What is the difference between hip and gable roof

They also provide more storage space than hip roofs and a window can be added in the gablet, creating more ventilation and light. A Dutch hip roof, sometimes called a Dutch gable roof, is a combination of hip and gable roof styles in which a gable is located at the end of the ridge , at the top of a hip roof plane. By the time the Dutch were tasked with rebuilding after two massive fires, stone chimneys had been invented and coal was widely available, so these new buildings not only had chimneys, but stairs, too.

But since space was limited, builders had to be creative thus the un-ideally steep, narrow staircases. Before the more common term for this was Dutch Roof. It is also evident that there is a practical reason why the two sloped roof was a popular format for buildings used for storage.

It maximized headroom on the floor space under the roof. The steeper lower part of the roof acts almost as a wall. The main difference between a hip and gable roof are the slopes on its sides. A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope although a tented roof by definition is a hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak.

Thus, a hipped roof house has no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A hip roof slopes on all sides, usually four, and results in a pyramidal shape. Hip roofs are commonly found in high wind and snow regions. They are very sturdy and come in a variety of styles. On the other hand, a gable roof slopes on two sides and connects to the specialized walls known as gables.

A hip roof has slopes on all four sides. Hipped roofs are more expensive to frame than gable roofs. Get cost estimates on roofing from local contractors below. Modern timber roofs are mostly framed with pairs of common rafters or prefabricated wooden trusses fastened together with truss connector plates. Timber framed and historic buildings may be framed with principal rafters or timber roof trusses. This is accomplished by using metal ties fastened to each rafter or truss. Open Gable Roof: a hip roof on a square structure, where all sides join to form a single peak.

Also known as a pyramid roof. For example, homes with a cross gable roof may have separate wings, a larger porch, or an attached garage. They have two sloping sides that come together at a ridge , creating end walls with a triangular extension, called a gable, at the top.

They were built in large numbers throughout the United States primarily between the early 19th century and Side Gable: A side gable is a basic pitched roof. It has two equal panels or sides pitched at an angle. Both sides of the gable meet at the ridge in the middle of a building. The triangle section can be left open for an open gable roof, or it can be enclosed for a boxed gable roof.

Advantages: These are easy to design, and they keep costs down , while also providing a slope for water to drain off. Gable roofs are most common in cold climates. They are the traditional roof style of New England and the east coast of Canada. Fans of literature in both countries will recognize the roof style from popular novels. A gable is a section of wall located at the end of a pitched roof, between the edges of the intersecting pitches.

In classical architecture, a gable was referred to as a pediment. A shed style roof, also known as a skillion or lean-to roof, is a roof that slopes down in one direction. It is flat with a steep slope.

Depending on the design of the building, the slope can vary in how steep it is. While it was previously only used for sheds, it has become more popular to use on houses. The simplicity of the shed roof design also makes it more cost effective. This style uses fewer materials, which cuts down on that part of the cost. Yes, shed roofs are cost-effective options because of their simplicity.

A basic roofing design with only one slope is easier and less time-consuming to work on for contractors, and this translates into lower roofing construction costs. For screened porches, there are essentially two types of roofs to choose from: gable and shed. Despite being built all throughout the country, Shed Style homes were mostly seen in western and southwestern U.

A gable roof is a simple design with straightforward construction and typically uses fewer materials. Hip roofs are complex to construct, and thus, a more expensive option. However, hip roofs come with lower insurance costs. When it comes to reroofing costs, it really depends on the complexity of the roof.

Square for square, a simple gable roof will be cheaper compared to a complex hip-and-valley roof design with many intersections, but sometimes gable roofing can be complex as well, such as adding in dormers or extra wings to the home construction. Both hip and gable roofing are great options in roof design. If you are going to build, just be sure to do your homework on local climate and weather, before you make a decision on the gable vs.

Now that you know the difference between a gable vs. Are you happy with what you already have on your own roof or wishing you could change? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search for:. Simple Hip Roof. The design of a roof is not for aesthetic value alone. Both the hip roof and gable roof are the two most popular styles of roof for American homes. A hip roof has a rectangular or square shape with sloping sides, and no gable ends. At the top of a hip roof, there is a ridge or a centered beam that is the peak of the roof. The points where the roof slopes downward and out at the corners of the structure are called hip rafters. There are also jack rafters adjacent to the hip rafters, and common rafters run on the long walls to the side of the ridge.

The design naturally offered protection from the sweltering sun and created shady porch areas. In the northern states, hip roofs were mostly decorative.

In areas where there are frequent hurricanes, hip roofs are more desirable because they provide greater protection than gable roofs. Gabled roofs consist of two sloping sides that meet in a triangle shape. There are typically two types of homes with gable roofs. A big difference between hip and gable roofs is the price. We already know that hip roofs are more expensive. Gable roofs, with their simple design and easy construction, are far more affordable than many other complex roofing designs, beyond just hip roofs.

They can be problematic for areas that are prone to hurricanes and other storms. If they are improperly framed and constructed with poor support, gable roofs are known to collapse against strong winds. Gable roofs are typically constructed of a simple design. The complexity of a hip roof—while more expensive—tends to appeal to more people. A front gable roof is a pretty common design for Colonial-style homes where the front of the house is actually the gable.

In this type of roof, typically the front door of the home goes under the gable, offering an inviting focal point to the front of the home. A cross-gable roof consists of two or more lines of gable roof intersecting at an angle.

This roofing style is usually seen in homes with different wings of the home, or even an attached garage. All the separate sections or wings of the home are roofed by their own section of gable roofing. A dutch gable roof is a mix of a gable roof and a hip roof, complicating the gable versus hip roof discussion.

In a dutch gable roof, the gable is placed on top of the hip roof, allowing more space in a loft or attic space. Visit Long online or call us at LONG to request an estimate and get a free in-home consultation.