Roof Types and Definitions

Bonnet Roof: A type of roof with a double slope on each side, with the lower slope having a gentler pitch. Often seen on French-inspired homes.

Butterfly Roof: A V-shaped roof with two sections sloping down towards a central valley, resembling the wings of a butterfly.

Clerestory Roof: A roof design featuring a vertical wall with windows between two sloping sides, providing additional natural light.

Combination Roof: A roof that combines two or more different roofing styles, offering both functional and aesthetic benefits.

Curved Roof: A roof with a smooth, curved shape, providing a modern and distinctive look.

Dome Roof: A rounded, hemispherical roof often seen on religious buildings and some modern homes.

Dutch Gable Roof: A combination of a gable roof and a hip roof, featuring a gable at the top of a hipped roof section.

Flat Roof: A roof with little to no pitch, often used on commercial buildings and modern homes, requiring special materials to ensure proper drainage.

Gable Roof: A classic roof shape with two sloping sides that form a triangular end wall(gable).Gambrel Roof: A roof with two slopes on each side, the lower slope having a steeper pitch. Commonly seen on barns and Dutch Colonial homes.

Half-Hipped Roof: A variation of a hipped roof where the gable end is cut short by the sloping roof section.

Hexagonal Roof: A roof with six sides, often used for gazebos and other small structures.

Hip Roof: A roof with slopes on all four sides, which are all equal in length and come together at the top to form a ridge.

Jerkinhead Roof: A roof with a clipped gable, where the peak of the gable is truncated and slopes down towards the sides.

Mansard Roof: A roof with two slopes on each of the four sides, the lower slope being steeper than the upper slope, creating extra living space in the attic.

Monitor Roof: A roof with a raised central section running along the ridge, often with windows or louvers to provide ventilation and natural light.

Parapet Roof: A flat roof with a low protective wall (parapet) along the edges.

Pavilion Roof: A hip roof where all four sides have equal slopes that meet at a centralpoint, forming a pyramid shape.

Saltbox Roof: An asymmetrical gable roof with one side longer than the other, creating a distinctive, uneven profile.

Shed Roof: A single sloping roof, also known as a lean-to roof, often used for additions or extensions.

Skillion Roof: A single, sloping roof, similar to a shed roof, but often used on larger structures for a modern, minimalist look.

Soffit Roof: Not a roof type itself but refers to the underside of the roof overhang, which can be vented to allow air to circulate through the attic.

Sawtooth Roof: A roof with a series of ridges with dual pitches, resembling the teeth of a saw, often used in industrial buildings for natural light.

Tented Roof: A roof with steeply pitched slopes that meet at a central point, creating a pyramid or tent-like shape.

Tudor Roof: A steeply pitched roof with multiple gables, often found on Tudor-style homes, featuring decorative half-timbering.

Vaulted Roof: A roof with an arched shape, providing an open and airy interior space.

Winged Gable Roof: A gable roof with extended eaves on each side, creating a distinctive winged appearance.

Zinc Roof: Not a specific shape but refers to a roof made from zinc, known for its durability, corrosion resistance, and attractive appearance.