Pros & Cons of IKO Shingles – Costs – Unbiased IKO Roofing Review

IKO asphalt shingles enjoy moderate sales volume across the US and have been one of Canada’s top brands. Most IKO shingles are sold directly to roofing contractors through building materials suppliers and distributors like Bradco, ABC Supply, Beacon Supply, and Harvey’s Industries. IKO products are generally not sold retail to the public.

IKO asphalt shingles roof

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Did you know? Some IKO shingles consumer ratings are poor, dragged down by the widespread failures of organic shingles that are no longer being produced. Similar failures associated with the organic-base mat used in shingles (since replaced by the fiberglass base mat industry-wide) had also impacted other large brands in the roofing industry. Like GAF and CertainTeed, IKO was the target of class action lawsuits in the US and Canada.

However, the defective shingle lines are no longer produced and IKO has been working on improving their roofing shingle formulations across the board. It’s worth noting that reviews of IKO shingles in the past few years have been more favorable.

We mention this upfront because the lawsuits appear in online search results for IKO shingles. Homeowners who had the defective shingles installed despise the company. The remaining reviews and ratings from homeowners are about average compared with other top brands. Warranties are slightly above average, as discussed below.

Average Roof Replacement Cost:

Low End

$7,500

Mid-Range

$10,500

High End

$14,500

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Are IKO Shingles the Right Choice for Your Home?

This guide provides a critical look at the current lineup of IKO shingles from the perspective of homeowners, home inspectors, and roofing contractors.

We believe this is the best approach to getting a well-rounded view of any shingle brand. It’s how we structured our reviews of GAF and Malarkey shingles among others.

Pros

Here are the advantages offered by this brand from various perspectives.

There are two reasons roofers suggest IKO products:

1. IKO PROFORMAX™ Integrated Roofing Accessories

A roof is far more than the outer covering of shingles. It’s built from the deck up using multiple components that work together to effectively shed rainwater and keep your home protected from nature’s elements.

IKO-PROFORMAX
IKO PROFORMAX Integrated Roofing System

IKO’s PROFORMAX™ system is comprised of four integrated roofing accessories designed to provide a multilayered roof protection that starts underneath the shingles, working from the outer edges of the roof deck upward.

IKO Integrated Roofing System
IKO Integrated Roofing System via All State Remodeling

IKO recommended accessories are designed to address some of the most vulnerable areas of the roof, such as the edges (eaves and rakes) where the roof’s deck and fascia or rake boards meet.

IKO PROFORMAX™ Integrated Roofing accessories include:

  1. Deck Protection – GoldShield™, ArmourGard™, IKO StormShield® Ice & Water Protectors, and IKO GoldSeam™ Roof Sealing Tape
  2. Underlayments – RoofGard-Cool Grey® or Stormtite® Non-Breathable Synthetic Underlayments
  3. Starter Shingles – Leading Edge Plus™ or EdgeSeal® Roof Starters
  4. Ridge Cap Shingles – Hip & Ridge Series or IKO Ultra HP® Cap Shingles

Deck Protection: Ice & Water Protectors

Many areas require a prescribed zone of Ice and Water protection under shingled roofs to prevent water infiltration due to ice dams and wind-driven rain. Check your local building codes to determine what is needed in your region.

IKO recommends Ice & Water protection for the roof deck at the eaves, rakes, hips, valleys, and around protrusions like vents and vent pipes, chimneys, dormers, and skylights.

  • GoldShield™ – A premium Ice & Water membrane that forms a protective seal around each nail or fastener leaving no space where water can drip through.
  • ArmourGard™ – A midrange product comprised of modified bitumen membrane that is applied as a protective layer under shingled roofs.
  • StormShield® – An economical Ice & Water membrane comprised of modified bitumen for protection from wind-driven rain and ice dams.

Fascia and Eaves: Roof Sealing Tape

  • IKO GoldSeam™ – IKO recommends applying roof sealing tape where the fascia and eaves meet, and over the seams of plywood sheets or OSB boards comprising the roof deck, before installing synthetic underlayment.

Our view is that applying the roof sealing tape over the gap where the eave and fascia board meet will deliver solid value and aid in extending the longevity of the eave and fascia board by blocking moisture and wind-driven rain, thus helping prevent rot.

