Architectural vs 3-Tab Shingles — Which to Put on a Minnesota House
You are picking shingles for a reroof and the quotes say architectural, dimensional, laminated or 3-tab; here is what each word means on the roof and which one belongs on your house.
Architectural vs 3-tab shingles comes down to this: architectural (laminated) shingles are two layers bonded together, heavier, rated for higher wind, and they hide the small waves in an older deck; 3-tab is a single flat layer with cut-outs, lighter, cheaper per bundle and shows every ripple. JMB Builders installs architectural shingles on houses across the Twin Cities metro and uses 3-tab mainly to match an existing garage or shed roof. Priced per project.
- Architectural: two bonded layers, higher wind rating
- 3-tab: flat single layer, shows deck waves
- Labor and tear-off cost the same either way
- Send photos, reply within one business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
A 3-tab shingle is one flat strip of asphalt and fiberglass mat with two slots cut in it so it reads as three tabs. Every course looks the same and the roof reads as a flat grid of rectangles. An architectural shingle, also called laminated or dimensional, is a base strip with a second layer of tabs bonded on top in a random pattern. It is thicker, roughly half again the weight per square, and the shadow lines make the roof look like it has depth.
On a Minnesota house the difference shows up in three places. Wind: the double layer and the heavier self-seal strip give architectural shingles a higher wind rating out of the box, and the wind here comes across open country with nothing to slow it. Hail: thicker mat means more asphalt between the stone and the fiberglass, so a bruise is less likely to crack through. Deck: older houses have decking that has moved; a flat 3-tab telegraphs every wave and every plank joint, and the random pattern of an architectural shingle hides them.
The part people miss is that the shingle is a small share of the roof cost. Tear-off, dumpster, decking, ice and water shield, underlayment, flashing, labor and permit are the same whichever shingle goes on. Choosing 3-tab on a house saves a little on bundles and gives up wind rating and the look for the life of the roof. Where 3-tab still makes sense is a detached garage or shed that already has it and you want them to match, or a rental where the owner wants the lowest bundle price and knows the trade.
What you supply
- A photo of the current roof and of any garage or shed roof you want to match
- Your color choice from the samples at the free in-home estimate
- Whether you want a Class 4 impact-rated line, which comes in architectural only
What JMB supplies
- Samples of architectural lines (options such as GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration, CertainTeed Landmark, Malarkey Vista)
- 3-tab in a matching color when a garage or shed match is the goal
- Starter strip and hip-and-ridge cap matched to the shingle line so the edges and ridge are one system
- The same tear-off, ice and water shield, underlayment, flashing and ventilation under either shingle
- A written scope that shows the shingle line as its own line so you can compare the two
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Shingle line: 3-tab, standard architectural, heavier architectural or Class 4 impact-rated
- Squares of roof, since the bundle difference scales with area
- Matching hip-and-ridge cap and starter for the line chosen
- Everything under the shingle is the same cost either way: tear-off, deck, membrane, flashing, labor, permit
Ask for the quote with the shingle line broken out as its own line. The difference between 3-tab and architectural on a house is usually smaller than people expect.
How long it takes
No difference on the job: a shingle roof goes on in one to two days on site whichever line you pick. Architectural shingles are a little slower per bundle to carry and nail; the difference is hours, not days.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Standard architectural (laminated)
The default for a house. Two bonded layers, a stronger self-seal strip, a higher wind rating, and a random shadow line that hides deck waves. The same price class across the major makers.
Heavier or designer architectural
Thicker laminated shingles that imitate slate or shake and weigh more per square. More depth on a steep, visible roof; no gain on a low-slope rambler where you never see the roof.
Class 4 impact-rated architectural
Architectural shingles built to pass the steel-ball impact test. Same install, higher bundle cost, and some insurers offer a discount; ask your agent. Covered on its own page.
3-tab
A single flat layer with cut-outs. Lowest bundle price, lowest wind rating, shows the deck underneath. Right for matching an existing garage or shed or for a budget rental roof where the owner accepts the trade.
Architectural vs 3-Tab Shingles — Which to Put on a Minnesota House: questions, answered
What is the difference between 3-tab and architectural shingles?
A 3-tab shingle is one flat layer with two slots cut in so each strip looks like three tabs; every course is identical. An architectural shingle is two layers bonded together with the top layer cut in a random pattern, so it is thicker, heavier, rated for higher wind and gives the roof shadow lines. Both are asphalt on a fiberglass mat and both install over the same underlayment and flashing.
Are architectural shingles worth the extra cost in Minnesota?
On a house, yes. The shingle is a small share of a roof replacement; tear-off, decking, membrane, flashing, labor and the permit cost the same under either one. For that small difference you get a higher wind rating, a thicker mat against hail, and a shingle that hides the waves in an older deck. The place to save money on a roof is not the shingle.
Do architectural shingles hold up better in wind?
Yes. The laminated construction and the wider self-seal strip give them a higher wind rating from the manufacturer than 3-tab, and the heavier tab is less likely to lift and crease. On open lots in the north and west metro where wind comes across fields, 3-tab roofs are the ones we see with tabs flipped back after a storm.
Can you see the difference from the ground?
Yes. 3-tab reads as a flat grid of identical rectangles. Architectural shingles have a staggered, random pattern with shadow lines that makes the roof look thicker. On a steep story-and-a-half or two-story where the roof is a big part of what you see from the street, it changes the look of the house. On a low rambler you mostly see the edge.
Can you mix 3-tab on the garage and architectural on the house?
You can, and it is common when only the house is being reroofed and the detached garage is fine. If the garage is attached and the roofs run together, use the same shingle on both. If you want a detached garage to match the house, we reshingle it at the same time with the same line; the per-square cost is lower when the crew and dumpster are already there.
Are 3-tab shingles still made?
Yes, the major makers still produce 3-tab in a limited color range, mostly for repairs, matching and budget roofs. They are harder to find in some colors and a few lines have been dropped. If you are patching a 3-tab roof and the color is gone, the choice is a close match or planning the reroof. For a new roof on a house we quote architectural and show 3-tab only if you ask.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-333-4066.
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Read morePage reviewed October 2, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All roofing pages
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