Synthetic shingles are made and treated, such that upper surfaces thereof that are to be weather-exposed in the installed condition, are scuffed, abraded, or scraped in such a manner that different visual appearances occur between abraded zones and unabraded (or lesser abraded) depressions, to enhance the natural-appearing materials that the synthetic shingles are designed to resemble. The shingles and the abrading medium have motion relative to each other. The abrading medium may take on various forms, such as a roller, a brush, a pad, etc. Some portions of the upper surface of the shingle remain unabraded, preferably being those portions that are depressed relative to higher portions of the shingle. The shingle may be of a single layer construction, or a multi-layer laminate.