Malarkey manufactures top-quality shingles that are better than GAF and Owens Corning. The company focuses on quality, not quantity, so they are not as well-known as CertainTeed and GAF. Theirroofing warranties are above average compared with those of other brands.
Malarkey shingles enjoy good ratings from homeowners, contractors, and home inspectors. Roofers in the West Coast and the Pacific North West love Malarkey Shingles and have always scored high in our review of the best roofing shingles.
Do You Know? If you want to put up a new roof, get at least three components from the same manufacturer, allowing the manufacture to give you the best warranty. For example, use their brand name for ice and water shield, ridge vent and roofing underlayment.
Types of Malarkey Shingles
Malarkey makes several residential roofing shingles that represent their unique brand. Here below are the various shingle lines produced by Malarkey Company.
Designer Shingles
The Windsor® Scotchgard™ shingle from Malarkey Company is in this range of designer shingles. It has the look of a traditional cedar shake, and it comes with Scotchgard™ Protector and durable NEX® asphalt, all patented by the company.
Laminated Architectural Shingle
The Laminated Architectural Shingle line from Malarkey feature the following lines,
Legacy® Shingle Line that features Scotchgard™ Protector and durable NEX® asphalt.
Ecoasis™ NEX® comes fortified with sustainable NEX® asphalt and features solar reflective granules that resemble standard shingle colors.
Vista® Shingle Line comes with the choice of optional security against algae staining and has sustainable NEX® asphalt.
Highlander® NEX® Shingle Line comes with the choice of optional security against algae staining and has sustainable NEX® asphalt.
3-Tab Shingle Lines
This range includes the Dura-Seal™ AR that comes with algae staining security and features sustainable NEX® asphalt.
Malarkey Shingles Warranty
Malarkey shingles come with some of the best warranties in the market. Their warranty protection begins with 100% coverage for some years before proration begins. Malarkey calls this period before proration the Right Start period and has some of the most extended warranties periods in the industry.
Like with other brands, you can only transfer your Malarkey shingle warranty only once.
Here is how Malarkey shingle warranties look like:
SERIES
- Highlander® NEX®
- Dura-Seal™
- Legacy®
- Vista®
- Windsor®
TYPE
- Laminate
- 3-tab
- Laminate
- Laminate
- Laminate
WARRANTY
- Lifetime
- 25 years
- Lifetime
- Lifetime
- Lifetime
WIND
- 110mph
- 60mph
- 110mph
- 110mph
- 110mph
ENHANCED WIND
- 130mph
- 70mph
- 130mph
- 130mph
- 140mph
Malarkey Warranty Terms for different shingle lines.
SHINGLE SERIES
- Highlander
- Windsor
- Vista
- Legacy
- Dura-Seal
SHINGLE TYPE
- Architectural
- Designer
- Architectural
- Architectural
- 3 Tab
WARRANTY PERIOD
- Lifetime
- Lifetime
- Lifetime
- Lifetime
- 25 years
SURE START PERIOD
- 10 Years
- 15 Years
- 12 Years
- 15 Years
- 7 Years
WIND PROTECTION
- 110mph
- 110mph
- 110mph
- 110mph
- 60mph
ENHANCED WIND PROTECTION
- 130mph
- 140mph
- 130mph
- 130mph
- 70mph
Where To Buy Malarkey Shingles
Malarkey shingles are not available at your local Lowes or Home Depot. You purchase them through a Malarkey local roofing supplier. You can find a list of local dealers on the Malarkey site by entering your local Zip code.
Did you know? In the last couple of years, Malarkey discontinued some shingle lines. These include The Alaskan® and Ecoasis™ (Costa, Premium, and Sol). This review covers only shingles that the company currently produces, though you may find the remaining stock of discontinued lines may be found in building stores in your neighborhood.
Malarkey Shingle Review
Malarkey Shingles are held in high esteem by contractors, homeowners, and home inspectors. Here is what each of these groups sees in the shingles
Homeowners
Homeowners see the following attractive features in Malarkey shingles.
- Like other brands, Malarkey offers homeowners three tiers of shingle brands to choose from.
These are basic, middle-level, and top-end shingle lines for most budgets and needs.
3-tab: these are made of one layer, flat profile, and traditional shingle lines.
Dura-Seal™ AR comes with Nexgen polymer modified asphalt technology. This new shingle is a replacement for the old Dura-Seal™ line. The company makes this in eight colors, three of which meet the Cool Roof Rating Council requirements for solar reflective roofing that reduces heat absorption. Heat absorption is a significant factor in higher energy costs and usage.
Laminate: the company produces four lines of laminated shingle lines. All shingles from the company that is called architectural (dimensional or designer) are laminated. Laminated indicates that they are layered. The layers feature fiberglass matts with asphalt blend and are covered with colored granules on the top.
These laminate shingle lines include,
- The Legacy® and Legacy® Scotchgard™ come with the company’s 20-year-old Scotchgard™ coating and comes in tones of black, gray, and rust.
- Vista®and Vista® AR are the following line of laminate shingle from Malarkey produced in 9 colors, two of which are CRRC rated.
