Shingle with low density granules and/or backdust

1. A method of manufacturing a roofing shingle comprising:

coating a substrate with an organic-based coating material, the coated substrate having a front surface with a headlap region and a prime region;

applying a first portion of low density granules to the headlap region;

applying a second portion of low density granules to the prime region, wherein the density of the granules of the first portion are different from the density of the granules of the second portion;

determining the weight of the prime region independent of determining the weight of the headlap region subsequent to the application of the first and second portions of low density granules; and

controlling the weight of the shingle in response to the weight of the prime region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low density granules of the first portion have a bulk density within a range between about 30 lb/ft 3 and about 70 lb/ft 3 and the low density granules of the second portion have a bulk density of about 80 lb/ft 3 and above.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low density granules of the first portion have a specific gravity in a range between about 1.2 and 1.7.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low density granules of the first portion comprise one or more of expanded perlite, expanded shale, expanded clay, expanded slate, pumice, glass microshperes, crumb rubber, polymeric particles, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low density granules applied to the roofing shingle causes a reduction in the wear of a cutting knife used to cut the roofing shingle when compared with the wear of a knife used to cut a conventional shingle.

6. A method of manufacturing a roofing shingle comprising:

coating a substrate with an organic-based coating material, the coated substrate having a front surface with a headlap region and a prime region;

applying a first portion of low density granules to the headlap region;

applying a second portion of low density granules to the prime region, wherein the density of the granules of the first portion are different from the density of the granules of the second portion;

calculating the weight of the prime region independent of calculating the weight of the headlap region subsequent to the application of the first and second portions of low density granules; and

controlling the thickness of the coating on the substrate in response to the weight of the prime region.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the low density granules of the first portion comprise one or more of expanded perlite, expanded shale, expanded clay, expanded slate, pumice, glass microspheres, crumb rubber, polymeric particles, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , including controlling the weight of the shingle by adjusting the temperature of the coating material, thereby allowing more or less granules to adhere to the coating material.

9. The method of claim 1 , including controlling the weight of the shingle by changing the amount of the granules applied to the shingle.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the low density granules of the first portion have a bulk density within a range between about 30 lb/ft 3 and about 70 lb/ft 3 and the low density granules of the second portion have a bulk density of about 80 lb/ft 3 and above.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the low density granules of the first portion have a specific gravity in a range between about 1.2 and 1.7.

12. The method of claim 6 , including controlling the weight of the shingle by adjusting the temperature of the coating material, thereby allowing more or less granules to adhere to the coating material.

13. The method of claim 6 , including controlling the weight of the shingle by changing the amount of the granules applied to the shingle.

14. A method of manufacturing a roofing shingle comprising:

coating a substrate with an organic-based coating material, the coated substrate having a front surface with a headlap region and a prime region;

applying a first portion of low density granules to the headlap region;

wherein the first portion of low density granules has a specific gravity between about 1.2 to about 1.7;

applying a second portion of low density granules to the prime region, wherein the second portion of low density granules has a specific gravity of at least about 2.5;

calculating the weight of the prime region independent of calculating the weight of the headlap region subsequent to the application of the first and second portions of low density granules, and

controlling the thickness of the coating on the substrate in response to the weight of the prime region.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the low density granules of the first portion comprise one or more of expanded perlite, expanded shale, expanded clay, expanded slate, pumice, glass microspheres, crumb rubber, polymeric particles, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14 , including controlling the weight of the shingle by adjusting the temperature of the coating material, thereby allowing more or less granules to adhere to the coating material.

17. The method of claim 14 , including controlling the weight of the shingle by changing the amount of the granules applied to the shingle.