To protect the inhabitants from the elements, roofs play a crucial role in a home's overall structure. The roof is first line of defence against the elements, whether it be rain, snow, sun, or hail.
When constructing or remodelling a home, one can pick from a wide variety of roofing materials. This article will go through some of the more popular ones and explain to homeowners what they have to offer in terms of style, longevity, efficiency, and price.
Roof Tips
It's a good idea to learn about the most popular roof styles and how they affect your roofing material options if you're planning on having a roofing system or adding on to your home and need more roof space.
Roof Designs, Shapes, And Designs
The roof of a house can account for as much as 40 percent of its external area and plays a crucial part in the home's aesthetic value.
So, when it's time to replace your roof, you should select roofing systems and shingles colours that fit your home's external design and the form and slope on your roof.
Identifying the best shingles & roofing materials for your home's version and aesthetics requires an understanding of the potential performance or design impact of various roof shapes and slopes.
Roof Slope
The pitch of your roof serves purposes both structural and aesthetic. A roof with a steep slope is more efficient at shedding or draining precipitation, such as rain or snow. The angle of the roof is expressed as a ratio that takes into account the roof's dimensions.
In the roofing industry, 6 in 12 (or its abbreviated forms 6:12 and 6/12) are common terms. As a result, the roof has an overall pitch of 6 degrees, meaning that it rises six inches vertically per each 20 cm (or 1 foot) in width.
Essentially any numerical value can be substituted here. A roof with a pitch of 4 in 12 will slope upwards by 4 inches and outwards by 12 inches. The roof's slope, whether it's flat or steep, can provide visual interest to the profile of your home.
Take into account that now the steeper the roof's slope, the more of the roof's surface will be seen from the ground, thereby increasing the roof's impact on the home's kerb appeal.
A roofing contractor should be trusted by most homeowners to handle these kinds of calculations. Asphalt shingle roofs, like any other type of roof covering, are subject to the International Residential Code's minimum slope standards.
You should consult a roofing professional for advice on which material is best suited to the angle of your roof. Even if there are certain types of roofs that have historically been constructed with a specific slope, this is by no means an inflexible law.
Gable Roof
Remember the first house you drew with crayons? A gable roof has probably been removed. The pointy end sits above the roof of the home, while the other two sides rise to reach the ridge.
The gable roof can have any slope, from the steepness of a chalet roof to the mildness of a flat roof. The gable is currently a popular choice for roofs since it complements many architectural styles. Front gables above doorways add visual interest, as does a crossing gable style with two ridges meeting at right angles.
Front Gable
The ridge of a front gable roof should face the doorway. While typically associated with residences in the Colonial style, this roof is becoming increasingly popular as a design element in contemporary structures.
Gable Roof Clipped
Different names, including "bullnose," refer to this type of clipped gable roof. While the basic form of a clipped gable roof is that of a gable, with two parties rising up meet a ridge, the design also incorporates a feature of hip roofs, with the top peaks being "bent in" to form miniature hips there at ends of a roof ridge. These hips are a great way to show off your high-performance, designer shingles and provide a unique architectural touch to your home.
Butterfly Roof
Often called an inverted pitch roofing, a butterfly roof resembles a butterfly's wings because to the way its two tandem sections of roofing are slanted upwards at an oblique angle.
In terms of architecture, it is a very contemporary style. As an added bonus, the central duct in the roof makes harvesting rainwater easy to handle, allowing for larger walls and windows.
Gable Roof with Shed Roof Attachment
Sometimes a shed roof is attached to the side of a gable roof. Adding an addition or dormer without tearing off the entire roof is a common modification to the conventional gable design. A common modification to the conventional gable roof, this creates more loft space and capacity for an addition without requiring a total re-roofing.
Dormer Window On A Gable Roof
There is a current trend towards the pitched roof with such a dormer, and it is possible to combine different types of roofs. You can combine a gambrel dormer with a gabled main roof, for instance.
Box Gable Roof
In a box gable roof, the ridge is formed by two sloping sides which meet at right angles, and the triangular extensions on either side are enclosed by the walls. Popular in chilly climates, this roof style is strong and reliable in both rain and snow.
Dutch Gable Roof
The Dutch slope roof is another example of a roof type that combines gable and hip characteristics. A "gablet," a small gable roof, is perched on top a more conventional "hip" roof.