- Highlander® NEX® and Highlander® NEX® ARshingles come with a traditional asphalt blend, are cheaper, and have a shorter warranty than the above two named shingles. Four of the nine colors produced in this range are CRRC rated.
Designer Shingles: Malarkey high-end shingle is Windsor® that comes in seven colors. The company discontinued the Windsor XL, which came in four colors. The shingles come with the Nex® polymer and the brand’s 20-year Scotchgard™. The enhanced installation comes with a 140mph wind warranty, unlike most brands that have 130mph. Its colors are dark tones that include gray, black, and brown blends.
The designer shingles are comparable to CertainTeed Belmont, GAF Woodland, Presidential Shake, Heritage Woodgate Owens Corning Devonshire, and Woodmoor and Tamko Vintage.
Excellent Warranty Protection
The company has some of the best warranties in the market for most of its shingles. Read more on the company’s warranties above.
Fast Fact: To qualify for the extended warranty, make sure you carefully select your roofer so that they follow the manufacturer’s instructions and register your newly installed roof with the manufacturer for you.
Inspectors View of Malarkey
Malarkey shingles are known for their premium quality and exceptional durability. Most contractors who install Malarkey shingles like them for their outstanding quality and impact resistance. They withstand windblown debris, falling branches, and hail (up to 2 inches) in circumstances when most cheaper shingles would crack. Here is what most home inspectors like about Malarkey shingles.
- Malarkey Class 3 shingles (3-tab) get their rating by sustaining two hits from a 1.75-inch steel ball hitting the same spot twice from a distance of 16 inches. Class 4 (Windsor and legacy shingle lines) earn their rating by being hit twice by 2-inch steel dropped from 20 inches.
Do you Know? Malarkey Class 3 and 4 shingles have good hail impact ratings, but they do not come with any hail impact damage warranty coverage. This is typical of most asphalt shingles manufacturers. Roof damage from hail and wind is often covered by homeowners insurance if you elect roof replacement coverage in the insurance policy you choose. If you want a roof that comes with a manufacturer’s warranty coverage for hail damage, choose a stone-coated roof.
- Stain-resistant options: Malarkey manufactures three main shingle lines that have stain resisting abilities. The shingles are coated with copper-coated granules that kill algae and remove staining. The shingles come with a manufacturer’s warranty that covers staining by algae.
The shingles are Highlander® NEX® AR that comes with a ten-year warranty, 3-tab Dura-Seal™ AR that comes with a 5-year stain warranty, and Vista® AR covered for ten years. The shingles also come with Scotchgard™ coating, which the homeowner can upgrade to. The Scotchgard™ coating shingles are warrantied for 20 years to resist staining.
Expert Opinion: if you are moving to a new neighborhood, look at the roofs in the area, and check out the presence of dark, flowing spots on roofs that indicates algae infestation. Look for shingles like Malarkey, which have good algae resistance qualities. AR on shingles’ name suggests that they are algae resistant.
- Premium Durability.
Malarkey makes shingles that do not crack in very low temperatures and when impacted or tear in extreme winds. Many inspections on roofs after strong winds and damaging hail demonstrates the durability of malarkey shingles. Malarkey uses a polymer that is referred to as NEX® on some of its lines.
Malarkey covers its products with some of the best warranties in the market. Except for the 3-tab series, Malarkey backs the rest of its shingles with lifetime warranties if the house you live in is your primary residence or for 35 to 50 years if it is not where you live.
Professional Roofers View
Malarkey shingles are known for their premium quality and exceptional durability. Most contractors who install Malarkey shingles like them for their outstanding quality and impact resistance. They withstand windblown debris, falling branches, and hail (up to 2 inches) in circumstances when most cheaper shingles would crack. Here is what most home inspectors like about Malarkey shingles.
- Malarkey Class 3 shingles (3-tab) get their rating by sustaining two hits from a 1.75-inch steel ball hitting the same spot twice from a distance of 16 inches. Class 4 (Windsor and legacy shingle lines) earn their rating by being hit twice by 2-inch steel dropped from 20 inches.
Do you Know? Malarkey Class 3 and 4 shingles have good hail impact ratings, but they do not come with any hail impact damage warranty coverage. This is typical of most asphalt shingles manufacturers. Roof damage from hail and wind is often covered by homeowners insurance if you elect roof replacement coverage in the insurance policy you choose. If you want a roof that comes with a manufacturer’s warranty coverage for hail damage, choose a stone-coated roof.
- Stain-resistant options: Malarkey manufactures three main shingle lines that have stain resisting abilities. The shingles are coated with copper-coated granules that kill algae and remove staining. The shingles come with a manufacturer’s warranty that covers staining by algae.
The shingles are Highlander® NEX® AR that comes with a ten-year warranty, 3-tab Dura-Seal™ AR that comes with a 5-year stain warranty, and Vista® AR covered for ten years. The shingles also come with Scotchgard™ coating, which the homeowner can upgrade to. The Scotchgard™ coating shingles are warrantied for 20 years to resist staining.
