Last reviewed October 31, 2026.
One estimate has a GAF logo in the corner, the next comes with an Owens Corning folder, and the third names CertainTeed Landmark on line two. The prices sit close enough that the brand starts to feel like the tiebreaker. Before you let it decide, know where these three companies really differ and where they are nearly the same.
Three flagship shingles in one table
| GAF Timberline HDZ | Owens Corning Duration | CertainTeed Landmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact class (UL 2218) | Class 3 | Class 4 only in the Duration FLEX version | Class 3 |
| Wind coverage | No speed limit with four GAF accessories, for 15 years | 130 mph, 160 mph with enhanced application, for 15 years | 110 mph for 15 years, with a 160 mph upgrade using CertainTeed starter and ridge |
| Longest algae coverage | 25 years, StainGuard Plus, listed as available | 25 years with an Owens Corning ridge cap, otherwise 10 | 25 years, StreakFighter |
| Fire | Class A | Not stated in the warranty we read | Class A |
The HDZ column draws on a Roofing Contractor report of GAF’s new color collection (January 2026), plus the WindProven terms in GAF’s February 2026 UHDZ release, which says the 15-year wind warranty covers GAF shingles with LayerLock only. The Duration figures come from Owens Corning’s August 2026 Platinum Protection warranty, and the FLEX impact class from Roofing Contractor (January 2019). Landmark’s come from CertainTeed’s product page.
For choosing among these and the Class 4 versions for your own house, see our guide to the best roof shingles for Long Island.
How each company handles the nailing zone
GAF and Owens Corning both build their wind story around where the nail goes. A 2019 GAF data sheet says LayerLock mechanically fuses the bond between the overlapping layers of Timberline HDZ, and that a roofer placed 999 of 1,000 nails correctly in the StrikeZone nailing area in a study GAF cites from Home Innovation Research Labs.
Owens Corning puts SureNail Technology on Duration FLEX for added confidence in windy conditions, per Roofing Contractor, and Cascella and Sons says the Duration line uses it to support adhesion and wind resistance.
CertainTeed takes a different route. Its Landmark page ties the higher wind rating to accessories: the 160 mph upgrade needs CertainTeed starter and hip and ridge shingles. Cascella and Sons, the Central Islip roofer, sums up each company in a line and calls CertainTeed known for heavyweight shingles with superior impact resistance (March 2026). On the maker pages, though, Landmark and HDZ carry the same Class 3. The HDZ installation details have their own Timberline HDZ page.
Contractor ladders at GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed
Each company saves its best warranty for roofers it has vetted. Our guide to asphalt shingle roofs lists the tiers and coverage years. This section sticks to how each program behaves once the job is signed.
GAF. Pro Builder reported in February 2023 that GAF Master Elite contractors can offer 30 years of workmanship coverage when they install a qualifying system with Timberline UHDZ and register a Golden Pledge warranty on a single-family home.
Owens Corning. Platinum Protection requires an Owens Corning Roofing Platinum Preferred Contractor, registration within 60 days, a full tear-off to a clean deck, and a ventilated roof. For the first two years, the installing contractor must fix application errors, and Owens Corning steps in only if that contractor cannot or will not. Workmanship coverage is prorated after year 25, and lifetime workmanship goes only to the original buyer.
CertainTeed. It says only ShingleMaster and SELECT ShingleMaster companies can offer its SureStart PLUS 3, 4 and 5 Star warranties. A separate CertainTeed article names ShingleMaster PRO and ShingleMaster PREMIER contractors as the ones offering 4-Star and 5-Star, so ask which credential the roofer holds right now.
Where the paperwork disagrees with itself
CertainTeed’s own pages give two different answers on workmanship. Its Why Credentialing Matters chart lists 15 years at 4-Star and 30 years at 5-Star, while its Roofing 101 article says CertainTeed covers credentialed contractors’ workmanship for 25 years. Get the printed warranty for the exact shingle before you compare it with a GAF or Owens Corning offer.
Contractor press releases often quote a percentage of roofers who reach Master Elite, Platinum Preferred or SELECT ShingleMaster. We found those figures only in contractors’ marketing, not in a manufacturer document we could read, so we leave them out.
What a buyer of your house inherits
If a sale could happen within twenty years, the transfer terms stop being fine print. Owens Corning allows one transfer of Platinum Protection. The new owner has to file it within 60 days of closing, with proof of purchase and a $100 fee.
Transfer within the first 20 years and workmanship coverage keeps running to 25 years from installation. After that, coverage other than wind and algae falls to two years and workmanship ends. Ask the GAF or CertainTeed roofer for the equivalent clause in writing.
Which logo Long Island crews carry
Ask a crew in North Massapequa, LI Roofing Co., and its most installed shingles are one flagship from each company, which it says local suppliers keep in stock. The same contractor notes a bundle of HDZ costs more at ABC Supply in Deer Park than at a supply house in suburban Philadelphia (updated May 2025).
In practice, the brand on your roof often follows whichever manufacturer has certified your roofer. So check that credential, and the county license in our Nassau and Suffolk guides, before you compare logos.
