7 Most Common and Popular Roof Types Explained

If you’re having your house completely renovated or you’re building a new one, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the different roof types. Each roofing type has its own pros, cons, and distinctive look.

However, choosing the ideal roofing style for your home might look like a daunting task for you. To help you choose the perfect roofing type, we’ve come up with this article. Here, you’ll find a list of different types of roofs.

Choosing the right type will not only help create a welcoming environment in your home but also affect the function and performance of your home against the elements. So, remember, when you are choosing the roofing type for your home, consider everything, be it aesthetics, durability, strength, etc.

1. Gable Roof

A typical triangular roof that you see on many houses in the United States is the gable roof. This basic type of roofing uses all types of materials, including asphalt shingles, cedar shingles or shakes, concrete, clay, or slate roof tiles. The best part about this type of roof is that it will keep your home free of standing water and snow because of its triangular shape.

Another great advantage of the gable roof is that it is super easy to install and offers a timeless look to your home. Plus, you don’t need to bring a lot of materials to install this roof, making it one of the most affordable roof types.

However, when we talk about gable roofs, this is further classified into four types: crossed gables, side gables, Dutch roofs, and front gables.

2. Flat Roof

As the name suggests, flat roofs are the ones having little slope or pitch to allow for water and snow run-off. They have a slight slope to prevent water from collecting on the roof. These roof types are made from materials like EPDM rubber or TPO, tar, gravel, metal sheets, roll roofing, and PVC roofing membrane.

The biggest advantage of having flat roofs is that they allow you to add on levels to your home. This is among those architectural roof styles that look completely flat but are not flat. However, if you have installed natural stone paving on your outdoors, you should choose your roofing material and color accordingly.

3. Skillion Roof

This type of roof is also known as a shed roof or a lean-to roof. They are single-angled sloped roofs that can be used as an alternative to flat roofs for standalone structures or linked to taller walls. These are some of the roof types that provide a modern touch to your area while being simple and affordable to construct.

Because it enables the installation of PV solar panels, which improves your home’s energy efficiency, metal roofing is probably the finest material for a skillion roof if you want to construct a sturdy, standing seam roof.

4. Gambrel Roof

Gambrel roofs have a pretty similar gable roofing style. The difference is that gambrel roofing has two sets of symmetrical slopes on each side of the roof. This roofing style has a steep lower slope that is almost vertical and an upper slope. With this roofing style, you can create extra living space or storage in the form of an attic, garret, or loft.

The most popular materials for this sort of roofing include metal, slate, and asphalt shingles. The gambrel roof’s simplified design also permits the use of only two roof beams, but it also leaves the roof extremely exposed to enormous stress in heavy winds.

5. Butterfly Roof

As the name suggests, butterfly roofs are v-shaped roofs with two raised wings. This roofing style is ideal for contemporary houses and for houses in desert climates, as the valley in the center allows for water to be collected. The butterfly roof is among the roof types that bring a distinctive touch to your home. It allows you to build larger windows that result in more natural light entering your home.

6. Mansard Roof

Architect Francois Mansert designed this roofing style; hence, it got the name mansard roof. It has four sides with double slopes that come together to create a low-pitched roof in the center. Mansard roofs are among the popular roof types because they allow for easy future expansion construction. They are valued for the additional living space (also known as a garret or loft) or attic storage they provide.

The sides of that slope may be straight or curved, but they are usually steeper on the lower slope. Concave, convex, and straight angles are just a few of the different silhouettes that mansard roofs can have. If you intend to use the garret or attic as living space, keep in mind that adding dormer windows is vital for bringing in light.

7. Hip Roof

Four equally sloped sides that meet at a ridge in the middle make up a hip roof. It resembles a pyramid almost, but not entirely. A little flat ridge will be formed where two sides meet, and the other two will meet at this point.

When looking at your home, the majority of your roof’s surface will be visible because hip roofs have a much milder slope than other kinds. Because of the greater visibility, it’s important to choose a roofing color and material that you like because it contributes significantly to your home’s curb appeal.

However, if you have limewash brick on your exterior walls, consider choosing a roofing material that perfectly matches the wall.

Conclusion

These are some of the common and popular roof types that many homeowners, architects, and designers prefer. However, these architectural roof styles vary by climate and personal taste. So, to choose an ideal roofing style for your home, it’s important to discuss it with professionals.