Know Your Roof
Roof Structure and Roof Shape Terms
Every roof has a shape and a frame under it. These terms cover how steep a roof is, the common roof styles, the framing under the deck and the things that pass through the roof, like vent pipes, chimneys and skylights.
Looking for a single word? See the roofing terms glossary, A to Z.
Key terms in this topic
- Chimney Crown
- The concrete cap on top of a chimney that sheds water. Cracks in it let water into the masonry.
- Cupola
- A small decorative structure on top of the ridge, sometimes with vents.
- Dormer
- A framed structure that sticks out of a sloped roof, usually holding a window.
- Flat Roof
- A roof that looks level. It still has a slight slope so water can drain.
- Gable End
- The triangular wall at the end of a gable roof.
- Gable Roof
- Two slopes meeting at a ridge, with a triangular wall at each end.
- Gambrel Roof
- A barn-style roof with two slopes per side, steeper on the lower one.
- Hip
- The sloped line where two roof planes meet at an outside corner.
- Hip Roof
- A roof that slopes down on all four sides.
- Low-Slope Roof
- A roof with a shallow pitch, generally covered with membrane instead of regular shingles.
- Mansard Roof
- A four-sided roof with a steep lower slope on every side.
- Parapet Wall
- A short wall that rises above the roof along its edge, common on flat and commercial roofs.
- Penetration
- Anything that passes through the roof, like a vent pipe, chimney or skylight. Each one needs flashing.
- Plumbing Vent Stack
- The pipe that vents your plumbing through the roof. It's sealed with a pipe boot.
- Rafter
- A sloped framing piece running from the ridge down to the wall.
- Ridge
- The horizontal line at the top where two slopes meet.
- Ridge Board
- The board at the peak that the rafters attach to.
- Rise and Run
- The vertical and horizontal measurements that make up pitch.
- Roof Curb
- A raised frame a skylight or rooftop unit sits on.
- Roof Pitch
- How steep the roof is, written as rise over 12 inches of run. A 6:12 roof rises 6 inches for every foot across.
- Roof Slope
- One flat section of the roof.
- Shed Roof
- A single sloped plane, common on additions and porches.
- Skylight
- A window set into the roof. A common leak spot if the flashing fails.
- Truss
- A prebuilt triangular frame that replaces individual rafters and ceiling joists.
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