Roof Types: All Roof Styles Explained

It’s no coincidence that the phrase ‘a roof over one’s head’ holds so much weight. The roof is arguably the most important part of a house, the reason why houses are even made - to protect us from the elements.

So, when building your house, knowing how roofs are made, what types there are, and what they’re good for is a must. Here’s a list of the most common roof types.

Gable roof

A gable roof is the most common type of roof. You know how a child draws a house - one door, two windows and a chimney with smoke coming out? They always draw a gable roof.

The gable roof has two sections. When looking at the front of the house, the front wall and the two sides create a triangle shape. The part where the two sides meet is called the ridge.

They’re easy to build, easy to install and provide excellent ventilation. They’re also highly effective at moving snow and water. Because of the ease of their construction, they are the cheapest type of roof around.

They come in a variety of pitches, i.e., the angles that the two sides form. The pitch determines the roof’s durability in specific weather conditions. The higher pitches are better at withstanding high snowfall but not very good at staying put when strong winds blow.

Hip roof

This is the second most common type of roof. The hip roof has four downward sloping sides. The sides meet at the top and form a ridge, just like gable roofs.

Hip roofs are much more durable in strong wind conditions than gable roofs. That’s why if you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes, a hip roof might be the safest option.

They are more expensive to build than gable roofs, however.

Dutch gable roof

A dutch gable roof is a mix between a gable roof and a hip roof. It has four sides on the bottom, with a two-sided peak. The two sided gable portion of the roof creates extra attic space, as well as a space for another window to let more light in.

This is very aesthetically pleasing roof design, but a difficult one to make correctly. The complexity and number of sides it has creates more potential weak points. These weak points are in danger of letting water and air through, if not constructed or maintained correctly.

Mansard roof

A mansard roof is a hip roof with two slopes. A four sided roof with a ‘double slope,’ this type of roof is usually connected with Victorian era homes.

Mansard roofs turn an attic into a livable space. If you want to have an extra floor to rent, or just need the space for your family, a mansard roof is the option for you.

Unfortunately, mansard roofs are poor at handling large amounts of snowfall. They’re also quite difficult to build, which makes them more expensive.

Gambrel roof

Just like a mansard is a hip roof with an extra slope, a gambrel roof is a gable roof with two slopes. It’s the type of roof you most often see on barns.

It’s easier to make than a mansard roof, while also allowing for more living space. It does not, however, withstand the elements as well as a regular old gable roof.

Shed roof

A shed roof is a single sided roof design. It only has one slope which starts at a higher wall and ends at a lower wall on the other side. The rooms they create underneath them are thus lopsided - the ceiling is much higher on one end than on the other.

This is a style of roof most commonly used on - you guessed it - sheds. Outhouses usually also have this type of roof design.

While it is cheap and easy to construct, it is not the recommended style of choice for larger buildings. Their largest pitfall is that they act as a large sail in strong wind conditions - the bigger the roof, the bigger the sail. That makes them unsuitable for larger buildings.

Flat roof

Although their name implies that they are flat, they are always slanted to one side to allow for water drainage. Flat designs are used in commercial roofing and even some contemporary residential architecture.

They’re easy to design and build, and they allow you to create extra living space on top. You can build a garden on your roof when it’s flat! The downside is that they require constant maintenance - the lack of slopes makes them extremely vulnerable to the elements. The drainage systems must be periodically checked and fixed.

Conclusion

The easiest and most effective type of roof is definitely the good old gable roof. Its only weakness being wind low wind resistance, the two slope gable roof is the most common and most functional.

However, there are many other, more aesthetic choices you can make when designing the roof for your first house.