofing is rolled horizontally onto the roof starting at the eave and working toward the peak of the roof. Nails or staples are used to hold it in place, and the fasteners are covered by the roll of material above it.

During installation, the runs or MSR are overlapped by at least 12” depending on the slope of the roof. A sealing strip of asphalt on the back of the roll bonds to the layer on top of it.

Asphalt shingles are installed individually, also starting at eaves. Most require 3 or 4 nails. Some manufacturers offer a better wind warranty if additional nails and/or roofing glue is used. Shingles have an asphalt sealing strip too. Each row or course of shingles overlaps the row below it by about 50% for weather protection.

COST COMPARISON 

Rolled MSR roofing costs less than shingles. Some would call it cheap. Expect installed costs of $1.65 to $3.15 per square foot for underlayment, the roofing rolls and fasteners. About 70% of the cost is labor, so there’s good savings there if you’re able to DIY.

Asphalt shingle roofing at $2.75 to $5.35 is two to three times more expensive than roll asphalt roofing. The material cost is $1.50 to $2.25 per square foot with labor adding $2 to $3 per square foot on most jobs.

Tip: To determine how much roofing material you’ll need, use a roofing calculator that allows you to input the square footage of the building and the steepness of the roof.

For example, a 1,000 square foot detached garage with a 4/12 slope gable roof requires 1,050 square feet of material plus another 50 square feet for trimming and waste – a total of 1,100 square feet.

Prices for that size roof are:

Roll roofing: $1,815 to $3,450

Shingle roofing: $3,025 to $5,885

The price range for asphalt shingles is wider because there are more options in materials.

DURABILITY & CLIMATE

Roll roofing lasts 7-15 years.

3-tab shingles are good for 12-25 years, and dimensional shingles are a lifespan of 20-30 years.

The climate is the major factor in durability for both. Rolled roofing and shingles have a relatively short lifespan in sunny, hot and dry climates. When the asphalt dries out, the material becomes brittle and is more easily damaged by impact and wind. Metal is a better option for roofs in extreme climates.

Both roofing types do better in milder climates with fewer days of sun.

ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT

Both are oil-based materials, so they’re not eco-friendly in their construction.

Shingles and rolled roofing can be recycled, but they rarely are. Most roofing contractors aren’t interested in hauling them to a recycling facility – there aren’t many around.

And when we’ve contacted asphalt roofing recyclers, they are often overwhelmed with material and it piles up. The dirty little secret is that much of the material they don’t have the capacity to recycle ends up in a landfill anyway.

CONCLUSION

It’s pretty simple. If you want a roof installed on the cheap, rolled asphalt roofing is the affordable choice.

When you want a roof that looks better and lasts longer, then asphalt shingles are much preferred.

Related Reading:

Clay Vs Concrete Roof Tiles

Hip Roof Vs Gable Roof

Roof Rafters Vs Trusses

TPO vs EPDM Roofing


REVIEWED AND FACT-CHECKED BY JAMIE SANDFORD

Jamie Sandford - Owner and Lead Editor at RenoCompareJamie Sandford is the Chief Editor at RenoCompare (find out more). Jamie has been involved in construction for over 30 years. Straight out of college, Jamie worked with construction crews for the television, film and theatre industries for over 12 years. In his thirties, he turned his attention to DIY decorating and construction, working on many house renovations and remodels. During this time he started to specialize in home flooring and in 2013 he launched the Home Flooring Pros website. Two years later he launched RenoCompare.

“I’ve seen interior design, remodeling, and construction from both sides of the street, contractors on one side and homeowners on the other. My aim is to close the gap between the professionals and the consumers and make it easier for both sides to work smoothly and effectively side by side. At RenoCompare we want to save you time and money by giving you the information you need as simply and as quickly as possible!”

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