Architectural Features-ROOF

A roof is a key structural and protective element of a house, but it also contributes significantly to the house’s style.

Gable: A Gable roof is one of the most common roof styles, and features two sloped planes that meet at an elevated point. The gable is the triangular area beneath the sloped roof that follows the roofline. A Front Gable roof has the front door positioned beneath this triangular area, and a Side Gable Roof has the front door beneath one of the sloping roof sides. Gable roofs are common to Center Hall Colonial homes (the 5-4-and-a-Door style common in 1970-1990 construction).

Cross Gable: When two or more gable rooflines come together, the resulting style is Cross Gable. When a home maintains a solely rectangular shape, the gable roofline will be a single gable. With an addition or exterior protrusion (such as a porch or deck) from this rectangular shape is present, the result is usually a Cross Gable roof.

Gambrel: The Gambrel roof is the distinguishing characteristic of a Dutch Colonial home; this sectioned, sloping roof style is often common in barns.

Hipped: Hipped roofs have four sloping panes, and are common to French Provincial style homes. They are also used as a differentiating feature on Center Hall Colonial homes (the 5-4-and-a-Door style common in 1970-1990 construction).

Mansard: Mansard roofs have a flat, rectangular top section flanked by four deeply sloping sides. Mansard roofs sometimes encase not only the attic area of a home, but the deeply sloping sides of some Mansard roofs serve as the actual exterior of the second floor, with windows installed into the Mansard roof just as they would be installed into an exterior wall.

Pavilion-Hipped: Similar to the actual point and sloping sides of a canopy top, a Pavilion-Hipped roof features four deeply sloping sides that meet at a distinct point at the top of the roofline. They are commonly used on smaller sreuctures outside a home, such as a detached garage, pool house, or shed.

Saltbox: A Saltbox roofline is a gabled roof that tops a colonial home that is two-stories high at the front of the house, and one-story high at the rear. Due to the different heights of the front and rear of the home, the two roof planes have different angles and different lengths.

This article is based on research from numerous sources, including but not limited to: REALTOR.org®, WindowAndDoor.com, JackieCraven.com, Architecture.About.com, CalFinder.com, Roof101.com, RealtorBenefitsProgram.org, GuideToColumns.com, bhg.com.

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