Roof Types

Roof types describe the geometric form of a roof. The shape affects appearance, cost, drainage, and usable attic space.

Common pitched roof types

• Gable — two sloping planes meeting at a central ridge, forming triangular end walls
• Hip — slopes on all four sides meeting at a ridge or point
• Mansard — a four-sided gambrel-style roof with two slopes on each side
• Gambrel — a two-sided roof with a shallower upper slope and steeper lower slope, common on barns
• Shed (skillion) — a single sloping plane
• Butterfly — two inward-sloping planes meeting at a central valley

Low-slope types

• Flat — nearly level, drained by a slight slope or internal drains
• Low-slope — a gentle pitch often covered with membrane roofing

See also

• Roofing
• Roofing Materials
• Flat Roofs