ASTM D3161 and ASTM D7158 both produce a shingle wind rating, but they are not interchangeable and their class letters sit on completely different scales. D3161 is a fan-induced test that blows air across a mounted deck and awards Class A, D or F at 60, 90 or 110 mph. D7158 is an uplift-force calculation that awards Class D, G or H, and under the International Residential Code a Class H shingle is accepted at ultimate design wind speeds up to 194 mph. Neither class is the same number as the wind-resistance warranty printed in a manufacturer’s brochure.
By The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed: August 2026.
ASTM D3161 vs D7158: what each wind test actually measures
D3161 measures whether shingles stay down while a fan pushes air across them at a fixed velocity for two hours. D7158 does not blow wind at a finished roof at all: it measures the mechanical force needed to peel a sealed shingle off the course below, then compares that measured resistance against a calculated uplift force for a given design wind speed. One is a pass/fail exposure test. The other is an engineering calculation.
| ASTM D3161/D3161M-20(2025) | ASTM D7158/D7158M-24a | |
|---|---|---|
| Full title | Standard Test Method for Wind Resistance of Steep Slope Roofing Products (Fan-Induced Method) | Standard Test Method for Wind Resistance of Asphalt Shingles (Uplift Force/Uplift Resistance Method) |
| Method | Fan-induced air stream across a test deck | Measured mechanical uplift resistance compared to calculated uplift force |
| Classes | Class A, Class D, Class F | Class D, Class G, Class H |
| Speeds tied to the classes | 60 mph, 90 mph, 110 mph | See the IRC table below (basic wind speed, not a test velocity) |
| Test slope | 2:12 (17 percent), or the lowest slope the manufacturer permits | Sealed per manufacturer instructions; calculation governs |
| Products covered | Asphalt, polymer-based, fiber-cement, concrete and clay tile, metal shingles, photovoltaic shingles | Sealed asphalt shingles only |
| Products excluded | Continuous, non-permeable systems such as membranes and mechanically seamed metal panels | Shingles that rely on interlocking or product rigidity to resist wind |
| Code role for asphalt shingles | Exception route | Primary referenced standard |
Sources: ASTM International published scope statements for D3161/D3161M-20(2025) and D7158/D7158M-24a; class speed values per the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association and NRCA’s Professional Roofing.
How the ASTM D3161 fan-induced test is run
D3161 applies the roofing product to a test panel following the manufacturer’s instructions, sets the panel at a 2:12 slope or the lowest slope those instructions permit, and directs fan-generated air across the surface for two hours. The highest velocity survived without any portion of a shingle lifting sets the class: 60 mph is Class A, 90 mph is Class D, 110 mph is Class F.
The resistance being measured is whatever the product brings to the job, described in the standard’s scope as rigidity, mechanical interlocking, sealant contribution, or a combination. That breadth is why D3161 covers metal shingles, tile and photovoltaic shingles as well as asphalt, and why the 2020 edition carries the broader title “Steep Slope Roofing Products” rather than “Asphalt Shingles.”
Two limits matter. The standard applies only to products installed at a maximum exposure of 410 mm (16 in.). And ASTM states plainly that natural wind varies in intensity, duration and turbulence beyond what the test can simulate, so results do not directly correlate to wind speeds experienced in service. A two-hour steady fan stream is not a three-second gust.
How the ASTM D7158 uplift-force method is run
D7158 seals the shingles under defined conditions, then mechanically lifts a shingle tab to measure the uplift resistance that the sealant bond plus the shingle’s stiffness actually deliver. That measured resistance is fed into a calculation of the aerodynamic uplift force a given design wind speed would generate. The shingle passes at a velocity when measured resistance exceeds calculated force.
The published conditions in the method include a test wind velocity of 15.6 plus or minus 1.3 m/s (35 plus or minus 3 mph) used within the procedure, a default uplift rigidity value of 7175 N-mm2 (2.5 lbf-in.2), Risk Category I or II buildings, mean roof height of 60 feet or less, and ground surface roughness B or C. Because the output is a design wind speed rather than a fan setting, ARMA notes the results are directly comparable to the three-second gust speeds building codes use.
