An asphalt shingle looks simple.

Flat.

Rough.

Covered in tiny stones.

But that small piece of roofing is actually a manufactured system containing several different materials, and each has a job.

Modern fiberglass asphalt shingles are generally built around:

• A fiberglass mat
• Asphalt
• Mineral stabilizers
• Protective granules
• Adhesives
• Self-sealing material

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association describes production as coating a fiberglass mat with filled asphalt and applying mineral granules to the exposed surface.

Understanding those layers explains why roofs age the way they do.

1. Fiberglass Mat: The Foundation

Think of the fiberglass mat as the shingle’s structural base.

GAF describes asphalt shingles as using a sturdy fiberglass base that is then coated with asphalt and mineral granules.

It provides the foundation around which the rest of the shingle is constructed.

If you’re picturing a shingle as one solid piece of asphalt, that’s not quite accurate.

The material is a composite.

2. Asphalt: The Weather-Resistant Binder

The fiberglass mat is coated with asphalt.

This is one of the materials that gives the shingle its ability to help shed water.

GAF describes asphalt as providing water resistance within the shingle construction.

The condition of that asphalt changes over time as the roof faces:

• Sun
• Heat
• Rain
• Snow
• Wind
• Temperature cycling

That is part of why old shingles often feel different from newer shingles.

3. Mineral Stabilizers

Asphalt-shingle manufacturing also uses mineral stabilizers or fillers.

ARMA’s environmental product data lists mineral stabilizers as a significant component of the asphalt-shingle material system.

Homeowners rarely hear about this part because it isn’t visible after installation.

But it is another reminder that roofing performance depends on an engineered combination of materials—not just “tar and rocks.”

4. Granules: More Than Colour

The visible mineral granules are one of the most important parts homeowners can actually see.

They:

• Provide colour
• Protect the asphalt surface
• Reduce direct UV exposure

GAF explains that mineral granules help protect the asphalt from UV radiation while also giving the shingle its finished colour.

That is why significant granule loss deserves attention.

You’re not simply losing colour.

You’re losing part of the shingle’s protective surface.

5. Laminating Adhesive

Architectural shingles contain multiple layers bonded together.

GAF distinguishes architectural shingles from 3-tab shingles by their laminated, multilayer construction.

Those layers create:

• Greater dimension
• A heavier profile
• Different performance characteristics

The bond between those layers matters.

6. Self-Sealing Material

Many shingles also include factory-applied adhesive areas designed to bond overlapping shingles together after installation.

That bond is important for wind performance.

CertainTeed describes asphalt self-sealing strips as material designed to bond shingles together and resist wind uplift.

So the shingle itself is doing more than sitting beneath the row above it.

Why This Matters as a Roof Ages

When homeowners see:

• Granule loss
• Brittleness
• Curling
• Cracking

they’re looking at visible evidence of changes occurring within a composite roofing material.

That is why NanoTech’s approach focuses on material condition.

The question is not simply:

“How old are these shingles?”

It is:

“How well are these components still functioning together?”

Your Roof Is a Material System.

Understanding what shingles are made of makes it easier to understand why aging roofs should be assessed, not automatically condemned.

If your asphalt shingles are showing age, NanoTech Exteriors can evaluate whether the existing material still has serviceable life worth preserving.