Roofing

Trends & Opportunities

Introduction
US demand for roofing is projected to reach 267.9 million squares in 2021. The
residential market will offer the most favorable opportunities for growth going forward,
boosted by such factors as:

• continuing increases in single-family housing starts

• the nation’s large number of older residences—many of which have roofs near the
end of their expected product lifespans that will need to be replaced
• insurance companies requiring homeowners to replace older roofs with products
better able to withstand severe weather conditions

Demand for roofing in value terms in the US is forecast to advance 4.9% per year to
$19.9 billion in 2021, fueled by increasing use of:

• laminated (or architectural) asphalt shingles sold at higher price points than standard
three-tab types
• standing seam metal roofing that boosts a structure’s exterior aesthetics while
resisting uplift caused by high winds and impact damage
• roofing tile and polymeric roofing as alternatives to traditional asphalt shingles

US Roofing Market
Key Trends Through 2021:
'16 – '21
CAGR (value) • Increases in single-family housing starts
• Homeowner interest in replacing older roofs with
4.9% newer, more durable materials
• Insurers requiring homeowners to install storm-
resistant roofing to maintain coverage

Top Markets in Area Terms, 2016 Leading Industry Players

45.2%
35.9% • GAF Materials
11.0% • Owens Corning
7.8%
• CertainTeed
• Firestone Building Products
• Carlisle Construction Materials
New Residential Residential New Commercial Commercial • Johns Manville
Reroofing Reroofing

Source: The Freedonia Group.

© 2018 The Freedonia Group. All rights reserved. | freedoniagroup.com 2

Storm-Resistant Roofing Materials Seeing Rising Use
The US experienced multiple severe weather events in 2016 and 2017—hurricanes,
tornadoes, hail storms, and heavy snowfalls—that caused heavy damage to roofs in
many parts of the US. Roofs that suffered the worst damage tended to be made of older
materials that did not meet current building code requirements for weather resistance.
Going forward, use of storm-resistant roofing is expected to rise as:

• communities (especially in coastal areas) amend building codes to require the use of
storm-resistant products in newly built and restored structures
• insurers require the installation of storm-resistant products as a condition of
maintaining coverage

Growth opportunities will exist for roofing manufacturers that offer products designed to
withstand severe weather events. Roofing materials that will see increasing use include:

• wind-resistant products, such as those that meet Class F, Class G, or Class H wind
ratings from Underwriters Laboratories
• impact-resistant products, such as those with Class 4 ratings from Underwriters
Laboratories
• UV-resistant products
• products able to withstand extreme temperatures or prolonged exposure to moisture

Key Storm-Resistant Roofing Types

Laminated Asphalt Shingles Metal Roofing Roofing Tile

• Heavy weight of shingles
minimizes risk of uplift during
high-wind conditions
• Multilayer construction protects
against impact damage
• Light-colored granule surfaces
deflect sunlight
• Highly resistant to uplifts
caused by high winds
• Seldom damaged by hail
stones and other impacts
• Can be coated to deflect
sunlight or resist moisture-
related degradation
• Curved design deflects sunlight
and reduces risk of impact
damage
• Most products are resistant to
moisture
• Properly installed tiles seldom
affected by high winds

Source: The Freedonia Group.

© 2018 The Freedonia Group. All rights reserved. | freedoniagroup.com 3

 Products That Meet Cool Roofing Standards Offer Growth
Prospects
Construction professionals recognize the role roofs play in improving structures’ energy
efficiency, especially in the South and West, where hot summers and prolonged
exposure to sunshine can drive up air conditioning costs. Cool roofing will be
increasingly specified by construction professionals in those parts of the US because of
its ability to:

• deflect solar radiation by reflecting sunshine off a roof

• minimize thermal transfer by preventing solar radiation from entering a building

Manufacturers that offer roofing materials that deflect sunlight or reduce heat transfer will
see strong increases in sales going forward. Key markets geographically include:

• the large California market--the state’s CALGreen building code mandates the use of
building materials that reduce energy consumption
• the Florida and Texas markets, where local building code officials specify cool roofing
materials to lower consumers’ utility bills
• other parts of the southern half of US where contractors can stress the long-term cost
savings and environmental benefits of these products when making sales pitches

Cool
Cool RoofingProducts
Roofing Products to
to Gain
GainMarket
MarketShare
Share
SolarSolar Reflective
Reflective Roofing
Roofing Low-Heat
Low-Heat
• Granule-Coated
• Granule-Coated
Transfer Roofing
Transfer Roofing
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt Shingles • Insulated
• Insulated MetalMetal
• Metal Roofing
• Metal Roofing Panels
Panels
• Roofing Tile Tile
• Roofing • Roofing
• Roofing Tile Tile
• Mineral-Surfaced
• Mineral-Surfaced • Wood
• Wood Shingles
Shingles & &
Bituminous
Bituminous Shakes
Shakes
Membranes
Membranes • Reinforced
• Reinforced PlasticPlastic
• White-Colored
• White-Colored & Rubber
& Rubber
Plastic & Rubber
Plastic & Rubber Membranes
Membranes
Membranes
Membranes • Vegetative
• Vegetative
• Liquid-Applied
• Liquid-Applied • Liquid-Applied
• Liquid-Applied
Roof Roof
Coatings
Coatings RoofRoof Coatings
Coatings

Source: The Freedonia Group.

© 2018 The Freedonia Group. All rights reserved. | freedoniagroup.com 4

Expected Shortage of Roofers to Boost Demand for Easy-to-
Install Products
The US faces a shortage of trained roofers as older professionals retire and fewer younger
people take traditionally “blue-collar” jobs, such as roofing installers. While a number of
initiatives are being implemented to interest more young people in careers in roofing, there
will be a critical lack of skilled craftspeople to install roofing in the near future.

This shortage of trained roofers will offer increased sales opportunities for manufacturers
offering roofing that can be quickly and easily installed by less experienced crews. Such
products can include:

• plastic, rubber, and bituminous membranes with self-adhesive peel-and-stick backings

• liquid-applied roof coatings applied using sprayers to quickly cover a roof surface
• factory-made metal roofing panels with snap-together seams

Easy-to-Install Roofing Products

Self-Adhesive Spray-Applied Snap-Together
Membranes Roof Coatings Metal Panels

Source: The Freedonia Group.

© 2018 The Freedonia Group. All rights reserved. | freedoniagroup.com 5

 For more information on the roofing market,
click the links below to see our industry studies:

Low-Slope Metal Roofing Roofing: US Solar

Roofing Market Market Forecasts Roofing

Residential Roofing (Q4 2018) Commercial Roofing (Q4 2018)

The Freedonia Group is a leading international industrial research company

publishing more than 100 studies annually. Since 1985, we have provided
research to customers ranging in size from global conglomerates to one-person
consulting firms. More than 90% of the industrial companies in the Fortune 500
use Freedonia Group research to help with their strategic planning.

Click Here to Learn More

© 2018 The Freedonia Group. All rights reserved. | freedoniagroup.com 6