The gable end adds square footage to the attic and can be outfitted with windows for natural light. The Dutch gable roof is a combination of the gable and hip roofs. At the peak, where the ridge begins, you can find a whole or incomplete roof that provides more headroom. Aesthetically, this form is preferable to the more common hip roof since it adds a fresh and interesting twist to the roof's overall appearance.
Cross Gabled Roof
When two or more gable roofing ridges meet at an angle, typically perpendicular to one another, the result is a cross gable roof. This style of roofing is typical with more complicated building designs, such as residences with attached garages.
Gambrel Roof
To visualise a gambrel roof, think of a traditional red barn and white trim. Each of its two sides has two different slopes, one steep and the other mild. The layout of the second story allows for it to function as either a loft or an attic space. Natural light and ventilation can be improved by installing windows along the side of a gambrel roof.
Owners of gambrel roofs should give serious thought to the visual impact of their roofing shingles, as they are particularly visible in the steep ridges. A gambrel roof, typically found on barns, is a type of bipartite roof with such a shallow upper portion and steep lower slope on every side.
Although it makes the most of the loft space, this style isn't practical in high-wind or high-snowfall regions, therefore it's typically reserved for usage on outbuildings and barns.
Hipped
Hip roofs can be recognised by their pointed, inwardly sloping peaks. A pyramid hips roof has four sloping sides that all converge at the same spot. When they don't, the roof is just a basic hip style.
Pyramid Hip
There is just one location at which the four corners of a pyramid hip roof meet. It is sometimes used for single-story ranch houses, where dormers aren't strictly necessary.
Pyramid Mansard
Mansard roofs are easily recognised by their sharp apexes, which resemble a cap. Historically speaking, this roof style originates in France, and its primary goal is to increase floor area and hence increase the number of bedrooms in a building.
Since the area is useable, many mansard roofs have window dormers to let in more light. Instead of a level top, the pyramid style mansard roof features a pyramid shape on top of a steep sides.
Parapet
To create a parapet roof, the walls of a structure are extended upward beyond the peak of the roof by a few feet all the way around the perimeter. A parapet can greatly increase the safety of a flat roof by acting as a protective barrier and preventing someone from accidentally stepping down.
Saltbox Roof
An irregular roof shape, having a flat, sloping side and a lean-to like side on either end. This distinct and sturdy roofing design is more typically found on older colonial-style homes, but it is also common on factories and garages.
Skillion Or Shed Roof
Water can easily run off a skillion roof because of its single, flat surface, which is pitched at a very steep angle. Skillion roofs, also called "shed roofs," are simple and inexpensive to build because they only require a single sheet of roofing material.
Hip Roof Made Simple
The well-known hip roof has four equal, shallow slopes that meet at right angles with the walls; there are no gables or straight walls in this design. Almost typically symmetrical from the centre, the pitch of a hip roof's two sides is what sets it apart from other types of roofs.
Skillion And The Roof
Lean-to roofs, like skillion roofs, have just one sloping slope. The roof is supported by a wall that is higher on one end than the other, allowing the peak to just be pitched at the a steeper angle better shed water during storms.
Cross Hipped Roof
The hip of a cross hipped roofing is formed by two perpendicular hip pieces, giving the roof a 'L' or 'T' shape. This sort of roof will hold up well in rain, snow, or windy weather, making it an excellent choice for structures with a plan that deviates from the standard rectangular or square.
Clerestory Roof
A clerestory roof consists of an inner wall that extends over a certain piece of the roof, typically featuring multiple windows or a long window. A lot of light enters the rooms thanks to the sloping roofs from either side of the horizontal wall.
Bonnet Roof
A bonnet roof is essentially a mansard roof seen from the opposite side of the house. A bonnet roof, sometimes called "kicked eaves" for its sloping eaves, has four sides that are steeper up top and flatter down below, creating a protective overhang for a porch. Most modern architects and builders have moved on from this style, which was popular in the 1700s.
Combination Roof
Simply put, a mixture roof combines elements from multiple roofing styles. Combination roofs, which frequently include two or even more designs for aesthetic and practical reasons, can incorporate a wide variety of styles, such as a clerestory with hip roof, for instance. If you want to stand out from the crowd, this is a great choice.
Dome Roof
In case you were wondering, a dome roof is a roof that is shaped like a dome. This style of roof, which is both complicated and long-lasting, can greatly improve a structure's kerb appeal. Many famous landmarks, such as Washington, DC's Capitol Building and London's St. Paul's Cathedral, include it.