Expert Opinion: if you are moving to a new neighborhood, look at the roofs in the area, and check out the presence of dark, flowing spots on roofs that indicates algae infestation. Look for shingles like Malarkey, which have good algae resistance qualities. AR on shingles’ name suggests that they are algae resistant.
- Premium Durability.
Malarkey makes shingles that do not crack in very low temperatures and when impacted or tear in extreme winds. Many inspections on roofs after strong winds and damaging hail demonstrates the durability of malarkey shingles. Malarkey uses a polymer that is referred to as NEX® on some of its lines.
Malarkey covers its products with some of the best warranties in the market. Except for the 3-tab series, Malarkey backs the rest of its shingles with lifetime warranties if the house you live in is your primary residence or for 35 to 50 years if it is not where you live.
Professional Roofers View
Professional roofers like the following qualities about Malarkey Shingles.
- The Malarkey Secure Choice™ Roof System
This is a favorite product amongst roofers that offers them an opportunity to put up the roof from the deck up with products from one company. This Malarkey roofing product from the company allows roofers to put up a roof with products made to work together as one.
The Secure Choice™ System is available in various options, as seen in the following brochure (PDF).
Generic Smart Start™ (1) is a starter shingle for use with any asphalt shingle brand. It comes with a heavy-duty sealant that provides better adherence for protection in wind-driven rain and high winds.
Matched starter shingles come in 6 lines and are available in all Malarkey shingle series so that you get the best style and color integration.
- Underlayment Choices
When roofers have options so that they can tailor what they install to the specific application.
Right Start™ UDL (2) is a fiberglass underlayment (PDF) for steep slope roofing applications that is an excellent all-purpose material for areas that experience extreme weather.
Arctic Seal™ (3) is an underlayment that is enhanced and designed for roofs prone to dams and ice buildup. It comes 10X heavier than Secure Start™ to bolster leak resistance and strength. Roofers choose this option in roof valleys and low-slope roofs.
1031 Secure Start™ Plus (4) is a synthetic underlayment that withstands freezing temperatures (of up to -40F) and very high (Up to 240F) very well.
- Hip and Ridge Shingles (5)
Malarkey makes the following hip and ridge shingles,
RidgeFlex™ is ideal for 3-tab shingles and has a lower profile, EZ-Ridge™ XT 10″ and EZ-Ridge™ 8″, which comes in a higher shape and perfect for use with Malarkey Designer and architectural lines.
Expert Tip: When you use two or more Malarkey Roofing products, you qualify for the Malarkey’s Lifetime limited warranty.
Roofers recommend the above that offers a lifetime warranty appealing because it gives them the confidence to install a roof they believe will last. The company, not the roofer, will be responsible should the roof fail.
GAF offers a better warranty than Malarkey when you use their roofing system. The advantage Malarkey has over GAF is that it will not allow you to choose products that will be the best fit for each home.
- Malarkey Roofing Contractor Certification
Malarkey has a contractor certification program for roofers who install their products. To earn the certification from Malarkey, the contractor must have experience and undergo training. There are four levels of accreditation, namely,
- Certified Residential Contractor
- Emerald Pro Contractor
- Emerald Premium Contractor
Expert Opinion: Malarkey values its certified contractors. Though they may charge more than non-certified contractors, they are worth hiring because they honor warranty claims if a certified contractor installed the roof.
If you choose to use a non-certified contractor, go for one who has 10+ years of experience since companies that do shoddy jobs up end up going out of business in 5 years. Also, check out the company’s online reviews, make sure they have worker’s compensation, umbrella insurance, and fair costs.
Cons
Unlike other asphalt shingle manufacturers, Malarkey has had no issues with a recall of their products due to manufacturing defects, nor have they had class-action lawsuits against them. Inspectors and contractors like Malarkey shingle a lot.
Here is what homeowners do not like about Malarkey products,
- Malarkey warrants can be transferred only once and that during the Right Start period. If the warranty is transferred after this period, it becomes nearly nullified as it defaults to only two years.
- The company has a somewhat limited choice of shingles and colors as compared to other companies. Yet, some people find the little choice to be a positive as a considerable number of options can be overwhelming.
- Potential warranty issues. Most asphalt shingle manufacturers do not honor warranty claims as they blame the problem on poor installation. With Malarkey shingles, there never are any complaints to do with manufacturer defects. Most of the time, the manufacturer is right about the poor structure being the cause of issues. In recent years, installation problems have worsened after some tropical storms and hurricanes have hit the areas where the market is. Poor roofing is an issue in the entire industry as with so many roofs to repair, many homeowners have turned to inexperienced help who may make many blunders and turn to inexperienced help. The best remedy to this situation is to work with an experienced licensed installer.
Should You Buy Malarkey Shingles?
Malarkey compares with CertainTeed on premium quality and top-end shingles. If you are willing to spend the premium prices for quality and durability, they are an ideal choice. If you use Malarkey products and plan to live at your home for long, the company gives you a better deal.
Consider a certified installer to put up your roof. We recommend roofers with certifications of Malarkey Emerald Contractor and Malarkey Certified Residential Contractors. You get the best warranty from Malarkey if you use one of their trained installers, and you get the assurance that your roof will be well installed.