A roof is a roof is a roof, right? Not quite. There’s a lot that goes into the shape and structure of a roof. Read on to find out more.
1. Flat Roof:
This is the simplest type of roof, and the most obvious. It’s easy to construct and turns the top of your house into a flat slab. The downside is because of its shape, debris like snow or leaves or water will inevitably settle on it, putting unnecessary strain on the roof through their weight and water content.
2. Shed Roof:
A flat roof tilted to one side, so it sits at a diagonal. Often the higher side of the roof butts up against the wall of a larger building.
3. Gable Roof:
This type of roof is distinguished by gables (a smaller roof that covers windows and doors) that jut out from the regular slope of the roof. In the modern age, gable roofs are extremely common, especially for suburban homes.
4. A-Frame Roof:
You’ve probably seen this kind of roof before on a church or picture of a cottage. It looks exactly like an A, with two steep sides that often touch the ground. It originated in cold climates where keeping snow from piling up was imperative. Here in South Florida, they’re unpopular because they offer a high surface area for hurricane winds to nab.
5. Gambrel Roof:
This the arched roof you see on most depictions of barns. Its curved shape allows it to maximize inside space while also shedding the worst of rain and debris.
6. Hip Roof:
It’s shaped like an Egyptian pyramid, but instead of the ridges from each of the four corners coming to a single point, they form a truncated line at the top. This cuts down on the height of the roof, while not sacrificing the structural soundness of the pyramid shape.
7. Mansard Roof:
A triangular-shaped roof whose edges flare out like the hem of a skirt. Unsurprisingly given its name, the Mansard roof originates in France.
8. Butterfly Roof:
An extremely rare type of roof shaped like a wide split V. It is sometimes called a trough roof for the trough that runs down its middle. Since it catches everything that falls on it, it is highly susceptible to water damage.
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