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When choosing the type of roof for your new building, you may feel flustered in making the right choice. There are many different types of roofing—made structurally different and with varying materials. At Shencorp, we can help make sure you make the most efficient decisions when it comes to your roof. Keep reading to learn about the most popular types of roofs:

  1. Gable roofs
  2. Hip roofs
  3. Mansard roofs
  4. Gambrel roofs
  5. Flat roofs
  6. Skillion roofs
  7. Jerkinhead roofs
  8. Butterfly roofs
  9. Bonnet roofs
  10. Salt box roofs
  11. Sawtooth roofs
  12. Curved roofs
  13. Pyramid roofs
  14. Dome roofs
  15. Combination roofs

Gable Roofs

Also known as pitched or peaked roofs, gable roofs are easily recognized by their triangular shape. They shed water and snow easily and provide more space inside. With their relatively simple design, these roofs are easy to build and cheaper than more complex roof designs. However, gable roofs can be problematic in areas with high winds.

Hip Roofs

These types of roofs slope on all four sides, and the sides are all equal length and come together at the top to form a ridge. These roofs are more stable than gable roofs because the inward slope makes it more sturdy. However, these are more expensive to build than a gable roof because of their complex design.

Mansard Roofs

Also known as a French roof, this type of roof is four-sided with a double slope on each side. These can create much more living space inside the building, and they’re great for people who may add on to their home. However, the low-pitched part of the mansard roof isn’t great for heavy snowfall.

Gambrel Roofs

Also known as a barn roof. Much like a mansard roof, a gambrel has two different slopes. These types of roofs also provide extra living space, but this type of roof is not recommended for areas with heavy winds or significant snowfall.

Flat Roofs

Flat roofs are – you guessed it – flat! They do have a slight pitch to allow water to run off, though. These roofs are generally used on commercial buildings. They provide extra space on the top of buildings for things like patios, gardens, or a penthouse room.

Skillion Roofs

These are also referred to as a lean-to or a shed roof. Typically, skillion roofs are a single, sloping roof, which is usually attached to a wall. These are mostly used for home additions, porches, and sheds, but there has been a rise in using skillion roofs for modern style homes lately. These are easy to assemble and simply constructed. Because they have a steep pitch, they’re great for areas with high rain and snow fall.

Jerkinhead Roofs

These use elements of gable and hip roofs. They are more stable than a regular gable roof, but the complex design of this type of roof makes building costs increase. These types of roof are more resistant to wind damage, and they provide more space than a traditional hip roof.

Butterfly Roofs

V-shaped roofs that are made up of two pieces that are angled up on the outside. These roofs look like a butterfly in flight, and they are popular for modern, eco-friendly, and tropical home designs. This roof provides more natural light inside the home, which lowers heating bills and brings an open feel to the home. Solar panels and water collection systems can be easily incorporated with this kind of roof, but it is a bit more expensive to build.

Bonnet Roofs

Also known as knicked-eaves, this type of roof is double sloped, which are not commonly used for modern homes. This type of roof can be seen in regions of Louisiana and Mississippi. Water runs easily off the slopes of bonnet roofs, but this type of roof is more difficult to construct, and therefore more expensive to install.

Salt Box Roofs

These are asymmetrical in design, and they are variations of early Colonial designs. The slope in salt box roofs make water run off easy, but the building costs are higher because the design is tricky.

Sawtooth Roof

A sawtooth roof includes two or more parallel pitched roofs, and the roof resembles the side view of a saw blade. These were once only used on commercial buildings, but now they’re used in modern home design too. Because windows are placed in the vertical spaces of the roof, this allows more natural light inside the building. However, this complex design is more expensive and more high-maintenance than other roof types.

Curved Roof

A curved roof is a lot like the Skillion (or shed) roof, but for a curved roof, the planes are curved. This is a very modern design, making this type of roof very aesthetically pleasing. A curved roof can cover the entire home or just a single section like an entrance. These can be customized, making them a bit pricey.

Pyramid Roof

A pyramid roof is a type of hip roof, and all four sides come up to a point at the top of the roof (like a pyramid). These are usually used for smaller buildings, like cabins, pool houses, or garages. These are extremely resistant to strong winds, but they can be costly due to the complexity of the design.

Dome Roof

A dome roof is polygonal and has an inverted bowl shape. These are great for aesthetic reasons, especially for cupolas, gazebos, or crow’s nests. Dome roofs are beautiful and durable as well, but because of the complex design, they are expensive to construct.

Combination Roof

Finally, a combination roof is combining several types of roofs on one building. This can be for practical and/or aesthetic reasons. Building a combination roof is good for architectural interest, but again, because of complex designs, can be quite expensive to build.

The Bottom Line

There are many other types of roofs that are commonly chosen, but these few will give you a good idea of how different roofing systems can be. At Shencorp Total Roofing Services, we want to help with all your roofing needs. When you partner with us, you’re getting the best industrial and commercial roofing contractor in the mid-Atlantic region. Contact us today!

At Shencorp Total Roofing Services, we specialize in commercial roofing and commercial protective roof coating services throughout Winchester, Charlottesville, Waynesboro, Richmond, and other parts of the mid-Atlantic region in Virginia. Since 1977, we have become the leading choice for industrial and commercial roofing services. Our goal is to deliver professionally managed commercial roofing projects with consistency. We provide installation, re-roofing, repair, preventive maintenance, coatings, and single-ply services.