# Roof Pitch Types
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About Roof Pitch
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The pitch of a roof is the angle at which the slopes are shaped and can be broadly categorized as either high or low. A higher pitch or slope gives the building more space inside, which can be beneficial if your home design includes a loft or a cathedral ceiling. High-pitched roofs shed snow and rain more efficiently and are less likely than low-pitched roofs to develop leaks. Low-pitched roofs require less material than higher pitched roofs, making them more affordable to build. They also reduce the building's total cubic footage, which makes the structure easier to heat or cool.
Gable
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Gable roofs often have a high pitch, enabling the attic space to be larger. A gable roof has two roof surfaces of the same size and pitch, with a ridge along the center of these slopes with gables, or triangular sections, at each end. The ridge is where the two roof surfaces meet and runs along the length of the structure. It is the simplest type of pitched roof in design and can be used on most types of structures.
Hip
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A pyramidal hip roof is angled equally at all corners, and the hips all meet at a single peak. Hip roofs typically have four sloping sides and have no vertical ends like a gable roof. The hip is the angle at which each sloped side meets the adjacent side. Because it is braced by four hip rafters, a hip roof is a very strong type of pitched roof. The hip rafters are sloped at a 45-degree angle from each corner of the structure up to the ridge. The hipped roof might be several shapes. The most common shape of hip roof creates a rectangular structure where the ridge meets two hips at each end.
Intersecting
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Intersecting roofs appear to have several roofs over a single structure. Combining a gable and a valley or a hip and a valley is called an intersecting roof. The valley in this pitched roof is formed where two different sections of roof meet, typically at a 90-degree angle. This type of pitched roof is more complicated to construct, requiring more labor and time.
Shed
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A shed roof is also referred to as a lean-to because it has only one slope. Typically a shed roof is used to frame large buildings under a single roof in situations where temporary or rapid construction is needed. Often it is used in additions or sheds and is supported by walls or posts. The supports on one side are higher than those on the opposite side.
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