A roof is an essential part of any house, and the quality of your roof can greatly affect the comfort level of your home. After all, a strong roof is necessary for you to stay protected from the forces of mother nature.
There are many different types of roofs, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. In this article, we’ll cover some of the most common roof types. Knowledge of these styles can help in increasing your options and choosing the one that suits your home the best.
Later we will also tell you about the most popular roofing materials that our roofers at SouthShore Roofing & Exteriors install, and other services we provide.
Importance Of Choosing The Right Roof Type
Building a strong home’s roof is an important task. Installing a new roof is not only a costly process but a long-term investment. This is because it is not easy or financially viable to change your roof often. This is why you need to select the right type of roof the first time. So let us take a look at 8 different roof types.
Roof Types That You Should Know
If you are thinking of building a new roof or are looking to change the style of the existing roof system, then it would be beneficial for you to take a look at some popular roof types. While some of these styles you may have heard of before, there are some that are completely new.
Gable Roofs
Let us start with one of the most common roof types in North America, the gable roof. A gable roof is one that you can identify easily as it has a shape that somewhat resembles the letter ‘A’ of the alphabet.
They have a triangular shape and are usually made of numerous materials such as shingles and metal. A gable roof has two sloped sides and two straight sides. The sloped sides meet at the top, where they form a peak, or “gable.” There are many ways to build a gable roof, and over the years, this has been further reinvented into other roof types.
Gable roofs have two slopes, so rainwater and snow won’t pile up on them during winter. This is because the water can easily flow off the side slopes of the gable roof.
Pros
Simple Design: Gable roofs consist of two sloped sides that meet at an apex at the top of the structure. This design is simple and easy to build.
Cost-Friendly: Thanks to its simplistic design, the gable roof is one of the most affordable roof types. This type of roof also requires less roofing material.
Cons
Durability Issues: Another disadvantage is that they are not as durable as other types of roofs. They are not suitable for windy areas.
Hip Roofs
This is another type of roof that is preferred by a majority of homeowners. A hip roof is a type of roof that slopes down all sides of a building. That is, a hipped roof is a four-sided roof that slopes on all four sides – two that are straight and two that slope. This creates a triangular shape where all four roofs meet at one point, creating a hip or ridge.
There are a few different types of hip roofs we can choose. Among the most popular is the half-hipped or pyramid roof. A hip roof offers better performance and structural stability and can withstand tough weather conditions.
Pros
Durable Nature: On a hip roof, there are four slopes. This helps to make the roof more durable, and it can easily face conditions such as heavy wind and storms.
Cons
Compex Installation: This is one of the roof types that are not easy to build. It has a complex structure and requires expert installation.
Expensive: Since it has a complex structure and a wider roof, it costs more than the gable roofing system.
Dutch Roofs
In the above section, we have discussed two of the most popular roofing types. The next roof type, we can say, involves characteristics of both gable and hip roofs. Dutch gables are a variant of the gable roof.
The Dutch gable is a type of roof with a slight variation in pitch, which creates a flatter upper wall than a traditional gable roof.
In this type of roofing system, a small gable is created at both ends while allowing the slope at all four sides. Due to this, you will get more attic space than the traditional hip roof.
Pros
Combines The Benefits Of Hip and Gable Roof: A dutch style combines the benefits of both dutch and gable roofs. In this type of roofing system, a small gable is created at both ends while allowing the slope at all four sides. Due to this, you will get more attic space than the traditional hip roof.
More Sunlight: Arguably, one of the most important of these is that they provide better ventilation as well as sunlight due to their broad structure.
Cons
Tough To Install: These roofs are sturdy and durable, but they are also difficult to install — and the expense of labor can get out of hand quickly.
Mansard Roofs
France is known for a lot of things, but one of the major things the country is known for is its exceptional architecture. A mansard roof is derived from French architecture. This originated way back in the 17th century but is now popularly used in the United States of America.
The mansard roof is a type of roof that features two slopes on each side of the roof. The lower slope is steeper, and the upper slope is more shallow. This type of roof usually has four sides, but in rarity, there can be five sides as well. It can be used to make an attic space or an extra living space.
Pros
Creates Extra Space: A mansard roof can be added to any home, and it’s a great way to add extra living space without having to build an addition or expand horizontally.
Visual Appeal: They look great! Mansard roofs have a distinctive shape that gives any structure a unique appearance—making them perfect for homeowners who want a traditional yet distinctive roofing style.
