abstract |
High durometer, polymeric roofing shingles with varying colors and shades of color may be prepared from a composition of matter comprising 100 parts by weight of a ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from 25 to about 400 parts by weight of at least one non-combustible filler per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from 0 to about 125 parts by weight of at least one combustible filler, per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from 0 to about 135 parts by weight of a thermoplastic modifying polymer; from 0 to about 10 parts by weight of reinforcing fibers, per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from about 20 to about 75 parts by weight of a processing oil per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; and from about 1 to about 6 parts by weight of a sulfur cure package having at least two curing accelerators. Fiber reinforced, high durometer, EPDM-based roofing shingles of the present invention are a suitable replacement for traditional slate, wood or asphalt roofing shingles used to cover sloped roofs. A method is further provided for covering sloped roofs comprising applying a plurality of the fiber reinforced, high durometer EPDM-based roofing shingles of the present invention to a sloped roof in a preselected installation pattern. |