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Rubberized asphalt technology delivers industry-leading all-weather resilience.

Malarkey Architectural Sienna Blend Shingle Color

Malarkey Pioneered Rubberized Asphalt Shingles

Combining high-grade asphalt with virgin rubber polymers, and recycled rubber and plastic polymers, our proprietary NEX® Polymer Modified (Rubberized) Asphalt technology chemically strengthens and rubberizes the asphalt core of the shingle for superior all-weather resilience and longer product life, all while reducing landfill waste.

NEX® Polymer Modified (Rubberized) Asphalt Formula

Roofing Asphalt

WEATHERING – WATERPROOFING

 

Asphalt is the most popular roofing material in North America due to its natural weathering properties, natural stickiness (to embed granules), and relatively low cost.

Virgin Rubber

STRENGTH – FLEXIBILITY

 

Rubber is tough and flexible – exactly what you want in a shingle. So, we add rubber polymers to our asphalt formulation which gives shingles extra strength and flexibility to endure weather extremes.

Upcycled Rubber

ELASTICITY – RESILIENCE

 

Recycled content can sometimes diminish product quality. Not so with our shingles. We add rubber polymers from recycled tires for added strength and flexibility and less landfill waste.

Upcycled Plastic

STRENGTH – DURABILITY

 

Plastic is strong and durable – exactly what you want in a shingle. So, we add plastic polymers from recycled bags to our asphalt formulation to increase shingle durability while reducing landfill waste.

Why Asphalt?

Asphalt is the most popular roofing material, because it’s cost-effective and has great natural weathering properties such as waterproofing to prevent leaks, suppleness to resist thermal dry-out, and stickiness to hold granules in place.

Our Asphalt Shingles vs. Standard Asphalt Shingles

NEX® Polymer Modified Asphalt outperforms traditional oxidized asphalt.

Standard shingles are made of an old technology called Oxidized Asphalt which uses oxygen and extreme heat to harden asphalt so that it can be used in a shingle. Like over-baking a cookie, the extreme heat of the oxidation process dries-out the asphalt core of the shingle, robbing it of its natural suppleness and stickiness which is why standard shingles prematurely become brittle, crack, and lose granules.

 

Malarkey pioneered Polymer Modified Asphalt. Our NEX® formula uses rubber polymers, also known as SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene), and plastic polymers, to chemically harden and rubberize the asphalt core of the shingle.

 

NEX® preserves asphalt’s natural suppleness and stickiness to resist thermal dry-out and improve granule embedment, and adds rubberlike strength and flexibility to resist tears, withstand wind, and absorb and deflect force impact to help prevent hail damage.

First in Class

Malarkey pioneered polymer modified (rubberized) asphalt shingles. Today, our entire shingle line is polymer modified – opening the benefits of this superior shingle-making technology to all price points.

What is Upcycling?

Recycled materials improve shingle durability, while reducing landfill waste.

Recycled content can sometimes diminish product quality. Not so with Malarkey shingles, which is why we use the term ‘upcycling’. Upcycled rubber and plastic polymers from used tires and plastic bags improve shingle strength and durability, while diverting these waste materials from our landfills – extending both product life and landfill life.

 

For example, automobile tires are highly engineered for all-weather performance and durability – attributes also desired in shingles, and which don’t diminish simply because the tread is worn.

 

Incorporating polymers from used tires into our shingle formulation not only makes our shingles more eco-friendly by recycling these products, but we also benefit from the advanced technology inherent in the materials themselves, ‘upcycling’ these products to improve our own.

Key Features of NEX® Polymer Modified (Rubberized) Asphalt

Rubber Resilience

Shingles are in a constant state of expansion and contraction, called thermocycling, caused by daily temperature changes (hot/cold) and seasonal weather extremes (freeze/thaw). This perpetual movement strains shingles. Standard shingles, dried-out, hard, and stiff, prematurely crack from the stress.

 

NEX® Polymer Modified Asphalt combats thermocycling stress in two ways. One, it preserves asphalt’s natural suppleness and pliability to resist thermal dry-out. Two, it adds rubberlike elongation (stretch) and elasticity (recovery), enabling the asphalt core of the shingle to expand and contract as needed to accommodate thermocycling.

Granule Retention

Granules are a shingle’s primary line of defense against force impact and UV aging, and asphalt is the glue that holds them in place. As changes in temperature cause the asphalt in shingles to expand/soften (heat) and contract/harden (cold), granules shift. The asphalt in standard shingles, dried-out and hard, struggles to retain its adhesive grip on ever-moving granules, resulting in premature granule loss. When granules fall, the shingle’s asphalt is exposed to UV radiation from the sun which further accelerates its demise.

 

NEX® Polymer Modified Asphalt improves granule retention in two ways. One, it preserves asphalt’s natural suppleness and stickiness for deeper granule embedment and adhesion. Two, its rubberlike ability to expand and contract enables it to grip and regrip granules through more thermal cycles, resulting in stronger, longer granule retention and extended shingle life. Malarkey shingles have up to 65% greater granule adhesion than the industry standard shingle specification (ASTM D3462).

Wind Resistance

Every shingle has its breaking point, and strong winds will find it. In very strong winds, it’s not uncommon for shingles to temporarily lift from the roof. Standard shingles, made overly hard, stiff, and brittle, quickly snap.

 

NEX® Polymer Modified Asphalt rubberizes shingles, delivering enhanced strength, flexibility (bend), and elasticity (recovery), so shingles ‘bend, don’t break’ in high winds, and then lay back down to reseal to the roof, helping prevent shingle tears and blow-offs. Malarkey shingles have up to 30% greater tear strength than the industry standard asphalt shingle specification (ASTM D3462) and include wind warranties up to 130 mph.

Impact Resistance

When hail hits, it dents and tears shingles and dislodges granules, elevating the risk of leaks. Standard shingles lack the pliability and give to absorb the blows.

 

NEX® Polymer Modified Asphalt dramatically improving impact resistance, in two ways. One, it preserves asphalt’s natural pliability and suppleness, equipping the shingle to absorb and disperse force impact (shock dispersion) to minimize hail damage. Two, it adds rubberlike elasticity (bounce), equipping the shingle to absorb and deflect (compression deflection) force impact to help prevent damage from hail and debris.

 

Malarkey’s Highlander® shingles are also Class 3 rated (second highest rating possible) for impact by UL. And Malarkey’s Vista®, Legacy®, and Windsor® shingles are Class 4 rated (highest rating possible) for impact by UL, and meet IBHS FORTIFIED™ Roof requirements. As a result, these shingles often qualify for insurance discounts.

Environmental Sustainability

The oxidation process used to make standard shingles burns-off asphalt’s lighter molecules which enter the air in large quantities as emission pollutants. By utilizing polymers instead of oxidation, NEX® Polymer Modified Asphalt retains more of asphalt’s lighter molecules, resulting in over 60% less emissions.

 

In addition, by incorporating upcycled rubber and plastics into our NEX® asphalt formulation, each average-sized roof of Malarkey shingles (approximately 30 squares) diverts the equivalent of ~5 tires and ~3,200 plastic bags from the landfill.