Cons
Costly: They’re more expensive than normal roofs because they require more materials (such as shingles) and labor hours for installation;
Gambrel Roofs
This is the most common type of roof, with two slopes that meet at a ridge in the middle. These can be gabled or hipped and are generally found on single-story buildings with low ceilings. The triangular shape at the top of this type of roof is called a gable (which is where it gets its name).
A gambrel roof has two pitches instead of one, creating an arch overhang similar to what you might find on barns or garages. This style was popular during colonial times because it looks so great with wooden clapboard siding!
Pros
Affordability: Like a gable roof, this is also one of the roof types that only have a slope on two sides. This means that it will be relatively easy to install. Thus, it will require less labor which can reduce your overall cost.
Storage Space: This is the reason these roof types are used in bars. The roof becomes steeper as it goes down which aid in increasing the storage capacity.
Easy Drainage: Due to its style it can expedite the drainage process.
Cons
Problem Of Snow Buildup: This roof is not suitable for areas that receive heavy snowfall. Due to the type of the slope, there can be difficult to keep snow away and it may lead to snow buildup.
Jerkinhead
This is also a modification of the old gable roof. It is also referred to as a clipped gable roof.
This has been around for quite some time, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Though not popular earlier, this has become one of the widely used roof systems in American homes. Jerkinhead roofs are now present in just about every state.
Clipped-gable roofs have a rather technical and complex design, but they’re easy to understand. The roof, like Dutch roof types, also borrows elements from both gables and hip roofs: it has two main sides that rise up to meet a ridge, but they now have the added detail of short hips at their ends.
The stable and handsome design is often seen in bungalows, Craftsman houses, and colonial-inspired designs — especially around coastal areas.
Pros
Traditional/Historic Look: If you’re looking for a roof that’s both traditional and historic, look no further than jerkinhead roofs. These roofs are one of the most beautiful. Further, quality roofing materials will add to its beauty.
Better Wind Resistance: In a clipped gable roof, there are many curves and bends that help provide stability to the structure. This helps your roof to fare better against strong winds.
Cons
Expensive: These types of roofs require skilled contractors to make them. Also, the material installation is also tough, making it an expensive system.
Maintenance Can Be Tough: The intricate type of roof makes it difficult to maintain. Also, repairs and replacement can be taught too.
Salt Box
Most of the roof types are known for their traditional and uniform nature. However some types are popular because of their unique design, a Saltbox type is one of them. Saltbox roofs are a style of roof that has two sides that rise higher than the other two. The lower two sides are usually slanted, while the upper two sides are vertical. The roof is typically covered with shingles.
Saltbox roofs are a type of roof that is shaped like the letter “L”. The upper part of the roof is shorter than the lower part.
Pros
Performs Well In Colder Climate: Saltbox houses are built for harsh winter environments since the roof structure is suited to heavy snowfall and rain. With its vertical slope design, there’s no flat surface for the snow to stick — meaning that the roof stays cleaner and prevents freezing.
Cons
Reduced Space: With its design, it should not come as a surprise to you that a Saltbox roof will reduce the space of the second story of your residential property.
Flat Roofs
We have talked about a variety of roofs, how can we forget about the simplest of the roof structures that are highly preferred by the people, i.e, a flat roof.
Flat roofs are roofs that are at the same level as the rest of the house. A flat roof has no inclines or declines. However, the name flat roof is misleading as it is not completely flat. These roofs have a little slope, usually 1/4th of an inch. This is why they are called low slope roofs.
These roofing systems are of prime importance in commercial spaces and are now being used in residential properties as well.
Pros
Easy To Install: Flat roofs can be installed in just a few hours. Just lay down the roofing material, secure it with screws and nails, and you’re done! The only tools you’ll need are a screwdriver and hammer.
Low Maintenance: Because flat roofs have no valleys, they don’t require any additional maintenance beyond cleaning off any debris that may have fallen on top of them.
Cons
Prone To Leaks: Due to no slope, there can be chances of standing water. This can cause leaks. Also, there is difficulty in repairs, for example, if your flat roof gets damaged, it might not be as easy to repair as a sloped roof would be.
Install The Best Roofing Material On Your Home’s Roof
We hope that this blog has helped you in gaining insights about some of the most popular as well as up-and-coming types of roofs. There is no single best roofing option. The perfect roofing system is one that is suitable for your home and your needs.
If you are searching for roofing contractors that can not only understand your vision but also match it then be sure to contact SouthShore Roofing & Exteriors.
We are a team of one of the best roof installers in Tampa, FL. With years of experience and thousands of happy customers, our crew is expertly trained to install the best roofing materials on your home’s roof. These include the following:
Contact us now at (813) 400-3329 and schedule a free roof inspection today.
