Asphalt vs Metal Roofing: Architectural, 3-Tab, and Beyond

Asphalt covers the vast majority of Metro Detroit roofs. 3-tab shingles are flat, lightweight, and the cheapest option, typically warranted to 20–25 years and rated for lower wind speeds — fine for a budget or a rental. Architectural (dimensional) shingles are thicker, layered for a richer look, carry 30-to-50-year and high-wind warranties, and have become the default for owner-occupied homes. The price gap is modest and the durability jump is real, which is why most homeowners choose architectural.

Standing-seam metal is the premium pick: it sheds snow, resists wind and fire, and can last 40–70 years, often outliving the homeowner. The trade-offs are a much higher upfront cost and the need for an experienced installer, since panel and fastener detailing is unforgiving. Other systems — synthetic slate, cedar shake, or low-slope membrane on flat sections — exist for specific looks and roof shapes, but for most pitched Michigan roofs the real decision is architectural asphalt versus metal.

No shingle works without what is under it. Synthetic underlayment has replaced old felt as the water-resistant base layer, and ice-and-water shield — a self-sealing rubberized membrane — is the critical addition for Michigan, run up the eaves and through the valleys to block ice-dam backflow. A premium shingle over skimped underlayment still leaks at the edges, so the membrane spec matters as much as the shingle brand.