Different Types of Roof

A boxed off triangular section that is joined by two sloping sides form the basis of a box gable. This design copes well with excessive rain and snow, making it popular in areas that experience a lot of inclement weather.

When at least two gable roof ridges meet at a 90 degree angle, this is considered a cross gable roof. They are typically found on houses with adjoining garages or properties with intricate layouts.

A traditionally simple design often found in colonial houses, in which the gable end is facing the street, often above the main entrance way to the property. They are a popular choice for houses in the states. 

This roof layout is very similar to the box gable, but the ends of the pitched sections of roof are left open to join the walls. This is a very common roof style found in the UK.

Usually used to encompass an extension. Integrating the shed portion into a gable roof allows for more head space without having to completely redo the entire roof.

An amalgamation of the two most common types of roof found in the UK, a Dutch gable uses a hip roof design with at least one gabled portion in the upper section to allow for greater internal space.

Commonly found in loft conversions, dormer windows extend vertically from the roof, using either a flat or pitched roof in their own construction to expanded the loft space and let in natural light.

Commonly found, a cross hipped roof features at least two right angled sections that form an L shape in the roof. They stand up well in inclement weather but can be expensive to build due to their more complex design. 

A hip and valley roof in it's simplest form can be considered an extended hip roof, with an additional ridge, which joins the main roof at the same height, creating a valley. 

A pyramid roof doesn't feature a ridge and the top of the roof planes intersect to form a point. This roof layout is very resistant against strong winds and is commonly found in hurricane zones.

Sometimes called a jerkinhead or clipped gable, the half hipped roof features a half gabled and half hipped roof end. They are most commonly found on cottages and bungalows. 

The well known hip roof which is common throughout the UK is a style where all roof planes feature identical slopes to the walls, with no gables or vertical sides.

Used in buildings designed to maximise internal roof space, a mansard roof features a hip roof design with an increased pitched part way down the roofs surface. 

When two gabled end roofs are used together in the roofs design, this is known as an M-shaped roof. There will be a gutter where the two pitches meet in the middle to allow for water run off. 

The roof itself is the same as a flat roof, but the external walls extend past the roof layer to create boundary walls. This is commonly used on properties that expect frequent roof traffic. 

Utilised in commercial and domestic roof construction across the UK, a flat roof provides an affordable and effective cover to suit a wide range of purposes. Commonly found on garages, extensions, dormers and commercial buildings. 

Also known as a V roof, the butterfly design features two inverted pitched planes that meet in the middle to form a single valley for water run off. They often feature clerestory windows to allow in natural light without impacting privacy.

A roof constructed with a gable end and asymmetrical planes is referred to as a saltbox roof. They get their name from a similarly shaped wooden salt container from the 17th century, when the roofs were most common. 

Similar in style to a mansard roof, the Gambrel features gabled ends instead of another pitch, allowing for greater internal space. They are typically used for farm buildings and barns. 

This roof layout features six symmetrical planes that meet in the middle to form a single point. More commonly used to adorn a garden gazebo than in property construction. 

This roof design has no ridge due to the varying heights of roof. It can be found in agricultural buildings as well as modern domestic construction, utilising clerestory windows in the vertical section between roof sections.

As the name suggests, this type of roof layout features a number of roof designs to get the best aesthetic and practical combination from several roofing layouts. 

Built with roof planes on different levels and features windows in the vertical section between planes. Allows for maximum light to enter tall buildings and is often seen used in churches.