ClimateFlex SBS-modified asphalt for cold-flex and impact. ASTM D7158 Class H.
Hail / impact
Class 4
UL 2218 Impact-Resistance Test rating. Class 4 is the highest grade; some Florida insurers offer a small discount on hail-rated roofs.
Fire rating
Class A
ASTM E108 / UL 790
Weight per square
250 lbs
Standard architectural asphalt
Algae resistance
StreakFighter
15-year algae warranty
Manufacturer
CertainTeed
Malvern, PA · made in the USA
What you're looking at.
The granule tones the blend is built from, how the colour is classified, and how it behaves on a roof.
Granule 01Base tone#4A3D36
Granule 02Lighter granule#5C4A40
Granule 03Deeper granule#3A302A
Hex
#4A3D36
Family
Brown
Undertone
Warm
Best in
Late afternoon light
How it shifts
Max Def Espresso reads as a warm sienna in midday sun and a deep coffee at dusk. It is one of the more tonally responsive SKUs in the line and rewards homeowners who care about how a roof shifts color across the day.
The profile
CertainTeed mixes a base of mid-brown granules with smaller portions of true black and warm rust accents. The result is a roof that holds its warmth even on overcast days, which is when most gray shingles look their most neutral.
Where it belongs
Pairs cleanly with brick red, cream, warm white, sage, and natural-wood siding. Slightly less flexible than the gray family on cool or modern color palettes, but unbeatable on traditional elevations.
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About Max Def Espresso.
Questions homeowners ask before they commit. Answered without sales spin.
A warm, anchored brown with visible reddish or amber granule accents. In direct Florida sun it reads as a clear sienna or coffee; in shade it softens to a near-black. The blend is layered enough that the surface looks alive rather than flat.
Yes, and that is the canonical pairing. Brown asphalt and red brick share a warm tonal family, so they read as one coordinated elevation rather than competing colors. The trick is keeping the trim color clean and bright (warm white, soft cream) so the eye has somewhere to rest.
Minimally. CertainTeed's ceramic granule coating holds warm tones for 25 plus years in Florida UV. Browns tend to drift slightly cooler over the first 5 years (a barely visible shift) and then stabilize. The full warranty covers premature fading. Source: CertainTeed product warranty card and NRCA Asphalt Shingle Manual.
Slightly. Dark warm tones absorb similar solar heat to dark grays, adding roughly 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit to peak-summer attic temperatures versus a light gray. Proper ventilation and a radiant barrier under the decking keep monthly cooling-cost impact under 20 dollars in most homes.
The 'brown' SKUs across major brands sit within a fairly tight tonal window. Most are mid-to-dark brown with warm undertones; differences are mostly in granule blend size and shadow-line depth. Use the Compare tab to see direct hex deltas against similar SKUs.
On a contemporary white-stucco build, possibly. On a craftsman, traditional, Tudor, or Mediterranean elevation it is the most architecturally correct choice and reads as deliberate rather than dated. Picking by house style matters more than by trend.
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#4A3D36 · brown · warm undertone Manufacturer swatch