Roof Replacement in Sheridan, Arkansas

Most homeowners spend their roof-replacement budget worrying about shingle color. It's the visible choice, so it gets the attention. But some of the most important decisions on a roof happen at its highest point — the ridge — where the wrong component can undercut an otherwise excellent roof. A recent residential roof replacement we completed in Sheridan, Arkansas is a good illustration of why the ridge deserves more thought than it usually gets.

Project Profile: Sheridan, Arkansas

The project covered roughly 42 squares of roofing and featured Owens Corning Duration shingles in the popular Peppercorn color, paired with an upgraded Owens Corning ProEdge ridge system. It was completed through an approved insurance claim after the previous roof — about 15 years old — had taken enough storm-related wear to qualify for replacement. The shingle color is what the homeowner noticed first. The ridge upgrade is what made the bigger long-term difference.

Why Ridge Shingles Matter More Than Most Homeowners Realize

Here's a simple way to think about it: if the field shingles covering the main slopes are the muscles of the roofing system, the ridge and hip shingles are the joints. You can have strong muscles, but when the joints start to fail, problems show up fast — and the same is true on a roof.

The ridge and hip lines take a beating. They sit through constant expansion and contraction as temperatures swing, they're exposed to some of the highest wind forces anywhere on the roof, and they're often the first area to show age. When ridge caps start to go, homeowners see cracking, splitting, wind damage, and ridge-cap blow-offs — and that deterioration can pull the rest of the roof's lifespan down with it. That's why we put real emphasis on the ridge system during a replacement, not just the field shingles.

Diagram showing the hip and ridge lines as the highest wind-uplift and thermal-stress points on a roof

The hip and ridge are the joints of the roof — exposed on all sides, hit hardest by wind uplift, and worked the most by thermal movement.

Why Some Roofers Still Use Cut-Up 3-Tab Ridge Caps

Plenty of contractors still cap roofs with cut-up three-tab shingles. Historically that was standard practice because three-tabs were cheap and always on the truck. The problem is that a three-tab shingle was never designed to be a ridge cap. As roofing has evolved, manufacturers built purpose-made hip-and-ridge products that simply outperform a cut-up three-tab in both durability and appearance — and the gap is significant enough that it's worth asking your contractor what they plan to use up top.

The Case for Owens Corning ProEdge Ridge Shingles

For the Sheridan project, we upgraded the homeowner to Owens Corning ProEdge hip and ridge shingles, which are engineered specifically for ridge applications. As an Owens Corning Platinum Contractor, Brown's Roofing installs the full Owens Corning system, and ProEdge brings a few clear advantages over a cut-up three-tab cap:

Durability. Pre-formed ridge shingles are built to handle the movement, wind exposure, and temperature swings the ridge endures.
Appearance. ProEdge produces a clean, uniform ridge line with a defined shadow that finishes the roof's look.
Wind performance. Because it's purpose-built and color-matched to the laminate shingle, the ridge cap can carry a wind warranty that matches the field shingle — far better than the limited rating on a cut three-tab.
Longer service life. Since the ridge is usually first to wear, a stronger ridge system helps protect the lifespan of the whole roof.

It's a small slice of the overall budget that pays off well out of proportion to its cost.

Close-up of a clean Owens Corning ProEdge hip and ridge line over a ridge vent on a Sheridan, Arkansas roof

The finished ridge: a uniform, color-matched ProEdge cap seated over the ridge vent — a crisp shadow line a cut three-tab can't match.

ProEdge vs. CertainTeed Shadow Ridge

Owens Corning ProEdge and CertainTeed Shadow Ridge are two of the most common purpose-built ridge products on the market, and both are a meaningful upgrade over cut three-tab caps. We hold certifications with both manufacturers and recommend these upgraded ridge systems regularly, matching the choice to the field shingle and the look the homeowner wants. The key takeaway for homeowners isn't which brand — it's that a purpose-built ridge product beats a cut-up three-tab nearly every time.

Impact-Resistant Shingles and Arkansas Hail

This roof also included impact-resistant shingles, an increasingly common choice across Arkansas, where hail and severe storms are routine. Impact resistance is graded under the UL 2218 standard, from Class 1 to Class 4 — Class 4 being the highest, tested against a 2-inch steel ball. You can read a plain-English breakdown of how the testing works at IBHS Roof 101.

Architectural shingles like Owens Corning's Duration are generally recognized as carrying a UL 2218 Class 3 impact rating, and homeowners who want the highest available rating can step up to the Duration FLEX line, which reaches Class 4 through its SBS polymer-modified asphalt. Impact-rated shingles may qualify for an insurance premium credit, but eligibility ties to the specific product's UL listing and your carrier's rules — so it's worth confirming with your agent before you choose a shingle. For a roof being replaced through a claim anyway, stepping up to an impact-rated product is often a smart long-term move.

A Better Roof Starts at the Top

Upgraded ridge shingles are a small percentage of a roofing budget, but they play an outsized role in how the finished roof performs and ages. For this Sheridan homeowner, Owens Corning Duration shingles paired with a ProEdge ridge produced a roof built for both curb appeal and long-term durability. We believe the details matter — and sometimes the most important component of a roof is the one homeowners never think about.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are upgraded ridge shingles worth the cost?

For most homeowners, yes. Purpose-built hip-and-ridge shingles cost a little more than cut-up three-tabs but deliver better wind performance, a cleaner appearance, and a longer service life at the roof's most vulnerable line — a small add-on that protects the whole system.

What's wrong with using 3-tab shingles for the ridge?

Nothing is "wrong" with it, but three-tab shingles weren't designed to be ridge caps. Cut and bent over a ridge, they're more prone to cracking and blow-offs and typically carry a much lower wind warranty than a purpose-built ridge product.

Can I upgrade just the ridge if my field shingles are fine?

Sometimes. If the field shingles are sound but the ridge caps are failing, a ridge-focused repair can extend the roof's life. An inspection is the best way to tell whether a targeted ridge repair or a full replacement makes more sense.