• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Blog
  • Exterior
  • Other Rooms
  • Decorate
  • The “Museum”
  • Be Safe/Renovate Safe
Retro Renovation
Retro Renovation

Retro Renovation

Remodel & decorate in Mid Century Style

  • Home
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Blog
  • Exterior
  • Other Rooms
  • Decorate
  • The “Museum”
  • Be Safe/Renovate Safe
Home / Exterior

Roofing for your midcentury ranch, cape or Colonial: Classic three-tab shingles from Owens Corning

pam kueber - June 21, 2009, Updated: November 11, 2020

A couple of months ago I stumbled on a source for this great information about how to recreate what looks to be an authentic midcentury roof. The solution is: classic three-tab shingles from Owens Corning…and look what a great match some of the colors are, to the 1954 advertisement above.

A couple of years ago, when we needed to get ours done, we went the yuppie way and installed architectural shingles. They look great. But… if I had the choice to re-live today, I would now know about and appreciate this three-tab solution. Oh, and save a lot of money, too!

Gosh, isn’t this a very serious issue and recommendation today? I feel so grown up.

Website: roofing.owenscorning.com/homeowner/shingles/

This post was originally published on Sept. 29, 2008.

CATEGORIES:
Accessories and Hardware Exterior

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

  • upholstery for a mid century modern chair
    Inexpensive upholstery for midcentury and Danish Modern furniture
  • historic house museums
    59 Midcentury and Modern Historic Houses to visit across the U.S.
  • mid century house plans
    84 original retro midcentury house plans -- that you can still buy today
  • shower base terrazzo
    9 shower bases in 4 different materials that could be great for midcentury bathrooms
  • Renovating a midcentury kitchen: 12 key resources to help get you started

Reader Interactions

Comments are closed. 

4 comments

Comments

  1. Katie B. says

    June 30, 2012 at 11:43 pm

    According to my roofer husband, the 3 tab shingle is being phased out. (At least in California.) If you want this look you might have to have your roof done sooner than you think! I think it’s because the fire and wind rating/lifespan on most of them is lower than the architectural shingles.

    @JAVA – I know this is about 2 years late, but my husband thinks you are referring to a hot tar roof with gravel. His company still does that kind of roof on a regular basis.

  2. JAVA says

    June 21, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    This is the same style of roofing that is on the house I currently live in, which is not super cool 1950 vintage but gross 1980s vintage. (built 1989) But I always liked our roof, now i know why!

    also I wanted to ask, if anyone knows if any companies still do the rock roofs. They were usually either white, red, gray, or tan. Mainly meant for flat or low pitched roofs. Those are my personal favorite retro style roofs that totally say 1950s.

  3. Jane says

    June 21, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    I love three-tab roofing – it’s so egalitarian. The perfect solution to new roofing needs for over 50 years!

  4. nancyb says

    September 29, 2008 at 1:59 pm

    These are so pretty! I never thought to look at other companies that made shingles. One tends to only look at what the contractor shows. Goes to show, you need to do your research!
    Lucky us – we’ve had to replace the roof on both houses we’ve owned (no small investment). Both times we went with CertainTeed 3-Tab Traditional in “Mint Frost”. It is like the Owens Corning light green. We love it, but have been asked by other homeowners and contractors, “Why green?” I love green – why is green a dirty word to so many modern day homeowners. Maybe like pink bathrooms, it’s considered tacky and too grandma’s house?

    Oh, we need to get our home re-sided. I love the look of asbestos shingle siding. Is their a modern vinyl version that gives that effect? Hmmmmm…

    Here’s Mint Frost:

    http://www.certainteed.com/CertainTeed/Homeowner/Homeowner/Roofing/Northeast/XT30-NE.htm

    Sea Green and Shadow Green look good:

    http://www.certainteed.com/CertainTeed/Homeowner/Homeowner/Roofing/Northeast/XT25-SealKing-NE.htm

    ~NancyB

Primary Sidebar


Footer

Follow Along

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RENOVATE SAFE
  • About
  • Blog
  • The “Museum”
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Exterior
  • Other Rooms
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Notice
  • Disclosures
  • Contact

© 2023 Retro Renovation® • All Rights Reserved • Website by Anchored Design
Please do not use any materials without prior permission. Portrait by Keith Talley Photography