For those living in areas that are prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, and high wind storms, wind-resistant roofing is a primary concern. Shingles are generally known for one purpose: keeping the outside weather from entering the inside of the home. If you live in the South or in the central part of the country, heavy winds present a major risk factor that includes hail and wind-borne debris.
Are all roof coverings equal when it comes to protecting your home from dangerous winds? Many recommend asphalt shingles, metal roofing, or slate. What are the best shingles for high winds, and is there a superior option available?
Why Is Wind-Resistant Roofing Important?
Roofs that are covered with high wind-resistant shingles are more durable and will stand up to regular weather events better than a non-wind resistant material. Shingles with a high resistance to wind damage are generally constructed with high impact-resistance.
In addition to protecting your home against heavy wind, there is also large debris that can be thrown around causing even more potential damage. Tree limbs, old signs, patio furniture, and loose lumber are just a few examples of items that can become projectiles and end up hitting your roof during a storm.
Wind damage is one of the most common and costly sources of homeowner insurance claims in the United States. In high-wind regions like the Gulf Coast, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and the Great Plains, a roof that isn't rated for the wind speeds common in those areas isn't just a performance risk. It's a financial one. For more on what wind damage looks like and how to identify it, see Brava's guide to roof wind damage.
How to Choose a Wind-Resistant Roofing Material
When choosing the best roofing material for high winds, there are three things to consider:
1. Wind classification of the shingle. They are rated as either Class 1, 2, 3, or 4, with Class 4 having the highest resistance.
2. Shingles that are "impact-resistant" are considered a Class 4 product and are designed to withstand high winds and hail damage. They may be made of copper, aluminum, resin, or plastic composite. Shingles with a Class 4 rating have an impact resistance rating of UL 2218.
3. You should demand a roof tile that has a Class 4 impact rating, the highest hail performance certification recognized in the industry.
Recommendations may include regular asphalt, metal, wood, and slate, but each of these has a strong list of negatives. Asphalt shingles easily shed their protective granules, metal roofing will dent more easily than most products, wood offers some protection but requires a great deal of maintenance, and slate is extremely heavy and expensive.
How Common Roofing Materials Compare in High Wind
Here's how the most common roofing materials stack up when wind performance is the primary consideration:
| Material | Typical Wind Rating | Impact Rating | Key Limitation | Fire Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt Shingles | Up to 130 mph | Class 4 (some) | Granule loss; shorter lifespan | Class A (most) |
| Metal Roofing | Up to 140 mph | Class 4 (some) | Denting; coastal rust risk | Class A |
| Clay / Concrete Tile | Up to 125 mph | Varies | Heavy; brittle under impact | Class A |
| Natural Slate | Up to 110 mph | Varies | Extremely heavy; expensive | Class A |
| Wood Shake | Up to 90 mph | Class 3–4 (treated) | Fire risk; restricted in many areas | Class C (treated) |
| Composite Tile (Brava) | 188–211 mph | Class 4 | Higher upfront cost | Class A or C |
Wind Resistance Testing
Underwriters Laboratories has developed standards and provides testing for a shingle's resistance to impact. Shingles are rated Class 1 through 4, with Class 4 shingles having the highest resistance.
UL performs the test by dropping a steel ball from 20 feet to see if the roofing material will crack. Standard shingles will crack and the surface of the shingle will show signs of penetration. On a Class 4 rated shingle, no evidence of cracking or tearing is present.
It's worth understanding the distinction between wind resistance ratings and impact resistance ratings. Wind resistance (typically rated in mph) measures how well a roof system stays attached under wind uplift and pressure. Impact resistance (UL 2218 Class 1–4) measures how well the surface material handles direct strikes from hail and debris. A genuinely wind-resistant roof needs strong ratings in both categories because high-wind events almost always include airborne debris.
Wind-Resistant Roof Design: Shape Matters Too
Roofing material is the most important variable in wind resistance, but roof geometry is the second. The shape of your roof affects how wind forces interact with the structure, and some designs handle high winds significantly better than others.
Hip Roofs
Hip roofs, which slope on all four sides, are widely considered the most wind-resistant roof design. The geometry distributes wind load more evenly across the structure, reducing the uplift forces that tear off sections of roof during severe storms. In hurricane-prone areas like Florida and the Gulf Coast, hip roofs are often required by code for new construction.
Gable Roofs
Gable roofs, the classic triangular shape with two slopes meeting at a ridge, are more vulnerable to high winds than hip roofs. The flat gable end creates a large surface area that catches wind directly, which can cause uplift and failure of the gable end itself in extreme events. Properly engineered gable end bracing significantly reduces this risk and is required by code in many high-wind zones.
Roof Pitch
Pitch affects how wind moves across the roof surface. Very low-pitched roofs create significant uplift in high winds, while very steep roofs can catch wind like a sail. Pitches between 4:12 and 6:12 are generally considered the most wind-resistant range, providing a balance between slope and wind resistance. That said, the quality of the roofing material and the installation method matter more than pitch alone.
Overhangs
Large overhangs increase the surface area exposed to wind uplift. Shorter, properly engineered overhangs perform better in high-wind events. In hurricane zones, building codes typically limit overhang depth and require specific fastening schedules for rafter tails.
Synthetic Shingles: A Superior Solution
The modern approach to effectively protecting your roof structure from damaging wind and hail is to use Brava's composite roofing tiles. They provide all of the protection of a Class 4 impact-resistant roofing shingle with the advantage of being lightweight, easy to install, and readily available.