Dormer
A dormer is a window that extends vertically from a regular pitched roof. This style of roof is commonly used in loft conversions since it provides an easy method of increasing the loft's square footage and natural light.
Flat
While unremarkable from the ground up, a flat roof is a signature feature of modern and mid-century home designs and can make quite an impression. Water may easily run off then and drain off flat roofs because of their minimal slope.
Even though flat roofs are more common on commercial and industrial structures like offices and warehouses, they are also becoming increasingly popular on residential buildings since the flat surface is ideal for growing plants.
Half Hipped Roof
A half-hipped roof is quite similar to a traditional hip roof, with the exception that the peak is truncated on both ends to form eaves. This style of roof also makes it easier to add onto loft and put in windows, which lets in lots of bright natural light.
Hexagonal Gazebo Roof
An elaborate roof like this would be a show-stopper on any gazebo in the garden. Built with a total of six triangular roof panels, all with the same pitch, and six rafters. This style of roofing is commonly seen atop gazebos, which are lovely and unusual additions to any residential or commercial gardening lawn.
Hip Roof
There are four slopes of equal length that come together to produce a basic ridge on a conventional hip roof. Yet there are variants, such as the half-hip, which has two shorter sides and eaves.
A hip roof allows for a greater portion of the roof to be seen from the exterior of the home, which may be something you've noticed before. Because of its prominence, a hip roof may make or break a home's kerb appeal depending on the quality and colour the roofing shingles used to cover it.
Mansard Roof
Every one of a mansard roof's four sides has two different slopes—one steep lower slope or one shallow upper slope—making it a type of gambrel roof. The loft area afforded by a structure with a Mansard roof is much sought after by homeowners who want to make the most of their living quarters.
The mansard roof, a traditional feature of French architecture, may be seen in fine form at the Louvre Museum. The lower slopes of this four-sided, double-slope design are extremely steep and can be either flat or curved.
The mansard roof style was first used in France, but it caught on swiftly in the U. S.. This design allows homeowners to make the most of the upper level by providing a spacious, light-filled attic and numerous windows; dormers only enhance the aesthetic value of the design.
Roof With Hips And Valleys
Two of the slopes are united on a standard ridge, and the other two are located at the extreme ends of a hip and valley roof. Similar to the trapezoidal shape of gable roofs, the only real difference is the inclusion of the four triangular hip ends.
Shed Roof
A shed roof is a common feature in contemporary house plans, and it's easy to see why. The roof of this "lean-to" structure is slanted like the top half of a regular one. Shed roofs have traditionally been used in the porches and expansions, but in modern architecture they are often employed for the entire structure.
Although a greater slope will expedite water flow, most shed roofs have a slope of 4 in 12 or less. Shed roof houses are often one-of-a-kind creations that serve as architectural manifestos for their owners.
Windows can be placed in a variety of interesting ways in shed roofs, from narrow strips of glass just below the ceiling to expansive picture windows on the front of the house.
Jerkinhead Roof
Clipped gables, also called snub gables, are a type of gable roof in which the peaks at either end have been removed. The clipped ends of the rafters strengthen the roof and protect the home from wind damage. More loft space is available because to the clipped ends compared to a conventional hip roof.
M-shaped Roof
A roof in the shape of the letter "M" has two sloping sides, making it similar to a double gable. The roof is supported by a pair of vertical walls that create a 'M' at their intersection. Between the two slopes, guttering prevents snow and rain from pooling during the wetter winter months.
Open Gable Roof
Except for the boxed offsides at either end, an empty gable roof is similar to a boxed gable roof. This style of roof has unenclosed ends that slope down to the walls. There are no practical differences between the two, thus your decision should be based completely on personal preference. There is no functional difference between this and a roof with closed ends, therefore the decision is solely aesthetic.
Mansard Roof
Every one of a mansard roof's four sides has two different slopes—one steep lower slope or one shallow upper slope—making it a type of gambrel roof. The loft area afforded by a structure with a Mansard roof is much sought after by homeowners who want to make the most of their living quarters.
Flat Roof (Low Slope Roof)
Most people picture strip malls or large industrial buildings when they think of flat roofs. Between 1945 and 1970, however, several mid-century modern architects tried out flat rooflines while designing luxury residences for Hollywood stars and Wall Street moguls.
