Best Roofing Shingles for Chicagoland: GAF vs Owens Corning vs CertainTeed vs Malarkey (2026)

Choosing roofing shingles for your Chicagoland home comes down to four major brands: GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed, and Malarkey. We install all four and have thousands of installations across DuPage, Will, Cook, Kane, and Kendall counties. Here's how they compare — honestly, from a contractor who has no loyalty to any single brand.

Quick Comparison Table

GAF Timberline HDZ — 130 mph wind standard, LayerLock nailing, broadest color selection, most-installed shingle in North America. Full review →

Owens Corning Duration — 130 mph wind with SureNail, TruDefinition colors, strong warranty tiers. Full review →

CertainTeed Landmark Pro — Max Def color depth, NailTrak strip, 110 mph standard (130 with system). Full review →

Malarkey Vista AR — SBS rubberized asphalt, Class 4 impact standard, smog-reducing granules, best cold-weather flexibility. Full review →

Best for Illinois Winter

Winner: Malarkey. The SBS-modified asphalt stays flexible in sub-zero temperatures when other shingles become brittle. If cold-weather performance is your top priority, Malarkey's rubberized technology is genuinely superior.

Best Wind Resistance

Tie: GAF and Owens Corning. Both carry 130 mph wind ratings as standard with their flagship products. CertainTeed reaches 130 mph with the full system install. Malarkey Vista AR also hits 130 mph. All four are excellent for Illinois storm season.

Best Hail Resistance

Winner: Malarkey Vista AR. Class 4 impact rating comes standard. GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed offer Class 4 as an upgrade option at additional cost. For hail-prone areas (which is most of Chicagoland), Class 4 can reduce your insurance premium.

Best Color Selection

Winner: GAF. Timberline HDZ has the broadest color palette. CertainTeed Landmark Pro's Max Def technology arguably produces the richest individual colors. Owens Corning's TruDefinition is strong. Malarkey's color range is the narrowest but growing.

Best Overall Value

It depends on your priorities. All four brands offer 25-50 year warranties when installed as complete systems. Pricing is comparable across all four for their flagship products. The "best" choice depends on whether you prioritize cold-weather flexibility (Malarkey), nailing technology (GAF or Owens Corning), color depth (CertainTeed), or impact resistance (Malarkey).

Our Honest Advice

After installing thousands of roofs across Chicagoland, here's what we tell homeowners: you can't go wrong with any of these four brands. Pick the color you love and let us handle the installation. The difference between a good roof and a great roof is less about the shingle brand and more about the installation quality — proper nailing, underlayment, ice barrier, ventilation, and flashing details.

That's why we use specialized roofing crews who install roofing every day, not window installers who occasionally do a roof. Learn about our roofing process →