Are you about to be involved in a roofing project? If so, it's time to brush up on some of the terminology. It's not a must for the layperson to know everything there is to know about roofing before having yours repaired or replaced, but it's always good to have a working knowledge in order to hold your own in the process of finding and working with a roofer.
Let's take a look at some of the many shapes that roofs come in. There are two basic shape groups and within those subcategories of each. The two main groups are gabled and hipped.
Gabbled Roof
The term €gabled roof€ refers to the family of houses classified by the straight slope that goes from ridge to eave. This creates a peak or triangle if you look from the side. The side that this triangle can be seen is what differentiates the types of gabled roofs. With a side-gabled roof, the front door is located with the slope of the roof not on the gabled facade.
Front-Gabled Home - Next you have the front-gabled home. This is where the peak is facing the front of the home.
Cross-Gabled Roofs - Then you have homes with additional sections that cross perpendicular to the main section, each having its own gabled facade.
Gambrel - The gambrel shape roof is most noted for the look of barns. It has a broad upper story and side facade.
Hipped Roof
The hipped group of roof shapes doesn't have a peak at the roof junction on any side. Rather, the roof slopes on each side up to the top. Here are the three sub-categories of hipped roofs:
Simple - This type of hipped roof is where all four roof faces rise to a ridge across the top. They will often have broader faces across the front slope and narrower side sections.
Pyramidal - It looks like, you guessed it, a pyramid. The roof's four sides come to a point at the roof peak.
Cross-Hipped - This is a roof with multiple sections that cross the main section, not unlike the cross-gabled. Except that with the hipped roof, the profile is of a roof that slops back and up.
Mansard - This is a hipped roof with two distinct roof pitches - it's low-sloped from a flat top then it breaks to a steep pitch above the wall junction.
Saltbox - This is a gabled roof, but with asymmetrical roof faces. This asymmetry produces one facade that is two stories and drops to a single story or story and a half on the other side of the building.
Shed - The shed roof is a gabled roof with one roof face that falls away from the main building. This type is often used for porches and additions.
Flat - Here's a one-of-a-kind, or in other words, one that fits in its own category. A flat roof does not slope and may not have eaves.
Let's take a look at some of the many shapes that roofs come in. There are two basic shape groups and within those subcategories of each. The two main groups are gabled and hipped.
Gabbled Roof
The term €gabled roof€ refers to the family of houses classified by the straight slope that goes from ridge to eave. This creates a peak or triangle if you look from the side. The side that this triangle can be seen is what differentiates the types of gabled roofs. With a side-gabled roof, the front door is located with the slope of the roof not on the gabled facade.
Front-Gabled Home - Next you have the front-gabled home. This is where the peak is facing the front of the home.
Cross-Gabled Roofs - Then you have homes with additional sections that cross perpendicular to the main section, each having its own gabled facade.
Gambrel - The gambrel shape roof is most noted for the look of barns. It has a broad upper story and side facade.
Hipped Roof
The hipped group of roof shapes doesn't have a peak at the roof junction on any side. Rather, the roof slopes on each side up to the top. Here are the three sub-categories of hipped roofs:
Simple - This type of hipped roof is where all four roof faces rise to a ridge across the top. They will often have broader faces across the front slope and narrower side sections.
Pyramidal - It looks like, you guessed it, a pyramid. The roof's four sides come to a point at the roof peak.
Cross-Hipped - This is a roof with multiple sections that cross the main section, not unlike the cross-gabled. Except that with the hipped roof, the profile is of a roof that slops back and up.
Mansard - This is a hipped roof with two distinct roof pitches - it's low-sloped from a flat top then it breaks to a steep pitch above the wall junction.
Saltbox - This is a gabled roof, but with asymmetrical roof faces. This asymmetry produces one facade that is two stories and drops to a single story or story and a half on the other side of the building.
Shed - The shed roof is a gabled roof with one roof face that falls away from the main building. This type is often used for porches and additions.
Flat - Here's a one-of-a-kind, or in other words, one that fits in its own category. A flat roof does not slope and may not have eaves.
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