Applying roof sealing tape over the seams of the plywood might also deliver some incremental value, especially if there are uneven surfaces (different heights) in between the sheets of plywood or OSB board. That said, in many ways, this step can be seen as redundant, especially on steeper roofs with smooth deck surfaces. Very few contractors actually install a roof sealing tape over plywood/OSB board seams, but it definitely won’t hurt.

Synthetic Underlayments

Underlayment serves a purpose of providing a secondary level of protection aka “roof underneath the roof”. It also helps prevent asphalt shingles from getting baked onto (or “glued”) to the roof deck in the sweltering heat of summer, when the sun can literally bake asphalt shingle onto the roof deck by melting the asphalt above the deck, especially on poorly vented roofs/attics.

  • RoofGard-Cool Grey™ – In addition to providing convenient reference lines to keep shingle courses straight, the synthetic material adds a layer of protection between the deck and the shingles. This non-breathable synthetic underlayment provides a superior slip-resistant surface on which to work.
  • Stormtite™ – IKO’s economical non-breathable synthetic underlayment option. It’s significantly stronger than traditional roofing felt and easy to install.

Note: IKO Roofgard-cool grey brochure mentions that “this product is a vapor retarder, so the air space beneath the roof deck should be properly and thoroughly ventilated to avoid risk of moisture condensation”.

Pro Tip: Use a breathable synthetic underlayment whenever possible!

Our view is that you should try to avoid using synthetic underlayments that are non-breathable vapor barriers (unless your roof’s deck and attic space are very well vented) because non-breathable underlayments can trap moisture between the roof deck and the space underneath the underlayment.

The trapped moisture can eventually cause the roof deck to rot underneath the underlayment, especially in poorly vented attic spaces. Imagine a roof deck or substrate failing due to moisture-induced rotting while the outer roofing system is still in good shape.

Starter Shingles

IKO recommends the use of roof starter shingles designed to be used with the first course of shingles.

Double-sided starter rolls that use high-strength sealant are a newer option that provides enhanced protection from wind uplift at the critical first course of shingles along eaves, as well as on rake edges.

Ridge Cap Shingles

IKO’s specially constructed ridge cap shingles are designed to provide a high-quality alternative to using cut-up roof shingles to protect hips and ridges. The precut cap shingles include pre-tapered headlaps and add dimension, depth, and texture to a roofline (ridges and hips).

The above listed product components and accessories are compatible with most IKO shingle lines, but there are some exceptions like the ridge cap product that is specific to Nordic shingles.

Did you know? In order to be covered by IKO’s ROOFPRO Extended Iron Clad Protection warranty, IKO shingles must be used and installed together with at least three IKO PROFORMAX Integrated Roofing Accessories. See the warranty documents for details.

The above requirement is standard for most brands. For example, manufacturers like GAF, require that at least three other qualifying GAF components to be used in conjunction with GAF shingles to make your roof eligible for the extended warranty coverage.

While it could be argued that these requirements help a roofing manufacturer maximize material sales per re-roofing job, our view is that the use of the manufacturer recommended, compatible accessories can help ensure a longer lifespan of the new roof, which helps justify the extended warranty coverage from the manufacturer.

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Roof Shingle Colors – How to Pick the Best Roof Color for Your Home?

The roof accounts for as much as 25 to 40 percent of your home’s visible exterior and plays a key role in how your home is perceived from the street.

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That is why it is crucial to pick the right shingle color, especially if you want to enhance your home’s overall curb appeal and present it in the best possible light.

What to expect: This guide offers practical and proven tips for choosing the right asphalt shingle color to achieve that WOW effect in highlighting the beauty of your home.

The advice provided below will help you achieve the visual harmony with respect to how well the roof color integrates with the rest of your home’s exterior and its surrounding environment. Let’s get started.

Coordinate with Siding and Shutters

Interior designers don’t just randomly pick pretty colors for flooring, cabinets, countertops and walls without regard to the big picture.

All colors must work together to achieve a whole that is visually coordinated and appealing.

The same is true for your home’s exterior. First, the roof color should be dissimilar enough to provide contrast.

A dark brown roof would be boring with wood siding stained dark. Brown shingles would work with beige siding, a mild contrast, or with white, a more distinct contrast.

Also, when the roof color picks up tones in window shutters, the front door or accent trim, it nicely ties together the exterior look.