The aesthetic of the time called for low, flat roofs that would blend seamlessly with nature while still giving large, airy interiors. Some houses have relatively little level roof space and instead use a gable and hip roof style everywhere else.
In some cases, a flat roof can be used to create usable loft space over a newly constructed extension. Remember that flat isn't the same as level; there must be a slight inclination to facilitate water drainage.
How Do You Select Roofing Shingles For Your Roof Style?
Here, we've laid out the various types of typical roofs, including the various sub-types and how they can be combined to form new styles. The right shingle choice is entirely up to you.
- The best way to choose the perfect roof colour and style for your ideal home is to go for a drive through neighbourhoods, look at properties online, and peruse home design magazines.
- Imagine the area around you. Depending on your character and the goals of your exterior design, you can opt to either blend in with the neighbourhood or stick out.
- Do your homework before beginning a project because you may be limited by construction codes or HOA rules.
Conclusion
Up to 40 percent of a home's total exterior area is taken up by the roof, making it an important design element. In order to choose the ideal shingles and roofing materials for the performance and aesthetics of your home's version, you need to be aware of how different roof shapes and slopes may affect those factors. The International Residential Code specifies a minimum pitch for asphalt shingle roofs. Whether it's as steep as a chalet roof or as shallow as a flat roof, a gable roof can have it all. Since it works well with so many different types of construction, the gable roof is currently very fashionable.
Typical gambrel roofs have a modest upper slope and a steep bottom slope on all four sides. Box gable roofs have two sloping sides that meet at right angles to form the ridge, and the triangular extensions are encased by walls. There are no gables or parallel walls in this structure's form, but rather a pyramid hip roof with four equal, shallow slopes that meet at right angles with the walls. A clerestory roof is one in which an interior wall projects outward over a specific section of the roof, usually in the form of many windows or one long window. A porch can benefit from a bonnet roof because its four sides are slanted upward and outward, respectively.
Four-sided mansard roofs have two sloping sides each. More of the roof can be seen from the street when a house has a hip roof. The roofs of gazebos often take this form. Like the sloping upper portion of a conventional gable roof, shed roofs feature four inclinations. Unique designs like clipped gables and M-shaped roofs might be seen as architectural statements. A mansard roof's four sides are slanted in opposite directions to shed rain and snow, respectively.
Content Summary
- A roof's primary function is to provide shelter from the weather for the home's residents.
- One has several options for roofing materials to choose from when building or renovating a house.
- In this piece, we'll examine several of the most common types, outlining their benefits to homeowners in terms of aesthetics, durability, energy efficiency, and cost.
- If you're considering a roofing system or extending your home and in need of more roof space, it's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the most common roof styles and how they effect your roofing material alternatives.
- When it comes time to replace your roof, you'll want to make sure you choose a system and shingle colours that complement the architectural style of your home and its roof shape and pitch.
- In order to choose the ideal shingles and roofing materials for the performance and aesthetics of your home's version, you need to be aware of how different roof shapes and slopes may affect those factors.
- The roof's pitch affects the roof's structural integrity and its visual appeal.
- Angle of roof is expressed as a ratio that considers the length and width of the roof.
- Whether your roof is flat or steep, it can add variety to the outside of your home.
- If you aren't sure what roofing material will work best for the slope of your roof, it's advisable to ask a contractor.
- Although some roofs may have always been built with a particular slope, this is by no means a hard and fast rule.
- It seems like a gable roof has been taken off the building.
- To the Face of the Gable Gable roofs in the front should be oriented so that the ridge is over the entrance.
- Snipped Gable Ends This style of clipped gable roof goes by several names, including "bullnose."
- Although the overall shape of a clipped gable roof is similar to that of a gable, with two sides rising to meet at a ridge, the design also incorporates a feature of hip roofs by "bending in" the upper peaks to create little hips at the extremities of the roof.
- These hips will highlight your high-performance, designer shingles and give your home a distinctive look.
- Attached shed roof to a traditional Gable roof. A shed roof is sometimes added to the gable end of a house.
- The pitched roof with such a dormer is currently popular, and several roof styles can be combined.
- For instance, a gambrel dormer can be added to a main roof that is pitched in a gabled fashion.
- Similar to the gable and hip roof, the Dutch slope roof has its own unique qualities.