The exclusion is the important one: D7158 cannot evaluate shingles that depend on interlocking or product rigidity rather than a sealant bond. Those products have no sealed bond to peel, so there is nothing for the method to measure. That single sentence in the scope is the reason D3161 still exists in the code.
Which standard does the IRC require for asphalt shingles?
Section R905.2.4.1 of the International Residential Code, carried in both the 2021 and 2024 editions, requires asphalt shingles to be tested in accordance with ASTM D7158 and to meet the classification in Table R905.2.4.1 for the applicable ultimate design wind speed. D3161 appears only as an exception: shingles not included in the scope of D7158 are tested and labeled to D3161 instead. The packaging has to carry the label showing which classification was met.
Here is the part most buyer-facing pages skip. The IRC table lists both the ultimate design wind speed (Vult) and the older allowable stress design basic wind speed (Vasd), which is where the folk numbers “90, 120 and 150 mph” for Classes D, G and H come from. Those are the Vasd values, not the modern mapped speeds.
| Vult (mph) | Vasd (mph) | Acceptable ASTM D7158 class | Acceptable ASTM D3161 class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110 | 85 | D, G or H | A, D or F |
| 116 | 90 | D, G or H | A, D or F |
| 129 | 100 | G or H | A, D or F |
| 142 | 110 | G or H | F |
| 155 | 120 | G or H | F |
| 168 | 130 | H | F |
| 181 | 140 | H | F |
| 194 | 150 | H | F |
Source: 2021 IRC Table R905.2.4.1, Classification of Asphalt Roof Shingles, via the ICC digital codes library. The table’s footnote repeats the D7158 limitation: the standard calculations assume Exposure Category B or C and a building height of 60 feet or less, and additional calculations are required outside those assumptions. ARMA’s own summary states the ceilings as basic wind speeds of 116 mph for Class D, 155 mph for Class G and 194 mph for Class H, which matches the table row for row.
Read the D3161 column across and the practical hierarchy appears: Class F is the only D3161 rating the code accepts above Vult 129 mph, while Class A tops out in the mildest three rows. On the D7158 side, Class H is the only class accepted at Vult 168 mph and above. Local adoption varies, so confirm which code edition and which map your jurisdiction enforces before relying on a row.
Why a shingle’s ASTM class is not its warranty wind speed
An ASTM class is a laboratory classification tied to a code table. A warranty mph figure is a contract term the manufacturer sets, and it usually carries installation conditions the ASTM class never mentions. The two numbers come from different places and routinely disagree on the same product.
CertainTeed Landmark is the clean example. Its published technical data sheet lists the product against ASTM D3161 Class F Wind Resistance and ASTM D7158 Class H Wind Resistance, the top rating under both standards. CertainTeed’s published product information for Landmark lists the wind-resistance warranty at 110 mph for 15 years, with an upgrade to 160 mph available only when CertainTeed starter and CertainTeed hip and ridge are installed. Same shingle, three different numbers, none of them wrong.
The gap exists because the warranty is priced on how the roof is actually built. Nail count, nail placement, starter course, hip and ridge product, deck condition and whether the sealant strip ever got sun to activate are all contractual conditions. The ASTM class asks none of that; it certifies a lab specimen sealed under defined conditions. For the brand-by-brand terms, see our shingle wind warranty comparison by brand, which is the companion to this page.
What the ASTM class does not account for
Both standards test a specimen, not your roof. The class travels with the product; the performance depends on the assembly, the exposure and the crew. Four things sit outside the class entirely.
- Building geometry and height. D7158’s standard calculation assumes a mean roof height of 60 feet or less. Taller buildings require additional calculation.
- Exposure and terrain. The calculation assumes ground surface roughness B or C. Exposure D, meaning open water or flat unobstructed terrain, falls outside the default and ARMA directs specifiers to a scaling adjustment or the manufacturer.
