According to psychologists, one of mankind’s basic needs is shelter, so it is no surprise that the search for a covering to our living space has existed for millennia. When mankind left caves and began to build, the roofs were basic, built from whatever was available. How times have changed.
There are many styles, but every roof is fundamentally designed to insulate and protect the occupants of the house, and to ensure adequate drainage of rainwater. The large area of a roof repels a lot of water, which must be directed in some suitable way, so that it does not cause damage or inconvenience, often enabling collection and recycling.
Even flat roofs of adobe dwellings usually have a slight slope, and in countries where the roof is used for recreation, it is often walled. Drainage holes must be provided in the roof to stop water from pooling and seeping through the porous roofing material.
As modern building designs have developed and materials become more reliable, roofing designers and builders have become more adventurous. Here is a selection: gable roof, hip roof, pyramid roof and gambrel roof.
The gable roof is probably the most common design around the world. It has two roof surfaces of the same size, that are pitched at the same angle back to back, making a ridge at the top and forming a triangular roof. This simple design is inexpensive and easy to construct, making it a popular choice. The design drains water well and provides good roof space for storage and ventilation.
A hipped roof has all sides sloping down to meet the walls below. It is more difficult to build than the gable roof but building the walls for such a house is actually easier as they are all the same height. The uniform height around the bottom means that gutters can be attached around the entire house, improving speed of draining. This combined with the strength of the design make this style popular in high wind and rainfall areas. Hip roofs offer less internal roof space, making maintenance more difficult and offering less storage space.
Pyramid hipped roofs have four sloping sides meeting at a point, hence the name. This style is more often used for small buildings, such as garages, or as one of several roofs on a larger building.
The mansard roof is named after architect Francois Mansart who made it popular in France through his designs of the 17th century. A mansard roof has two distinctly different slopes on each side. The higher portion of the roof has a very steep pitch often with dormer window bays attached, while the lower area has a low slope, just enough for water runoff. Mansard roofs have large attic space, commonly designed as an integral part of the house. This type of roof is not recommended for areas that have heavy snowfall, as snow build up could occur on the lower section of the roof and cause damage or collapse.
The gambrel roof derives its name from the Latin word gamba, meaning an animal leg or hoof. Like the mansard roof, it has two distinctly different slopes on each of its two symmetrical sides. The bottom slope has a steep pitch, sometimes nearly vertical, while the top slope is lower. But unlike the mansard roof, the gambrel roof only utilizes this method on two sides of the structure rather than four. The gambrel is often seen on hay barns, providing ample space it for storage. Like the mansard, this space is normally used to provide additional rooms when the roof is used on a house.
