Type of Roof With Two Slopes & a Small Gable at Each End

Gable

• The gable is the triangular portion of the wall at the end of the roof. It may or may not feature windows or vents, depending on the individual house plan. The interior behind the gable is typically an attic with steep roof slopes that do not allow for much, if any, head space, except for that down the center of the structure beneath the roof's peak, or highest point. There are two types of gable roof: the traditional with its smooth ridge line, and the crow-step gable that has a stepped, or broken ridge line.

Purpose

• Roofs with gable construction were originally designed to shed heavy snowfalls from their pitched sides, and they still fulfill this fundamental purpose. The steep slopes of the pitch discourage the damaging effects of ice damming during cold, wet winters. Additional bracing on the ends of gable roofs makes them appropriate for windy or hurricane-prone areas as well. The traditional appearance of a gable roof gives a classic feel to any home.

Variations

• Direct variations of the gable roof include the intersecting roof and the gambrel roof. Intersecting roofs feature a second gable roof juxtaposed off the first. Only one end of this addition will feature a gable. The gambrel roof, most often seen on barns, consists of a two-part gable roof. The lower part of the roof features a much steeper pitch than the upper part. A gambrel roof increases attic or loft space; in barns, this considerable space is most often used for hay storage.

Additional Roof Styles

• With a high side and a low side, the shed roof features only one slope rather than two. Butterfly roofs are constructed by butting together two shed roofs on their low sides, creating a look more common to modern construction. Hip roofs slope down from the peak on all sides, eliminating gables altogether. They also serve to create a consistent eave overhang on all exterior walls of the home. The attic may be less spacious since the tallest part is located only in the center of the floor plan, or more spacious if the upper story does not utilize a drop ceiling. The mansard roof features two different slope angles on all pitched sides just as the gambrel roof does, and also increases the interior space.