- Topographic speed-up. Hilltops, ridges and escarpments accelerate wind. The standard assumes no topographic effect.
- Installation workmanship. Sealant that never activated, high nails, overdriven nails and missing starter at the rakes are the common real-world blow-off mechanisms, and none of them are what the class measured. Our guide to wind damage to roof shingles covers how these failures present after a storm.
How to read the wind rating on a spec sheet or bundle wrapper
The IRC requires the packaging label to show the standard and the classification met, so the wrapper is the authoritative on-site check. Work through it in order rather than trusting the marketing mph on the brochure.
- Find the standard, then the class. “ASTM D7158 Class H” and “ASTM D3161 Class F” are separate claims. A product often carries both because manufacturers test to both.
- Match the class to your design wind speed. Use IRC Table R905.2.4.1 and the Vult map your jurisdiction adopted, not the warranty number.
- Check whether your building breaks the assumptions. Over 60 feet, Exposure D or a hilltop site means the D7158 default no longer applies and the manufacturer should be consulted.
- Read the warranty conditions separately. Note the required nail count, starter and hip and ridge products, and whether a higher mph tier requires accessories from the same brand.
- Confirm the installed detail matches. A 160 mph warranty tier with a competitor’s starter strip at the eaves is a 110 mph roof on paper.
If you are still choosing a product, our roundup of the best asphalt shingles lists the ratings side by side, and the same label-first logic applies to fire performance in our explainer on the Class A fire rated roof classification, where the class letters again mean something different from what buyers assume.
Frequently asked questions
Is ASTM D7158 better than ASTM D3161?
For sealed asphalt shingles, D7158 is the standard the International Residential Code requires, and its output is directly comparable to the three-second gust design speeds the code uses. D3161 is not obsolete: it covers products D7158 cannot evaluate, including tile, metal shingles and any product that resists wind through interlocking or rigidity rather than a sealant bond.
What wind speed is ASTM D7158 Class H?
Under IRC Table R905.2.4.1, a Class H shingle is acceptable at ultimate design wind speeds up to 194 mph, which corresponds to a basic wind speed of 150 mph under the older allowable stress design convention. The commonly quoted “150 mph” for Class H is that older Vasd figure, not the modern mapped speed.
What does ASTM D3161 Class F mean?
Class F is the highest of the three D3161 ratings. It means the specimens survived two hours in a fan-induced air stream at 110 mph without any portion of a shingle lifting. Class D corresponds to 90 mph and Class A to 60 mph. ASTM notes that these test results do not directly correlate to wind speeds experienced in service.
Does a Class H rating mean my roof is warranted to 150 mph?
No. The ASTM class is a code classification for the product; the wind-resistance warranty is a separate contract with its own mph figure and installation conditions. CertainTeed Landmark, for example, is listed as D7158 Class H on its technical data sheet while its published wind-resistance warranty is 110 mph, upgradeable to 160 mph only with specified CertainTeed starter and hip and ridge.
Which standard does the building code reference for asphalt shingles?
IRC Section R905.2.4.1, in both the 2021 and 2024 editions, requires testing to ASTM D7158 and compliance with Table R905.2.4.1 for the applicable ultimate design wind speed. An exception permits ASTM D3161 testing and labeling for shingles not included in the scope of D7158. The IBC carries an equivalent provision for commercial work.
Why do shingles list both a D3161 class and a D7158 class?
Manufacturers test to both so a single product can be specified under either route, in jurisdictions on older code editions, and in states with their own approval schemes. CertainTeed Landmark’s data sheet, for instance, lists D3161 Class F and D7158 Class H alongside Miami-Dade product control approval and a Florida product approval number.
Does a higher ASTM class mean fewer blow-offs in a real storm?
It correlates, but the class is not the whole story. Both standards evaluate a lab specimen and exclude building height above 60 feet, Exposure D terrain, topographic speed-up and installation quality. Regional loss patterns are covered in our report on wind damage roof statistics by region.