An asphalt shingle roof is a roofing system made from individual overlapping tiles — shingles — each constructed from a fiberglass or organic mat base saturated with asphalt and coated with mineral granules. The granules protect the asphalt from UV degradation and give shingles their color. Water sheds off the overlapping layers down to the gutters.
Asphalt shingles account for roughly 75 percent of all residential roofing installations in the United States. Their combination of moderate cost, wide availability, ease of installation, and adequate performance in most climates makes them the default roofing choice for the majority of American homeowners. In Central Arkansas, where our team at Lifetime Construction Builders LLC has been installing roofs since 2009, asphalt shingles are by far the most common material we install.
How Asphalt Shingles Are Constructed
A modern asphalt shingle has three functional layers working together:
- The mat core: Fiberglass reinforcement gives the shingle its structural integrity and fire resistance. Older shingles used organic cellulose mats, but virtually all modern shingles use fiberglass.
- The asphalt layers: The fiberglass mat is saturated with asphalt on both sides. The top coat contains fine mineral fillers that improve durability. The bottom layer provides a watertight seal.
- The granule surface: Crushed mineral granules (typically slate, ceramic, or hard rock) are embedded in the top asphalt layer. Granules protect the asphalt from UV radiation, provide color and texture, and give shingles their slip-resistant surface.
Modern premium shingles like the Atlas Pinnacle Pristine add a fourth element: SBS rubber-modified asphalt that gives the shingle elasticity for impact resistance. This modification fundamentally improves the shingle’s ability to survive hailstone impacts without cracking — critical in Arkansas’s hail-active climate.
The Three Main Types of Asphalt Shingles
3-Tab Shingles
The original asphalt shingle design. A flat, single-layer tile with three uniform cutouts along the bottom edge that create the appearance of three separate “tabs.” 3-tab shingles are lightweight, low-cost, and have a clean, uniform appearance. However, they have limited wind resistance (typically 60-70 MPH), minimal impact protection, and a shorter lifespan (15-20 years) compared to dimensional options. We rarely install 3-tab shingles in Arkansas because they are not well-suited to the region’s hail and wind environment.
Architectural (Dimensional) Shingles
The current standard for residential roofing. Architectural shingles use a multi-layer laminated construction that creates a dimensional, textured profile — mimicking wood shake or natural slate from a distance. The extra material thickness provides better wind resistance (110-130 MPH), improved impact performance, and a significantly longer lifespan (25-30 years) versus 3-tab products. Most asphalt shingle roofing projects we complete use architectural products as the baseline option.
Impact-Resistant Shingles
The performance tier for hail-prone regions like Arkansas. Impact-resistant shingles modify the asphalt formulation with SBS rubber compounds and use reinforced fiberglass mats to absorb and distribute hailstone impact energy without cracking. They are rated under the UL 2218 standard — Class 1 through Class 4 — with Class 4 being the most resistant.
The Atlas Pinnacle Pristine (Class 3) and Atlas StormMaster Shake (Class 4, 150 MPH wind rated) are our primary impact-resistant products for Saline County homeowners. These shingles carry warranty terms and insurance discount eligibility that standard products cannot match.
How Asphalt Shingles Are Installed
A proper asphalt shingle installation follows a sequence:
- Tear-off of existing shingles (down to the deck)
- Deck inspection and repair of any rotted or damaged sheathing
- Synthetic underlayment installation over the full deck surface
- Ice and water shield at eaves and valleys
- Metal drip edge at eaves and rakes
- Shingle installation starting at the eave edge, overlapping upward
- New metal flashing at all transitions: valleys, chimneys, wall intersections, pipe penetrations
- Hip and ridge cap application
The overlapping installation creates a cascading drainage system — each course of shingles overlaps the one below it so water can only travel downward toward the gutters, never sideways or upward into the building. The underlayment provides a secondary water barrier in case any shingles lift or crack. Together these elements create a redundant waterproofing system that protects the building even when individual components are stressed.
Specialty Shingle Types
Beyond the standard categories, several specialty formulations address specific performance needs:
- Algae-resistant shingles (Atlas Legend) — Use copper-infused granules to inhibit blue-green algae growth in humid climates like Arkansas
- Cool roof shingles (Atlas Pinnacle Sun) — Use engineered granules that reflect near-infrared radiation, reducing attic heat gain in summer
- Designer/premium profiles — Heavyweight laminated products that closely replicate slate or thick wood shake aesthetics
Is Asphalt Right for Your Home?
For most Arkansas homeowners, yes — particularly when impact-resistant products are selected. The combination of moderate upfront cost, adequate durability for a 30-40 year service life, and the availability of products specifically engineered for hail environments makes asphalt shingles the right answer for most residential applications.
The main scenarios where metal roofing or other materials might be preferable: very long ownership horizons (40+ years), architectural styles that suit metal aesthetics, or maximum wind resistance requirements. See our detailed comparison of asphalt vs metal roofing for a fuller treatment of that question.
Lifetime Construction Builders LLC is a licensed Arkansas contractor and Atlas Preferred Contractor. We provide free estimates for asphalt shingle roofing across Bryant, Benton, and Central Arkansas. Call (501) 307-1440 or visit our Arkansas service areas page for coverage details.