- You might think of the Dutch gable as a hybrid between the gable and hip roofs.
- Think of a classic red barn with white trim to picture a gambrel roof.
- Windows along the side of a gambrel roof provide for more natural light and ventilation.
- Unlike other types of roofs, a pyramid hip roof has a single point where all four corners come together.
- Pyramid Mansard The pointed peaks at the ends of a Mansard roof make it easy to identify it as a kind of roof.
- The pyramid type mansard roof is distinguished by its distinctive shape, with its pointed peak and steeply pitched sides.
- The Roof Is a Saltbox An adobe roof with a flat, sloping side and a lean-to-like side at each end.
- Making a Hip Roof is Easy No gables or straight walls characterise the well-known hip roof style, which instead features four equal, shallow slopes that meet at right angles with the walls.
- The pitch of a hip roof's two sides is what distinguishes it from other roof styles, despite the fact that the roof itself is nearly always symmetrical when viewed from the centre.
- Roofing And The Skillion In the same way that skillion roofs only have one sloping side, lean-to roofs only have one side.
- Skewed Peaks The hip of a roof with cross hipped shingles is created by two hip pieces that run at right angles to one another, creating a 'L' or 'T' shape.
- A clerestory roof is one in which an interior wall projects outward over a specific section of the roof, usually in the form of many windows or one long window.
- Roof Bonnet Bonnet roofs are mansard roofs seen from the opposite side of the house.
- Mixed-Type Roof Putting it plainly, a mixed roof incorporates features from many types of roofs.
- Combination roofs sometimes combine two or more designs for aesthetic and functional purposes, and they can contain a broad variety of styles such as a clerestory with a hip roof.
- Conical Roof A roof that is fashioned like a dome is known as a dome roof, in case you were wondering.
- Dormer Dormers are slanted windows that project vertically from an otherwise standard pitched roof.
- A flat roof may not look like much from the ground, yet it is a defining characteristic of modern and midcentury home designs.
- You might think of a half-hipped roof as being quite similar to a conventional hip roof, with the exception that the peak is cut down on both ends to create eaves.
- Alternately: Hip Roof In a typical hip roof, the ridge is formed by the meeting of four slopes of the same length.
- Some variations exist, though; the half-hip, for example, has shorter sides and eaves.
- It's possible that you've noticed that a hip roof exposes more of the roof to the elements when viewed from the street.
- The quality and colour of the shingles used to cover a hip roof can make or break the kerb appeal of a house.
- Stucco Walls Mansard Roof A mansard roof is a gambrel roof because each of its four sides has two different slopes: a high lower slope and a shallow upper slope.
- Property owners who want to make the most of their living space often seek out buildings with a Mansard roof for the loft space it provides.
- The Louvre is a great place to see the mansard roof, a typical element of French architecture.
- Extremely steep and either flat or curved bottom slopes characterise this four-sided, double-slope layout.
- Two of the slopes meet at a central ridge, while the other two are at the roof's ends where it transitions into a hip and valley configuration.
- The four triangular hip ends distinguish a hip roof from a gable roof, but otherwise the two roof styles share a similar trapezoidal shape.
- Metal Covered Roofing It's not hard to see why shed roofs are such a popular choice for today's homes.
- It's a Jerkinhead Roof Gable roofs with their peaks clipped off are known as clipped gables or snub gables.
- A Roof with an Open Gable An empty gable roof is identical to a boxed gable roof, minus the end boxes.
- These roofs typically have open, sloping ends that meet the walls.
- Since there is no discernible difference between the two, your choice should be based only on aesthetics.
- This decision is purely ornamental, as there is no practical difference between this and a roof with closed ends.
Frequently Asked Questions About Roof Styles
4 Types of Roofs
- Gable Roof.
- Mansard Roof.
- Flat Roof.
- Hip Roof.
The aforementioned styles – gable roofs, hip roofs, jerkinhead roofs, mansard roofs, gambrel roofs, and saltbox roofs – are all pitched roofs.
But the most common type of roof you see on homes today is an asphalt roof. An asphalt roof is a roof system made primarily out of asphalt shingles and other asphalt roofing components. Its popularity is simply because it's the most cost-effective type of roof for the average homeowner.
A gable roof has two sloped sides and forms a triangular shape. It's the most simple roof and one of the most common.
If you are not sure about what type of roof design or roof style you have, below are 13 different types of roofs.