Homeowners face a number of decisions during roof replacement projects, from identifying the best contractor for the job to picking a color that matches the home. But shingle selection is undoubtedly one of the trickiest choices you’ll make during the entire process, given the large number of options available.
We’ll try to help by sharing everything you need to know about one of the most popular choices for homeowners in Northeast Ohio: GAF Timberline HDZ shingles. We’ll cover everything from their key features and benefits to the color options and warranty coverage that’s available.
Hopefully, this will allow you to determine if they’re the best option for your home.
What Are GAF Timberline HDZ Shingles?
Timberline HDZ shingles are a premium shingle line manufactured by GAF — one of the largest and most trusted manufacturers in the roofing industry. Known for its commitment to innovation and contractor training, GAF has earned a reputation for delivering top-tier roofing systems backed by industry-leading warranties. Homeowners and contractors alike rely on GAF for products that perform well in tough weather conditions while maintaining long-lasting curb appeal.
The Timberline line is GAF’s flagship collection of architectural asphalt shingles. They’re designed to offer an attractive, wood-shake look while providing superior protection compared to traditional three-tab shingles. They come in a wide range of colors, styles, and performance levels, and they offer a fantastic balance of beauty, durability, and affordability.
All of these factors make them a strong option deserving of serious consideration for most residential roofing projects.
Key Features & Benefits of GAF Timberline HDZ Shingles
GAF Timberline HDZ shingles differ from other shingles in several key ways, and they incorporate a number of features that help improve their performance, while also increasing their aesthetic appeal and simplifying the installation process.
LayerLock Technology
GAF’s LayerLock Technology involves mechanically fusing the common bond area of the shingle. This creates a stronger, more secure connection between the layers of each shingle and not only improves shingle stability but also ensures better long-term performance on the roof.
The ultimate result is superior wind resistance and greater overall durability, which will help your new roof stand up to harsh weather conditions common to Northeast Ohio.
Wide StrikeZone Nailing Area
The StrikeZone Nailing Area is the widest nailing zone included in any shingle line in the entire roofing industry. This provides roofing contractors with a much larger target zone, making installations more precise, efficient, and reliable, while reducing the chances of misaligned nails or improper fastening.
This all means you’ll enjoy more consistent installation, while your contractor will appreciate the increased installation speed the design allows.
Industry-Leading Wind Resistance
When Timberline HDZ shingles are installed with the required GAF accessories, they qualify for the WindProven Limited Wind Warranty. This warranty offers protection for wind-damaged shingles, no matter how fast the winds were that caused the damage — something that’s virtually unmatched in the asphalt shingle market.
Ultimately, this means that instead of having your warranty capped at 110 to 130 miles per hour (as is common among other warranties), you’ll be provided with comprehensive coverage, no matter how strong the winds are.
Advanced Protection Shingle Technology
GAF’s Advanced Protection Shingle Technology optimizes the shingle’s design for strength, flexibility, and long-term resilience. It also enhances granule adhesion, ensuring the color and protective granules stay firmly attached even under harsh UV exposure.
This technology provides better defense against extreme weather and intense sun exposure, helping to prevent cracking, tearing, and premature aging.
Algae Resistance Options
GAF offers both StainGuard and StainGuard Plus technologies to help prevent blue-green algae growth — an especially common problem in humid areas, such as Northeast Ohio. These technologies slow the spread of unsightly streaks, keeping the roof looking cleaner and newer for longer.
For homeowners, this means you’ll have the chance to enjoy a more attractive roof over time, while also reducing the amount of maintenance your roof requires.
Architectural Appeal
Timberline HDZ shingles have a layered design that creates depth and delivers a dimensional, wood-shake appearance that many homeowners love. But more importantly, it provides the wood-shake aesthetic and curb appeal without the cost or upkeep of real wood.
Best of all, Timberline HDZ shingles are also available in a wide array of colors, allowing homeowners to easily find a color that perfectly complements their home’s exterior.
GAF Timberline HDZ Color Options
Part of the reason that GAF Timberline HDZ shingles are so popular is the wide variety of colors available from the product line. This ensures that no matter your home’s color, you should be able to find shingles that’ll match it perfectly.
While availability varies from one geographic region to the next, GAF offers the following colors:
- White
- Birchwood
- Oyster Gray
- Slate
- Pewter Gray
- Charcoal
- Driftwood
- Shakewood
- Weathered Wood
- Mission Brown
- Barkwood
- Hickory
- Sunset Brick
- Golden Harvest
- Hunter Green
- Appalachian Sky
- Cedar Falls
- Nantucket Morning
Picking the Best GAF Timberline HDZ Color for Your Northeast Ohio Home
The DM Roofing, Siding, and Windows team will be happy to offer color-selection guidance based on our residential roofing experience. However, you’ll want to be sure to consider the following factors when making your choice:
- Home Style and Architecture: You should choose colors that complement your home’s exterior style. For example, traditional homes often feature a lot of earth tones and will pair best with neutral shingle colors, while modern homes often pair well with bold or contrasting shingle colors.
- Existing Exterior Colors: You’ll not only want to consider your home’s siding color but also the color of the trim and gutters, as well as any brick or stone facades. This will help ensure your shingle color blends well with the home’s current palette and looks like a deliberate, cohesive choice.
- Curb Appeal Goals: It’s always important to consider how your shingle color choice will alter the visual impression your home gives — especially if you’re planning on selling in the near future. So, decide whether you want the roof to stand out as a focal point or blend in subtly with the rest of the house.
- Neighborhood Aesthetic: While shingle color is a personal choice, you do have to consider how it will affect your home’s appearance in the context of the neighborhood. It’s also critical that you review any HOA bylaws or regulations to avoid selecting a color that runs afoul of the rules.
