Homeowners ask which brand is best, and the honest answer is that the brand is not the variable that decides how long your roof lasts. Installation quality and attic ventilation decide that. Any of these three, correctly installed, will outlive a premium shingle put on badly.
That said, there are real differences, and a few of them matter specifically here.
How the three manufacturers differ
- Malarkey is the Pacific Northwest regional choice, manufactured in Portland, and its rubberized asphalt technology handles our wet-cold cycling well.
- CertainTeed has the broadest architectural range and a well-regarded system warranty when installed by a credentialed contractor.
- GAF is the largest manufacturer in North America by volume, with the widest contractor network and strong product availability.
We are certified with CertainTeed and Malarkey and are an Owens Corning preferred contractor, so we install two of these three regularly and have no reason to talk you into either one.
Algae resistance is the PNW-specific feature
The dark streaking people see on Pacific Northwest roofs is generally algae, and moss follows where algae has established. Every major manufacturer now offers algae-resistant shingles that work by embedding copper into a share of the granules, which leaches slowly and suppresses growth.
This is genuinely worth having here, and the thing to check is the length of the algae warranty rather than whether the feature exists. Manufacturers vary in how long they stand behind it, and a longer algae warranty is a reasonable proxy for how much copper is in the granule blend.
It suppresses. It does not eliminate. A north slope under a fir canopy will still need attention, which is the subject of our moss guide.
Malarkey and the rubberized asphalt point
Malarkey’s higher lines use a polymer-modified asphalt, which stays flexible across a wider temperature range than standard asphalt. The practical benefit in Clark County is the daily cycling we get through the shoulder seasons: cold wet nights, then sun on a south slope. Standard asphalt gets brittle with age and cracks under that cycling. A rubberized shingle tolerates it longer.
Malarkey also uses recycled content and markets a smog-reducing granule. Whether that moves you is a values question rather than a performance one, but the polymer modification is a real material difference and it suits this climate.
Being manufactured in Portland has a mundane advantage too: availability. Regional supply means shorter lead times and easier color matching for a repair years later.
Warranty structure is where the real difference lives
This is the part homeowners consistently misunderstand, and it costs them.
There are two different things called a warranty:
- The shingle warranty. Covers manufacturing defects in the shingle. You get this on any shingle from any manufacturer, installed by anyone.
- The system warranty. Covers the whole roof assembly, including workmanship and accessory components, for a defined period. This is the valuable one.
The system warranty is only available when the roof is installed by a manufacturer-credentialed contractor, using that manufacturer’s accessories throughout, and registered with the manufacturer after completion.
That last step gets skipped constantly. A crew installs a certified-grade roof, nobody files the registration, and the homeowner believes they have a fifty-year system warranty when what they actually have is a shingle warranty. It surfaces years later when there is a problem.
So the useful questions for any bidder are: are you credentialed with this manufacturer, will this roof qualify for the system warranty, and will you register it and send me the certificate.
Wind ratings
All three offer architectural lines rated well beyond what Clark County weather produces, generally 110 to 130 mph with the correct nailing pattern, and heavy-duty lines above that.
The rating is conditional on installation: correct fastener count, correct placement, and correct starter and ridge products. A 130 mph shingle nailed high or with four nails instead of six is not a 130 mph roof. This is another reason the installer matters more than the label.
For Gorge-exposed properties in Washougal and wind-loaded ridgelines in Hockinson, we specify the heavy-duty wind-rated lines rather than the standard architectural.
Appearance and color
All three offer a comparable range of PNW-appropriate colors: weathered wood, driftwood, charcoal, and the greys and browns that suit our light. Differences are real but small, and they are best judged with physical samples on your actual roof in daylight rather than from a brochure or a website swatch.
We bring samples to the estimate for exactly this reason. Roof color reads completely differently in overcast Pacific Northwest light than it does under a showroom lamp.
How to actually choose
- Pick the installer first. Verify the license through Washington L&I, check that they are credentialed with the manufacturer they propose, and confirm they will register the system warranty.
- Then pick the line, not the brand. An entry-level shingle from a premium manufacturer is not better than a mid-tier shingle from another. Compare comparable tiers.
- Check the algae warranty term if you have shade or overhead canopy.
- Confirm the accessories match. System warranties require the manufacturer’s starter, ridge and underlayment. Mixed components can void the system coverage.
- Look at samples outdoors.
We install CertainTeed and Malarkey lines on roof replacements across the county. If you want a second opinion on a bid you already have, we will look at it and tell you what it does and does not include. Free inspections and written estimates across Clark County.