Roof Types and Styles Explained

Gable, Hip, Mansard, Gambrel, Shed, Flat and Combination Roofs

Roof shape decides framing cost, wind performance, attic volume and which coverings are even permitted, so it is worth understanding before any other decision. This guide covers ten shapes: the gable, two planes and a ridge, cheapest to frame and easiest to ventilate; the hip, four slopes that brace one another and remove the tall gable wall wind pushes against; the dutch gable, a hip with a small gable at the ridge for light and headroom; the mansard, four sides each with a steep lower and shallow upper slope, which turns the roof into a full extra storey; the gambrel barn profile; the single slope shed or lean-to; the low slope flat roof that only membranes can cover; and the butterfly, saltbox and combination forms. Each entry lists what it is good at and what it costs you. The second half maps twelve roofing materials to their commonly cited lifespans and explains which slopes each one is allowed on, from membrane below 2:12 through to slate on steep decorative roofs.