Roofer 411: Types Of Roofs

There are many different types of roofs to choose from.  Some of the choices are limited to geographic area and climate.  Others are used for outdoor storage units and outdoor spaces.

Mansard Roof

This type of roof is made up of four slopes, two on each side of the home. The lower slope is a steeper, more vertical slope than the upper slope. The upper slope may or may not be visible from the ground. This French style of roof allows for additional living space or storage space at the top of the house.

Gambrel

This type of roof is very similar to the Mansard Roof but is Dutch inspired. The core differences are that the gambrel has vertical gable ends and the roof hangs over the facade of the home whereas the Mandrel roof does not.

Saltbox

It is an asymmetrical long pitched roof with one short side and one very long side. Often times this result in a home that is one story in height on one side of the building and two stories on the other side.

Pyramid Roof

As the name suggests, this is a type of roof that is shaped like a pyramid. This type of roof is most commonly used on small structures such as a garage or pool house.

Hip Roof

This roof is very similar to the pyramid roof. The difference is that instead of coming to a point at the top the four sides meet at a ridge or a flat spot. This is architecturally more practical.

Bonnet Roof

This type of room is similar to the pyramid roof or hip roof. The difference is that two of the slides slope out at an angle. The most common purpose for this is to cover a veranda or outdoor porch area.

Flat Roof

This type of roof is obviously easy to identify! The benefits of a flat roof include that it’s easier to construct, safer if you’re going to stand on top of it and generally more accessible. The main drawback is that this type of roof requires more maintenance than other roofs in large part because debris will gather on the roof with nowhere to go.  Especially in regions that have snowy winter months.

Cross Gabled Roof

There are many types of gabled roofs (roofs that essentially look like triangles from the front of the home). The cross gabled roof is the most popular and is used in homes with extra wings so that each portion of the home has its own triangular gabled roof.

Arched Roof

The arched roof is typically only used on a portion of the home but definitely adds a great aesthetic touch the architecture of the house.

Skillion Roof

This type of roof is a single sloping roof surface. You can think of it as just one half of a triangular roof or you can think of it as a flat roof that has been inclined slightly. It is often used on just a portion of the home. One modern architectural option is to use skillion roofing on a multi-level home to create unique shapes and patterns for the home’s exterior.