What is roof pitch?  We went over the basics in our previous article. It's just one of the elements relative to the shape of your roof structure that should be taken into consideration when choosing new roofing as well as a licensed Minnesota roofing contractor to install it.  The design of the roof is also something that needs to evaluated.

The Basics of Roof Design

The most common type of roof is one that is just two sloping pieces - one on each side of a home.  Think of a tent - many homeowners have a roof like that. A  gable roof is a simple type of roof. It's the roof you usually see in a child's drawing of a house - just one center point and then the rest is sloping down. This is one of the easiest types of roofs that a contractor can install. It's also the simplest to install a new roof over.

But there are more intricate rooftops that have movement and character to them. The roofing variations make these roofs stand out much more than if they were just plain. Here are a few. Your home may have one of these designs, or perhaps your roof is a combination of styles.  
  • Mansard roofs are French and are popular in Europe. You may even see them around the Twin Cities on homes older homes. They generally have one middle slope and then another further down. Often  and then they have smaller gables that allow windows to be put into the roof.  This is style roof is usually fairly simple to install.
  • A Frames – These are roofs that are the simple A shape that is similar to a gable roof, except that the roof extends almost to the ground.  They have a clear triangle shape but an extreme pitch. Because of the high degree of slant, these roofs can be expensive to install, but they do shed snow more easily than some styles. That's why you see this style roof on a ski lodge or mountain cabin.
  • Bell Shaped – These are shaped more rounded and they look more like a bell with a slimmer top and a wider bottom.
  • Round – Round roofs are exactly what they are called, round. They go all the way around the house like a hat.
  • Geometric – These roofs are rarely seen but they stick out when you do come across one. They have many different slopes around them and are shaped like domes. They’re also very difficult to roof.
  • Gambrel – These rooftops are often seen on barns and sheds They have a few slopes that go down and cover the sides of the structure.
Don’t forget those valleys, dormers, and gables. You'll see them on just about any style roof, depending on the layout of the home.  Additional elements like this can complicate a roofing installation, and it's important to choose an experienced professional roofing company that can help you select the right roofing material as well as get it installed correctly. The shape of your roof is going to matter when it comes to putting a new roof on the outside of your home. Make sure that you choose the right roof by considering the amount of work that needs to go into putting the new roof on the home. For more expensive, harder jobs, the longer lasting roofing material is the best way to go.

It is important to speak with our professionals here at Metal Roofing & Siding of Minnesota to find out how they can provide you with the help that you need when it comes to roofing the outside of your home and having the protection you need from the outside elements that come your way in Minnesota.