Brava's composite roof shingles are environmentally friendly because they are made from recycled products and are fully recyclable. In addition, they are made in the USA.
At Brava, we offer a great selection of the most in-demand roofing tile designs:
Synthetic Slate
A slate tile roof is a luxury statement because it is beautiful and almost always found on the most expensive homes in America as well as Europe. Brava's Old World Slate tile offers the beauty of real slate without the high cost of maintenance and the need for additional roof support.
Synthetic Cedar Shakes
Brava's cedar shake composite tile is the best of both worlds: the classic look of real cedar and the peace of mind knowing that your shingles are not going to rot, warp, or crack. It's available in three different widths so you can achieve the look of real rough cut cedar shakes.
Synthetic Clay
Brava's Barrel tile, a composite Spanish roof tile, brings to mind the elegance of a Mediterranean villa without the added weight and installation expense of real clay. Barrel roof tiles are perfect for areas with repeat freeze-thaw cycles since the composite materials do not absorb water, and therefore will not crack or break under the same conditions that can affect regular clay tiles.
Choose Brava Roof Tiles for the Best Wind-Resistant Roof
The best roofing material for high winds will combine the most advanced safety features on the market today: a Class 4 impact rating and warranty protection of up to 50 years, with the aesthetic appeal that draws discerning homeowners to slate, cedar, and Spanish tile roofs.
Brava roof tiles will give you the best of both worlds. Manufactured in the USA to exacting standards, Brava's composite roof tile product line offers Class 4 impact ratings, Class A and C fire ratings, and an almost limitless color selection in all of their roof tile products. Wind rated to 188 mph with nail installation and 211 mph with high-wind screw installation, Brava tiles rank among the highest wind-rated roofing products available anywhere.
Today's marketplace is full of choices when it comes to roofing products, but the best shingles for windy areas, in our humble opinion, is the Brava Composite Roof Tile.
Contact us today for a free sample and see for yourself why Brava roof tiles are installed all over the USA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most wind resistant roofing material?
Composite tile with Class 4 impact ratings and high wind installation specifications is the most wind resistant roofing material available for residential use. Brava's composite tiles are rated to 188 mph with standard nail installation and 211 mph with high-wind screw installation, which exceeds the wind ratings of asphalt shingles (up to 130 mph), metal roofing (up to 140 mph), and most clay or concrete tile systems. Beyond the material itself, installation method matters significantly. High-wind screw installation adds meaningful resistance over standard nail installation. See the full wind damage guide for more on how wind affects different materials.
What shingles withstand 150 mph winds?
Standard asphalt shingles are typically rated to 110 to 130 mph, which falls short of 150 mph. Most metal roofing systems reach 140 mph with proper installation. Composite tile with high-wind screw installation is one of the few residential roofing options with verified ratings above 150 mph. Brava's composite tiles carry a 188 mph nail-installed rating and 211 mph screw-installed rating, making them one of the only products on the market that clearly exceeds the 150 mph threshold under standardized testing. For homeowners in hurricane zones or areas where 150 mph wind events are plausible, installation method is as important as material choice.
What type of roof is most wind resistant?
From a design standpoint, hip roofs outperform gable roofs in high-wind conditions because the four-slope geometry distributes wind load more evenly and reduces uplift forces. From a material standpoint, Class 4 rated composite tile with high-wind installation specifications performs best across the full range of wind speeds. The most wind-resistant roof combines both: a hip roof geometry with Class 4 rated composite tile installed to high-wind specifications. For homes already built with gable roofs, engineered gable end bracing and Class 4 rated materials are the most practical path to improved wind resistance.
Is metal roofing better than shingles for high winds?
In most cases, yes, properly installed metal roofing outperforms standard asphalt shingles in high winds, primarily because it doesn't shed protective granules or lift at the edges the way asphalt can. Metal roofing is typically rated to 140 mph versus 110 to 130 mph for most asphalt products. However, composite tile with Class 4 impact ratings and high-wind installation specifications exceeds both, with ratings reaching 188 to 211 mph. Metal also introduces other tradeoffs in high-wind regions: coastal homes face rust risk without aluminum or zinc options, and denting from wind-borne debris is more pronounced than on composite or tile products.
Does roof pitch affect wind resistance?
Yes, but it's a secondary factor compared to material and installation quality. Pitches between 4:12 and 6:12 are generally considered the most wind-resistant range, providing enough slope to shed wind without creating the large wind-catching surface that very steep roofs can present. Very low-pitched roofs generate significant uplift forces in high winds. Very steep roofs can act like a sail in certain wind directions. That said, a well-installed Class 4 rated roof at a suboptimal pitch will almost always outperform a poorly installed standard roof at an ideal pitch. Pitch optimization is most meaningful when combined with the right material and installation method.
What roof design is best for hurricane zones?
Hip roofs with pitches in the 4:12 to 6:12 range, short overhangs, and Class 4 impact-rated materials installed to high-wind specifications are the combination most recommended for hurricane zones. Many Florida and Gulf Coast building codes now require hip roof geometry for new construction precisely because the research supports it. At the material level, both metal roofing and composite tile with Class 4 ratings and Miami-Dade County-approved assemblies (where applicable) are the most defensible choices. Brava's Spanish barrel tile is the only third-party tested and Miami-Dade County-approved synthetic barrel tile on the market, which matters specifically for homeowners in Florida's wind exposure zones.
