Asphalt shingles are possibly the most widely used roofing material installed by shingle roof services due to their economical price, easy application, and durability.
The same basic idea has existed for more than a century, though the shingles installed by asphalt shingle roof contractors today are greatly improved from their predecessors.
Whether you are deciding on new shingles for your roof or just in need of asphalt shingle roof repair, knowing a little bit about them and how they have been developed from then to now can help you make an informed purchase decision!
Where Did The Idea of Asphalt Shingles Come From?
The basic idea of what eventually became the materials that asphalt shingle roof services install on millions of homes every year started in the 1840s with some cloth, pine tar, and sand.
The cloth and pine tar were already in use as a waterproof roofing fabric that could be laid over the top of a home; however, it was the addition of the sand that was the game-changer.
This idea of sprinkling sand over the pine tar and later coal tar to make the tar coating more durable would revolutionize the process.
The coal tar was eventually replaced with an actual roofing tar substance when the coal tar supply from the petroleum industry became too unpredictable and expensive.
When and How Were Asphalt Shingles Made?
With the basic process having developed over a few decades, it wasn’t until 1903 that a roofing contractor from Grand Rapids MI perfected it and invented the very first asphalt shingles.
He started producing pitch and stone coated rolls of felt, then cutting them into 8”x16” pieces that were easier to use for new asphalt roofs and asphalt roof repair.
The idea worked so well that after a little more than a decade, a machine to produce and cut the shingles had been invented.
From there, the process and products would be continually refined, leading to the much-improved asphalt shingles that are used today.
How Have Asphalt Shingles Improved Over Time
The first major improvement made to these first asphalt shingles was the progression from the use of cotton rag and felt ;to that of celluloid fiber in the 1950s and eventually fiberglass in the 1980s.
The machines that cut and shaped the shingles being used by asphalt shingle roof services could now produce larger shingles with multiple notches in them as the design went from single tab to three-tab and the shingles got more aesthetically pleasing as well.
As the development continued and more asphalt shingle contractors began using these composition shingles, they quickly became the most popular and affordable roofing material available.
By the mid-80s, composite asphalt shingles were the highest selling roofing material and roof repair product and they just kept on getting better from there.
Today’s Asphalt Shingles Are A Remarkable Roofing Choice
The asphalt shingles of today used for countless new roof installations every year by asphalt shingle roof services offer incredible performance and value for what is essentially a very simple product.
What began as rolls of cotton fabric and pine tar can now be found in shingle varieties that fit a wide range of budgets, colors, styles, and more.
Homeowners can find beautiful and stylish premium shingles that address concerns such as high winds, energy efficiency, hail resistance, fire resistance, and more with qualified asphalt shingle roof contractors certified to sell and install these beneficial roofing products.
Best of all, today’s products make asphalt shingle roof repair fast, easy, and economical enough that each installation can last decades!