The table below shows roof colors that integrate best with siding colors.

House Siding Color: Best Matching Roof Colors:
Red Black, dark gray, dark brown, dark green
White Brown, black, green, gray, blue, red
Gray Black, dark gray, dark blue, dark green, white
Beige/Tan Brown, black, dark green, dark blue
Brown Green, black, blue, charcoal and browns that are lighter or darker
Blue Black, brown, gray, white

Average Roof Replacement Cost:

Low End

$7,500

Mid-Range

$10,500

High End

$14,500

See costs in your area Enter Your Zip Code

 

Know When to Use Color Blends

Asphalt shingle lines are produced in solid colors and blends. For example, CertainTeed Landmark shingles in Hunter Green show no variation. They’re just deep green.

CertainTeed Landmark Hunter Green

By contrast, Landmark Heather Blend shingles are a mix of several brown tones and rust too.

Landmark Heather Blend

Owens Corning Duration Designer shingles in multiple blends are even more varied.

Duration Designer Shingles Aged Copper

Now, here’s the blending principle: The plainer the siding is, the more a blended color pattern is needed to make your home look interesting and appealing.

A solid black roof on a home with dark brown wood siding creates a boring combination.

The same home with shingles that have a charcoal base but flecked with greens, tans and browns would be far more appealing.

On the other hand, if your home’s siding is varied – perhaps brick featuring multiple shades or an elegant stone front with varied colors – then color-blended shingles with clash.

You wouldn’t wear a patterned shirt with a patterned skirt or pants, right? Go solid on the roof when the home shows variation.

Here’s an example of Landmark Driftwood shingles that fail in this regard. The result is a busy clash. The colors aren’t coordinated either.

Shingle colors clashing with the house exterior

The stone veneer on the house above is arguably quite busy, and so is the roof. The plain white color on the rest of the house helps to balance the appearance, though.

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Most Affordable Roofing Materials for Homes – Are Cheap Roofs Worth it?

The most affordable roofing materials for your home are 3-tab asphalt shingles and basic dimensional shingles. The cheapest roofing material of all is rolled asphalt roofing. Corrugated steel is somewhat less affordable, but lasts longer than asphalt roofing, so the lifetime value is better.

In this guide, we explore inexpensive roofing options for homes, with focus on viability and practicality, value and installed cost, top products and brands, and expected performance.

Most Affordable Roofing Options: Cost Comparison

Materials Installed Cost per Sq. Ft. Cost for 2,000 Sq. Ft. Roof
Asphalt Roll Roofing $2.50 – $3.50 $5,000 – $7,000
3-tab Asphalt Shingles $5.00 – $8.50 $10,000 – $17,000
Dimensional Shingles $6.00 – $10.00 $12,000 – $20,000
Corrugated Steel Roofing $7.50 – $12.50 $15,000 – $25,000
New Shingle Roof

$7,500
Average price
New Metal Roof

$14,500
Average price
New Flat Roof

$8,225
Average price

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3-tab Asphalt Shingles

CertainTeed XT 25 3-tab strip shingles available in nearly 30 colors

The most popular cheap roofing material for residential use is 3-tab shingles, also called strip shingles.

These shingles are a single piece of material, a fiberglass mesh core coated with asphalt and topped with tinted ceramic granules. The granules give the shingle its color and reflect sunlight to help limit how hot the roof gets.

The lower half of the shingle is cut to create three separate tabs, and hence the name.

The installed cost of 3-tab asphalt shingles is $5.00 to $8.50 per square foot or $500 to $850 per roofing square (100 square feet). For most homes measuring 1,500 to 2,500 square feet, the total cost will range from $7,000 to $17,000, depending on the roof shape, accessibility, and location.

Cost Factors: The cost of a 3-tab asphalt shingle roof depends on whether you tear off the old roofing material or install the new shingles over the existing shingles. In most cases, you can add a second layer of asphalt shingles before having to do a tear off.

If starting with a bare roof deck, your choice of underlayment, water/ice barrier, ridge vent, and other accessories have a minor impact on the total cost. The largest potential cost factor is DIY installation, which could save you anywhere from $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot. However, before you go the DIY route, consider any local building code requirements, permitting and job inspection requirements, OSHA safety requirements, product warranty considerations, etc.

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