- Climate and Sun Exposure: Shingle color can influence your home’s interior climate and have a significant effect on your heating and cooling bills. Simply put, lighter colors help reflect more sunlight and can reduce heat absorption, while darker colors may cause your home to feel warmer in the winter.
- Roof Pitch: Steeper roofs show more of the shingle’s texture and color variation, which can make bold color selections look especially dramatic — sometimes too dramatic for a homeowner’s tastes. Conversely, low-slope roofs are not especially visible from the curb, so flashy colors are less likely to overwhelm the senses.
- Resale Value: While some potential home buyers may appreciate bold color choices, neutral, widely appealing colors tend to be more broadly popular. This is an important consideration for homeowners who are planning to sell their house in the near future.
Aside from all of these factors, your personal preference should be the most important consideration when it comes to shingle color selection. After all, you’ll want something that you enjoy looking at every day.
Warranty Options
GAF offers some of the strongest roofing warranties in the industry, giving homeowners added confidence and long-term protection for their investment.
For example, all Timberline HDZ shingles come with a Lifetime Limited Warranty. However, homeowners can access even greater coverage (such as the WindProven Limited Wind Warranty, the System Plus Limited Warranty, or the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty) when their roof is installed as part of a complete GAF roofing system.
While the exact components a home needs will vary, a complete GAF roofing system often includes:
- Roofing shingles
- Starter strip shingles at the eave/rake edges
- Leak-barrier membrane installed at vulnerable areas like eaves, valleys, and around penetrations
- Underlayment between the roof deck and shingles
- Ridge cap shingles and matching hip shingles
- Attic ventilation products, such as ridge vents, off-ridge vents, and soffit intake
It’s important to understand the key difference between the standard material warranty and upgraded warranties like System Plus or Golden Pledge. Whereas the standard warranty covers manufacturing defects in the shingles themselves, GAF’s upgraded warranties extend coverage to the full roofing system, including underlayment, starter shingles, ridge caps, and more.
The Golden Pledge Warranty goes even further, offering 25 to 30 years of workmanship coverage backed directly by GAF.
GAF Warranty Coverage at a Glance
Because the various warranties offered by GAF differ in several important ways, we’ll outline some of the most important details below.
Lifetime Limited Warranty (Standard)
- Covers manufacturing defects in the shingles
- Provides basic protection for as long as you own your home
- Includes a 10-year Smart Choice Protection Period providing non-prorated coverage.
WindProven Limited Wind Warranty
- Offers unlimited wind-speed protection when shingles are installed with the required GAF accessories
- Unlike other warranties that limit claims for winds above 110 to 130 miles per hour, this warranty has no maximum wind rating
Algae Warranty Options
- Standard StainGuard protection protects against blue-green algae discoloration for 10 years
- Enhanced StainGuard Plus protection provides 25 years of coverage against algae discoloration
System Plus Limited Warranty
- Upgrades your coverage for your GAF roofing system (not just the shingles)
- Provides 50 years of non-prorated material defect coverage
- Includes extended workmanship coverage
Golden Pledge Limited Warranty
- GAF’s strongest warranty, this coverage is only available through GAF-certified contractors
- Includes 50 years of non-prorated material coverage
- Provides 20 to 30 years of GAF-backed workmanship coverage
- Covers both tear-off and disposal if repairs are needed during the warranty period
GAF Timberline HDZ Shingles: FAQ
Still have questions about Timberline HDZ shingles? We’ve rounded up some of the most common questions our clients have and answered them below!
Is GAF Timberline HDZ a 50-year shingle?
GAF Timberline HDZ shingles are characterized as “lifetime” shingles by GAF, and they are available with extended warranties that last for 50 years. However, GAF does not specifically call them “50-year shingles.”
Is GAF Timberline HDZ a good shingle?
Absolutely — the Timberline HDZ product line is one of GAF’s leading shingle options, and they compare favorably with premium shingles produced by many other manufacturers.
What is the difference between GAF Timberline HD and HDZ?
GAF’s HDZ shingles are essentially an upgraded version of their HD line, and the HDZ shingles appear to be replacing the HD line over time. While both lines are architectural shingles backed by impressive warranties, HDZ shingles come with bonuses like LayerLock technology and StainGuard Plus.
Do GAF Timberline HDZ shingles qualify for a tax credit?
GAF Timberline HDZ shingles are Energy Star rated, so they may allow you to qualify for a tax credit if they improve the thermal performance of your home.
Is Timberline HDZ more expensive than HD?
Yes — because they include a number of additional features, GAF Timberline HDZ shingles are more expensive than GAF Timberline HD shingles.
Is Timberline HDZ a class 4?
No, Timberline HDZ shingles are rated as Class 3 shingles.
Which GAF shingles are the best?
It’s difficult to characterize any of the GAF product lines as the “best,” given the different things various homeowners will prioritize when making a choice. However, they’re certainly one of the best options in the GAF catalog, and they’re popular with homeowners across Northeast Ohio.
Let DM Roofing, Siding, & Windows Install GAF Timberline HDZ Shingles for You!
If you’re ready to join the thousands of other homeowners across Northeast Ohio currently enjoying all the benefits GAF Timberline HDZ shingles provide, contact our roofing experts now! We’ve been providing unmatched roofing services in the Akron area for more than 5 years and maintain a relentless dedication to getting the job done right the first time.
But you don’t have to take our word for it — our 5-star Google rating and A+ from the Better Business Bureau tell you everything you need to know!
Reach out to our team today to experience the DM difference yourself!
