At Apex Roofing we do not take it for granted that a roof is just to weather proof your building and that any type will do. We know doing West Cornwall Roofing that there are many roof types, all serving a different purpose and some more suitable to certain weather conditions and building styles.
Here are a few of the ones you might recognise…
Bonnet Roof
Bonnet roofs are essentially a mansard roof in reverse. Also known as kicked eaves, a bonnet roof has four sides with a steep upper slope, and a more gentle lower slope, providing cover around the edges of the house for a porch. This style is more commonly seen in builds from the 1700s, but is often seen as outdated for modern builders.
Box Gable Roof
Box gable roofs have two sloping sides that meet to form a ridge, with a triangular extension on either side that is boxed off from the walls. This type of roof is popular for areas with cold weather conditions, providing a stable design that deals well with rain and snow.
Butteryfly Roof
A butterfly roof, otherwise known as an inverted pitch roof, emulates the wings of a butterfly with two tandem pieces of roofing angled upwards to form a V-shape. The style is an eye-catching, modern look for buildings, and provides the added benefit of allowing larger walls and windows to a structure, with an easily managed way of harvesting rainwater through the middle channel in the roof.
Clerestory Roof
A clerestory roof has an interior wall built extending above one section of the roof, with this section of wall often lined with several windows, or one long window. The sections of roof either side of the vertical wall are typically sloping, allowing a large amount of natural light into the windows.
Combination Roof
A combination roof is, quite literally, a combination of types of roofs. Often incorporating two or more designs for aesthetics and practical reasons, combination roofs can feature a range of styles; a clerestory and hip roof, for example. This is a great option for a unique, interesting look.
Cross Gabled Roof
A cross gable roof is a design that consists of two or more gable roof ridges that intersect at an angle, most commonly perpendicular to one another. This type of roof is often seen in buildings with a more complex layout, for example, homes with an attached garage.
Cross Hipped Roof
A cross hipped roof is a common roof type, with perpendicular hip sections that form an ‘L’ or ‘T’ shape in the roof hip. This is a great option for buildings with a more complex layout than a simple rectangle of square, and is a type of roof that will hold well in rain, snow or windy conditions.
Curved Roof
A curved roof adds an extremely modern, interesting feature to any building. Modern roofs take advantage of the flexibility of metal materials, creating one large curved structure. Curved roofs do help to reduce resistance to wind, but are mainly chosen due to the stunning aesthetic look they can add to a building.
Dome Roof
A dome roof, unsurprisingly, is a roof in the shape of a dome. A complex and durable design, this type of roof adds a beautiful aesthetic to a building, and can be seen in many historical buildings from the Capitol Building in Washington DC, to the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Dormer
Dormers contain a window that projects vertically from a traditional pitched roof, creating an extended window in the roof. This type of roof is most popular in loft conversions, providing an easy way of expanding the space and natural light in the converted loft room.
Dutch Gable Roof
The Dutch gable (hip) roof is a hybrid of a gable and hip type of roof. A full or partial gable can be found at the end of the ridge in the roof, allowing for a greater amount of internal roof space. This style also improves the look of the roof, providing a more unique and interesting design than the very common simple hip roof.
Flat Roof
Flat roofs have just a slight pitch to allow water to run-off and drain. Although they are most commonly used for industrial and commercial buildings such as offices and warehouses, flat roofs can also be a popular roof type for homes – the flat space is perfect for a roof-top garden!
Front Gable
Front gable roofs have the roof ridge in line with the building’s entrance. This type of roof is commonly seen on Colonial-style homes, but is an increasingly popular design for modern buildings.
Gable Roof with Shed Roof Addition
Some gable roof designs have a shed roof addition on the side. This is a popular alteration to the standard gable roof, providing more headroom and space for an extension without having to completely alter the existing roof.
Gambrel Roof
Most commonly seen in Dutch barns, a gambrel roof is a symmetrical two-sided roof with a shallow upper-section, and steeper lower slope on each side. This design maximises on the space within the loft of a building, but are mostly used on outhouses and barns due to their unsuitability in heavy wind or snowfall areas.
Half Hipped Roof
A half hipped roof is almost identical to a simple hip roof design, but instead, the two sides of the roof are shortened, creating eaves at either side of the house. This type of roof provides more options for extending into the loft and installing windows, allowing a greater amount of natural light into the room.
Hexagonal Gazebo Roof
This complex roofing design makes any garden gazebo really stand out. Formed of six triangular identically pitched roof panels and six supporting rafters, this type of roof is most typically used for a beautifully unique gazebo addition to a home or commercial garden lawn.