If you were asked to close your eyes and picture a roof, you would likely picture neat rows of shingles on top of a house. What else would you picture? A roof is made of many different parts, shingles only being a small piece of the anatomy of a roof.
The following guide covers the main parts of a roof. It also explains many of the terms you will hear when installing a new roof.
The roof covering is a part of the roof. It is what people typically think of when they hear the word “roof”. There are several different types of roof coverings, shingles being one kind.
The whole roof is made of many parts, but the roof covering is the most visible. The roof covering does the main job of protecting the home from adverse weather. Selecting what kind of roof covering you want is the most important decision you make when having a new roof installed.
Roof sheathing, or decking, is thin boards of wood that support the rest of the roof. Sheathing helps distribute weight evenly across the whole structure. Roof sheathing is important to prevent bowing and sagging from snow and other adverse weather from happening.
A roof structure is basically a frame that the rest of the roof gets constructed onto. The roof structure acts as a skeleton for the roof.
Typically, the roof structure is made of lumber, but it could also be made of steel. The pieces that make up the roof structure are called trusses, beams, and rafters. The roof structure is made of a system of these pieces and provides a strong foundation for the roof.
Flashing and Draining
Flashing and draining are both ways to protect the roof from water damage. Flashing is a thin, flat material that helps keep water from coming through any openings or cracks in the roof.
Draining helps divert water away from the roof. Gutters are a common and important part of draining. Gutters are installed horizontally along the edge of the roof, collecting water from rain or snow. The water then goes downspouts in the gutters.
Other Roof Terms
The following section defines and describes some common terms you may hear when having a new roof installed on your home.
- Trusses: Trusses are triangular frames meant to help support the roof. They are often prefabricated.
- Beams: Beams also help support the weight of the roof. Beams are load-bearing and support the trusses as well as other parts of the roof.
- Hip: A hip roof is one where all four sides of a roof slope downwards towards the walls of the house.
- Rafters: Rafters typically go from the hip to the wall plate of the outer wall. They are laid side-by-side to provide a bottom layer for the roof deck. The rafters hold the shingles.
- Gable: A kind of roof where two sides of the roof meet at the top, creating two triangular walls at the ends of the house. One of the most common types of roofs.
- Eave: An eave is when the roof extends a little way past the wall. Eaves protect the home from damage from water and from nesting animals.