Roofing Design Types & Terms

  • Gable: The upper portion of a sidewall that comes to a triangular point at the ridge of a sloping roof.
  • Hip Roof: A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each of four sides. A hip roof contains no gables.
  • Gable Roof: A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each side of the ridge. A gable roof typically contains a gable at each end.
  • Skillion Roof: A Skillion Roof slopes from one side of the building to the other in a single span and no ridge. As a result the external walls are of varying heights.
  • Lean-to Roof: A roof with one slope only that is built against a higher wall.
  • Jerkinhead Roof: Consists of a Gable Roof with a truncated Hip Roof section at the top to reduce the height of the Gable.
  • Dutch Gable: Is a combination of a Hip roof with a small Gable at the top and asloping roof below.
  • Gambrel roof: A type of roof containing two sloping planes of different pitch on each side of the ridge. The lower plane has a steeper slope than the upper. A gambrel roof usually contains a gable at each end, just like a standard gable roof.
  • Mansard roof: A type of roof containing two sloping planes of different pitch on each of four sides. The lower plane has a much steeper pitch than the upper, often approaching vertical. It contains no Gables.
  • Gazebo Roof: Often Hexagonal or Octagonal but usually symmetrical in their design.
  • Saltbox Roof: A type of roof with asymmetrical roof faces. The asymmetry produces one facade that is two stories high dropping to a single story. A saltbox roof contains a gable at each end.
  • Pyramid Hip Roof: A type of roof where all four sides come to a point at the roof peak.
  • Combination Roof: A combination of two or more roof types.
  • Dormer: A structural element that protrudes from the sloping plane of the roof surface.
  • Flat Roof: A type of roofthat has no slope and may terminate with or without eaves.
  • Shed Roof: A type ofgabled roof with a single roof face falling away from the main building.

Avoid these next types of roofs because they tend to collect water and are more susceptible to failure:

M-Shaped Roof: A type of roof similar to a double-pitched roof except that it rests on two load bearing walls only. It also features a central gutter at a right angle to the front facade.

Butterfly Roof: A type of roofformed by two gables that pitch sharply from either side toward the center to resemble a butterfly’s wings.

Roof TypePictures

Here’s a visual of each of these types of roofs. It’s worth noting that these roof types can be mixed and matched in a single, large home to create a unique look. For example, it’s not uncommon for a Gazebo roof to augment any one of these styles in a design.