April
14
A roof is a roof, right? Yes, but there’s more to it than that. In the most basic sense, the roof is the top cover of a building. It serves to provide protection for the people and property underneath, adds insulation value, and also delivers needed structural support for your building.
Your roof plays a big role in helping determine the curb appeal of your structure, too. A roof can comprise up to 40% of a building’s exterior, so the look of your roof matters. Roofs come in all sorts of shapes, styles, and designs, so let’s look closer at some of the roofing types in common use on homes across America today.
Residential roofing styles
What’s the difference between residential and commercial roofing? It mainly comes down to roof size and slope. Residential roofs are almost always pitched, while commercial roofs cover much more square footage and are often flat or low-slope roofs.
Here are some of the most common types of residential roofs:
⇒ Gable roofs and gable variations
If you ask a child to draw a house with a roof, what they’re likely to produce is some form of gable roof. It’s basically triangular on one end (that’s the gable part), with the base resting on top of the house, where the two sides rise to meet in a ridge. The gable roof is the most popular in America, but there are many gable roof variations. There are clipped gable roofs, Dutch gable roofs, cross-gabled roofs, butterfly roofs, and many more.
⇒ Hip Roofs
Hip roofs are similar to gable roofs, and not surprisingly they rank second in terms of roof type popularity. Both styles of roofs have simple sloped sides which meet at ridges. The key difference is that a hip roof has four sides instead of two, with no gable ends. The angle where two sides meet is known as a roof “hip.” Thus, a hip roof takes more of a rectangular shape than a gable roof. Just as there are many possible variations with gable roofs, hip roofs can take different shapes too. These hip roof variations include pyramid roofs and bonnet roofs, among others.
⇒ Gambrel Roofs
If you can envision a classic red barn, it’s probably covered with a gambrel roof. This type of roof design features dual roof slopes on each side, with the upper slope being more gentle and the lower slope being much steeper. Gambrel roofs have been popular for barns, sheds, and outbuildings for generations, but they’re also well-liked for residential home roofs. Folks like the classic look and aesthetic distinctiveness, and they also appreciate the built-in loft space a gambrel roof affords.
⇒ Mansard Roofs
The mansard roof shares many similarities with a gambrel roof. The main difference is that a mansard roof has four sides, while a typical gambrel roof only has two. In fact, many describe a mansard roof as being nothing more than a four-sided gambrel roof. But however you describe them, mansard roofs are also popular for the fact that they allow homeowners to make full use of the upper story, while still allowing for ample attic space.
⇒ Saltbox Roofs
Saltbox roofs became common in colonial times thanks to the influx of Europeans who were already accustomed to this roof style. The sides of a saltbox roof are asymmetrical. There’s a central ridge with a gable roof, but the back side is markedly shorter than the front side. Also, the front roof face reaches all the way down to the ground floor. In some cases, the longer front side will break to include another roof section with an even flatter slope. For many, the saltbox roof is still a very practical approach, and that’s why it’s still well-liked today.
⇒ Skillion Roofs
Ever heard of a skillion roof? It’s also commonly known as a mono-pitched roof, a lean-to roof, or a shed roof. These single-sloped roofs are common on sheds and storage buildings, but they’re increasingly being used for residential and commercial builds. Skillion roofs provide very effective water drainage, allow for easy installation of skylights or solar panels, and also allow for more interesting window placement opportunities directly beneath the roof. They can also be extended to provide additional coverage for patios and porches.
⇒ Flat Roofs
Flat roofs aren’t completely flat, and they aren’t just for commercial buildings either. But because of their very low slope, flat roofs do need to be covered by something other than overlapping shingles. Common flat roofing materials like rubber membrane or other single-ply options can work for some residential roofs, but metal roofing is also a very effective choice for low-slope roofs of all designs.
Skywalker Delivers the Best Roofing Solutions for all Roof Styles in NC & VA
No matter what roof style or design you have, or which material you want to use for your roof replacement, Skywalker Roofing has you covered in NC & VA. While some roofing companies limit themselves to shingle roofing, with Skywalker there really are no limits to what you can do. We’re trained, equipped, and experienced in installing shingle roofs, standing seam metal roofs, wood shakes, slate, clay & concrete tiles, synthetic roofing, flat roofing, and more. Ready to make a plan for your perfect roofing solution? We’re here to make it happen for you! We also offer some attractive financing plans to help you be able to afford the quality roof you really need.
And Skywalker does more than just roofing. We also offer other valuable home improvement services, including gutter & gutter guard installation, siding replacement, windows & exterior doors replacement, deck & porch additions, blown insulation services, and more. Take a look at what our satisfied customers have to say about us on Guild Quality, and then go ahead and give us a call at +1 (336) 627-5596. Get in touch today, and experience the Skywalker difference for yourself!
