Roof Shapes

Roof shapes differ greatly from region to region. The main factors which influence the shape of roofs are the climate and the materials available for roof structure and the outer covering. Roof terminology is also not rigidly defined. Usages vary slightly from region to region, or from one builder or architect to another.

Roof shapes vary from almost flat to steeply pitched. They can be arched or domed; a single flat sheet or a complex arrangement of slopes, gables and hips; or truncated (terraced, cut) to minimize the overall height.

Types:-

Flat: These are found in traditional buildings in regions with a low precipitation. Modern materials which are highly impermeable to water make possible the very large low-pitch roofs found on large commercial buildings. Although called flat they are generally gently pitched.

Saw-tooth: A roof comprising a mono-pitched roof or for larger buildings, series of, mono-pitched roofs with vertical surfaces glazed and pitched upward in general terms away from the equator, though other directions suit if direct sunlight is desired and where rooftop access may otherwise be impracticable. The roof tops are opaque, shielding traditionally workers and machinery from direct sunlight. This sort of roof commonly admits natural light into a factory, and is also known as "Northlight" in the northern hemisphere implying a single such plane.

Mansard (French roof): A roof with the pitch divided into a shallow slope above a steeper slope. The steep slope may be curved. An element of the Second Empire architectural style (Mansard style) in the U.S.