The shape and style of a roof line can make or break the curb appeal of a house. The types of roofs you have depend on the architectural style of your home. So, if you’re building a new house or upgrading your roof, think about what types of roofs are in your neighborhood and try to match the style.
Colorado homes have many different types of roofs, such as gable, hip, gambrel, mansard, and flat. Various architectural styles have been popular throughout Colorado’s history.
Gable
Gable roofs are a common sight on single-family homes in Colorado because they fit with many different architectural styles. Gable roofs consist of two slopes meeting at a peak to create a triangular shape. There are roofing materials on two sides and walls on the other two.
Hip
Similar to gable, hip roofs are typical in Colorado. All four sides slope upward to the ridge, creating better stability to withstand high winds. Many architectural use hip roofs such as bungalows, cottages, and American Foursquare.
Gambrel
The gambrel style might look to some like a barn roof. The slope starts steep from the eves before turning to a more shallow rise to the ridge. Like the gamble, this style has two roof sides and two wall sides. Gambrel roofs were prevalent in Colorado during the Dutch colonial revival period of architecture in the early 1900s. With dormers on the side, gambrel roofs allow for extra interior space.
Mansard
The mansard style is like the hip version of a gambrel roof, with all four sides rising sharply before turning to a more shallow slope. Mansard roofs are essential features of Colorado homes built in the Second Empire style of the 1870s and again during the Neo-mansard of the 1960s. Like the gambrel, these roofs provide extra attic space.
Flat
Flat roofs are more common on commercial structures than single-family homes. However, you will see some flat roofs on residential buildings in Colorado. For example, several architectural eras used flat roofs, such as the Pueblo Revival, the Usonian, and the Modern. With enough underlying support, you can use these roofs for roof decks and solar panels. However, they are prone to collecting water and snow.
What is the difference between the pitch and slope of a roof?
While some people use “pitch” and “slope” interchangeably, these words have different usage in the roofing world. Slope refers to the incline — how quickly the surface rises to the ridge. It’s written as a ratio in inches per foot. Pitch, on the other hand, is a fraction comparing the rise (height) to the span (width).
What are the Types of Roofs in Colorado?
Our state’s history has seen many different roof styles come and go. At Just Roofs and Gutters, we know what are the types of roofs in Colorado. From gamble to flat, we service them all. Drop us a line for a free quote.
