9/25/2016
We at Absolute Building Solutions LLC recently completed our certification with Malarkey Roofing Products. Malarkey is a company that started in Alaska and has been providing shingles to the west coast for sixty years. They recently set up distribution through Eikenhout Inc. here in Michigan. Eikenhout is stocking two of their shingles, the Highlander and the Legacy both with Scotchgard copper granules. Malarkey shingles have several characteristic that make them superior to other shingles on the market, while being comparable in cost to other 2-piece laminate shingles.
The industry standard for algae resistance (AR) shingles is 3-5% copper granules. Malarkey formulates with 13% and guarantees 10% minimum copper granules in their shingles. In recent years’ research has been done showing that copper when in contact with bacterium, causes a short-circuit that weakens the membrane and creates holes in the cell. Bacterial colonies placed on copper surfaces were observed to reduce more that 99.9% within two hours. Copper alloy metals are starting to replace stainless steel surfaces in hospitals and medical facilities. 3M’s research has shown that in order to eliminate moss and algae growth on a shingled roof you need a minimum of 10% copper granules. Moss and algae not only affect the appearance, but also holds moisture and dramatically reduce the life span of your roof.
Malarkey shingles are the only shingles on the market that feature a 1 ¾” tapered shim and 5 beads of styrene-ethylbutlene-styrene (SEBS) adhesive. The 1 ¾” tapered shim allows for a 3 times larger area to nail through than other laminated shingles. This dramatically improves correct nail placement which is the leading cause for blow offs. The tapped shim eliminates ponding of water in lower sloped areas. The 5 beads of SEBS adhesive is what bonds the two parts of the 2-piece laminate shingles together. SEBS is a rubberized asphalt product that replaces the “tar line” on shingles which can dry out over time and cause shingles to lift and blow off.
The highlander shingle weighs 240 lbs./square (100 sq. ft.) with a fiberglass mat. The Legacy shingle weighs 275lbs./square and has a SBS modified polymer mat. The Legacy is made up of granules embedded in two layers of SBS rubber with a fiberglass mat in between. This shingle is far superior to anything else on the market. It is highly impact resistant and pliable down to zero degrees due to the rubberized properties. The Legacy is a class 4 impact resistant shingle. It withstands a 2” steel ball being dropped from 20’. So it holds up very well in large hail areas and wooded areas with falling sticks and branches.
I believe that the Malarkey Legacy shingles are the best shingles on the market and we are excited to be able to offer them here in northern Michigan.
Matt Douglass
Absolute Building Solutions LLC
If you'd like to learn more about Malarkey shingle roofing, contact us a call at 231-263-8300.