EN 544

EN 544, Bitumen shingles with mineral and/or synthetic reinforcements – Product specification and test methods, is the European Standard for what North Americans call asphalt shingles. It is published by CEN. The current edition is EN 544:2011, which replaced EN 544:2005. CEN records show the 2011 edition flagged for revision, with a draft revision (prEN 544) in development.

Scope

The standard specifies the properties, performance and test methods for finished bitumen shingles before they are laid. It also covers marking, labelling and the evaluation of conformity used for CE marking. It applies to shingles reinforced with mineral material (such as glass fibre), synthetic material, or both, intended for pitched roofs or wall cladding.

It does not cover roof design, installation methods or the performance of the complete roof system.

Characteristics covered

As a harmonised product standard, EN 544 lists the characteristics that a manufacturer declares in the Declaration of Performance, such as dimensions, mass, tensile and tear strength, nail shank pull-through, resistance to heat (flow resistance), water absorption, and reaction to and external fire performance. External fire performance is classified under EN 13501-5.

Use in Europe

Bitumen shingles are used on houses, cabins and outbuildings in many European countries, though tile and slate remain the dominant pitched roof coverings in much of the continent. Installation rules come from national codes of practice, for example the German ZVDH rules or French DTU documents, rather than from EN 544 itself.

Comparison with North America

The US equivalent is ASTM D3462. The two standards measure many similar properties but use different test methods and limits, so compliance with one does not demonstrate compliance with the other. North American wind ratings such as ASTM D3161 are not part of EN 544.