It’s not difficult to see that there’s a wide variety of different roof types and shapes. You may see quite a few different kinds in your own neighbourhood. Here, we’re going to look at some of the most common kinds of roofs and the advantages and disadvantages every one has to lend to your home.
Gabled roof
One of the most traditional styles of roof, a gable roof consists of two roof surfaces coming up to meet at a single point and are one of the most effective options for areas that see a lot of rain or snowfall. This is because their pitched shape makes drainage very easy, preventing leaks and puddles. However, their weakness is that they don’t offer a lot of attic space due to that steep pitch, meaning there’s very little usable room beneath.
Gambrel roof
More common on barns or more spacious, older homes, the gambrel roof doesn’t feature quite as steep a pitch as the gabled roof. Rather, the pitch of the roof is broken up into two angles. There’s a steeper pitch at the bottom, then a shallower one at the top. Though they offer a lot more interior attic space, they are much harder and costlier to construct.
Mansard roof
Mansard roofs break up the pitch of the surface with two angles but are slightly different. The bottom pitch is much steeper, and the shallower pitch at the top is much wider. This means that you can offer more horizontal interior space while limiting the overall height of the roof. It’s a more contemporary design, offering more headroom than a gabled roof, but without the extra height of a gambrel.
Hip roof
The hip roof has become a lot more popular as of late and is the most common choice for newly built homes. This has four slopes, one for each side, all of an equal length and coming to meet at a central ridge at the top. They are more stable than gable roofs and are very effective at protecting the interior in areas that see a lot of rain, wind or snow. However, they are more expensive than a gable roof and don’t offer quite as much interior space as a gambrel or mansard.
Flat roof
As the name suggests, these roofs consist of a single surface. However, most flat roofs aren’t truly flat but have a slight slope to help drain water. Traditionally, they have been built using felt or bitumen, but GRP or fibreglass has recently shown to be much stronger and more resilient. GRP does away with the traditional weakness of flat roofs, which is that they are more prone to leaks. Larger flat roofs require a little more work to sustain the increased pressure on them, but they are efficient and cost-effective for sheds, extensions, and smaller properties.
Even within the types of roofs named above, there are many different variations, including different materials that can be used. If you’re looking at new roofing options, ensure you research the options available behind any of your choices so you know exactly what you’re getting.
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