Description of a Gambrel Roof

Gambrel Roof Origination

• The word gambrel comes from a Latin word meaning “horse’s leg.” When you observe one side of the gambrel roof, you might see why this is so. The first gambrel roof likely appeared on homes built by Europeans in Indonesia and was used to facilitate removal of smoke from cooking and heating. Gambrel roofs have been used in North America since the late 1600s.

Dual Slopes

• A gambrel roof has dual slopes on each side of the roof. The lower side of the roof slopes at a steeper angle than the upper part of the roof. The lower, steeply pitched part of a gambrel roof can act as walls, which can add to the storage or living space of the building. The shallow pitched top section of the roof makes a much smaller attic section when compared to other types of roofs.

Gambrel Roof Angles

• Gambrel roof angles vary from building to building. The two sections of each roof rafter in a true gambrel roof are of equal length and have 22 1/2 degree end cuts. Regardless of the angle or pitch of gambrel roof you desire, the two angle cuts on the lower portion of the rafter and the two angles cuts on the upper section must all equal 90 degrees.

Gambrel Roof Use

• One of the most recognizable uses of a gambrel roof in North America may be in barn construction. In order to have a large loft for storage, many barns use a gambrel roof design because of the high headroom associated with this type of roof. You may see gambrel roofs used on garages or storage sheds for this same purpose. Many older Dutch Colonial-style homes also use a gambrel roof. Most of the space under a gambrel roof can be used as living space, as opposed to just attic space in other types roofs.