What are Gable Roofs?

Choosing between roof types is a tedious task for many homeowners. It might be easier to make a short list of the roof types you want and thereon, it becomes hard to choose. But what if you have already selected a gable roof and are looking into the pros and cons of it? Well, you are at the right place.

What is a gable roof?

A gable roof is the most recognizable and standard roof in the US, Canada, and colder European countries. Its easily identifiable thanks to its triangular shape. This triangle roof style, which is also the most common way to draw a home, is called a gable roof.

Gable roofs are really great in certain climates and for certain conditions. They are not, however, the best type of roof across the board. For example, regions that experience a lot of windstorms can expect significant damage to gable roofs as compared to, let’s say, a flat roof.

That being said, it’s more than likely that a gable roof is indeed the perfect roof type for you because the average conditions in the US call for this type of roof.

The most common materials used to create gable roofs are asphalt, metal, tiles, and cedar.

Types of gable roofs

There are at least a dozen different types of gable roofs all over the world. We are only interested in the most popular and widespread ones.

Apart from the standard gable roof where one pitched roof creates flat areas on the four sides, we have:

1. Front gables, which are colonial style where you have a gable roof above the main door or entrance.
2. Side gables, which are gables where you simply have a pitched roof over two sides aligned at a particular angle to each other.
3. Crossed gables, where two gable roof sections are placed alongside each other. This is more typical for houses with multiple wings. Crossed gable design is more apt for homes that have a larger area and want to avoid looking flat.
4. Dutch gables, which are a cross between a hip roof and a gable roof. Each sloping section is broken to provide more interior space. You will see this in barns more commonly.
5. Open gables, which are more like an extra patio or porch cover.

Advantages of gable roofs

Gable roofs are used in a large variety of architectural styles including Victorian, Tudor, Saltbox, Greek revival, Gothic revival, Georgian, Cape Cod, bungalows, and A-frames. They are primarily used in areas that witness a lot of precipitation in snow and rain. The water and snow can more easily rush off of a gable roof, as compared to any other type of roof, like a hip roof or a flat roof.

Resisting snow and water accumulation is, therefore, the most key advantage of gable roofs and also the reason why they are used so much.

Simpler gable roof designs are much less expensive than other, more complex roof styles that require more time. Steeply pitched gable roofs also allow you to add more attic space and have a better indoor air quality thanks to gable vents that help moisture escape.

Lastly, it’s possible to keep it as simple as possible or make a gable roof as ornamental as possible. Gable roofs can be complemented and extended with a number of features such as overhangs, brackets, pediments, and other types of ornamentations to further add to the aesthetics.

Disadvantages of gable roofs

Gable roofs also come with their own set of disadvantages. The most glaring disadvantage of a gable roof is that it’s not really suitable for a climate that gets a lot of high winds, storms, or tornados. It’s much better to have a different type of roof that is less likely to collapse in high winds unless your idea of fun is to have a roof inspection after each windstorm.

Gable roofs are fairly simple and affordable but sometimes, larger homes or homes with multiple wings require more complex designs. A more complex home will increase the amount of time it requires to build a gable roof for it because all the interior walls have to be different heights. This increases the cost by a lot.

Things to keep in mind

A gable roof is the most standard and common type of roof. It has its aesthetics and advantages going for it. There’s a good chance that a gable roof is the best solution for your home. As such, we cannot stress it enough that finding the right roofing contractor is instrumental to having a gable roof with high structural integrity and the necessary support.

For example, we first audit the site and climate to determine what type of support frames and other elements you will be requiring in order to have a comfortable and safe home.

About Prime Roofing

Prime Roofing is a top-rated, highly specialized residential roofing contractor servicing all of Jacksonville and the surrounding Beaches & towns.

Contact Phone: (904) 530-1446

Request Estimate: https://primeroofingfl.com/contact-us/