Are you in the middle of designing your home? Do you have dreams of one day building a home you designed?
Well, if you answered yes to either of those questions, then you might want to tune in. Were you aware that there are many different roof styles to choose from? Did you know that there are almost as many roofing material options to choose from?
Who knew there were so many decisions to make when designing your own home? But there are!
So if you’d like to dive deeper into your options, then here are the different roof types and roofing materials that you can choose from.
Roof Types
1. Gambrel
Gambrel roofs are very commonly seen on barns. It has a slope that comes down from the peak of the roof to a certain point.
Then the slope continues on down from the middle point to the bottom of where the roof stops on the house.
2. Gable Roof Types
Gable is probably the most common roof used on houses. It starts at the peak of the house and then slants down.
So if you like the traditional style of a roof, then this would be the one for you. Especially if you live in a climate where you get a lot of rain or snow.
3. Skillion
We use skillion roofs on most of our sheds and plan to use this type of roof on our extension to our goat barn.
But a lot of people will use this style of roof on their homes too. You basically start at the highest point on your home and come straight downward. It is great for ridding the roof of any rain or snow. We use this style of roof to collect rain water.
4. Flat Roof Types
This roof style probably speaks for itself. If you don’t want to have a peak on your roof at all, then you just leave it flat.
However, this style of roof is usually common where you don’t get a lot of snow because it would obviously be too heavy for the roof. So you’ll want to consider your climate before going with this style of roof.
5. Bonnet
I really like this type of roof. It really does look like a big bonnet on top of a house. This roof actually has two slopes.
So the first slope is at a steeper angle. It will come down to the dormers, usually, and then slope down again. It is quite unique.
6. Mansard Roof Types
This style of roof makes me think of the older children’s show, Madeline. The roof begins as flat and then abruptly slants downward.
So if you like this classic look that is also known as French roof types, then you’ll definitely want to consider it for your own home.
7. Hip
I love the hip style roof. It is another classic style that you often see in older homes. This style of roof has slants on all four sides.
So if you were looking down on the roof, you’d see the flat roof at the top, and then an abrupt slant on all sides.
8. Saltbox Roof Types
The saltbox roof types were once all the rage. I remember seeing quite a few homes in the town I was born in that had them.
So basically, the front side of the house looks like a typical pitched roof. Then the backside looks like it just falls off at a slant. It is pretty unique.
9. Curved
A curved roof is not something you commonly see. They are common on outbuildings but not usually on houses.
But why should that stop you? If you would like to have a curved roof on your home, then I say go for it! It is basically just a rounded roof that covers the home to about the half way point. Not to be confused with the dome style roof that we’ll discuss a little later.
10. Sawtooth Roof Types
The sawtooth roof style is something that is more common in more modern locations. For instance, you won’t see this style of roof in my neck of the woods because it is a more expensive style roof, and we are all homesteaders trying to get by with spending as little as possible.
But if you live in an area where it is common to spend more money on your home, and you’d like to have a roof that makes room for a loft or higher ceilings, then this might be a good fit for you.
11. Jerkinhead
This style of roof was once very popular in the days when my great grandmother started off as a young married woman.
But since then, it has sort of faded. I think because it is a little complicated in comparison to some of the more modern roofing options. However, if you like it, you could still make it work for your newer home.
12. Dome Roof Types
A dome roof sort of controls the design of your entire house. If you have a dome roof, it goes without saying that your home is going to be shaped like a dome too.
But this is becoming a popular idea today because the houses are smaller and usually more eco-friendly, wind resistant, and able to withstand higher degrees of natural disasters too.
13. Pyramid
This style of roof was another that was once common in the older homes. Basically, you have no vertical sides. All of them come together to peak at the top of the roof.
So if you’d like to have a unique style roof by bringing back a classic, then you should consider this style of roof for your own home.
14. Butterfly Roof Types
The butterfly roof brings a smile to my face. It looks just like a butterfly, and it is so unique. It is also a great choice for those trying to be more environmentally friendly.
So if you like the idea that could help you collect rainwater and also work well for solar panels, then you might definitely be interested in this style of roof.
15. Combo
A combo style roof is one that takes any of the above roof styles and combines them. It can be as unique as you desire for it to be.
But it is a great option if you find two roof styles that you think would work well for your home. Then you can just combine them over different parts of the home.
Roofing Materials
Now that we’ve discussed all of the varieties of roofs, let’s discuss your roofing material options. They can be as unique as you desire. Here are your options:
1. Asphalt Shingle
Asphalt shingles are a very common roofing material. People choose them because they are inexpensive to apply to your roof and pretty easy to repair as well.
So if you would like a basic roof that is also pretty easy to maintain, then this could very well be the roof for you.
2. Organic Shingle
Organic shingles are an inexpensive version of shingles. They are made from recycled materials such as wood chips. They are also waterproof as well, which is important when choosing a roofing material.
However, organic shingles are heavier than the fiberglass option for shingles, and they don’t last as long either. These are things you’ll need to take into consideration.
3. Wood Shingle
Wood shingles are very interesting. They are an energy-efficient option for a roofing material. They also last between 30 and 50 years. This all sounds so great, doesn’t it?
However, you’ll need to realize that as durable as they are, they also are more likely to catch on fire, are more difficult than other roofing material to install, and are not a material that is easily repaired. In fact, if a wood shingle gets damaged, it usually has to be completely replaced.
4. Fiberglass Shingle
Fiberglass shingles are a lightweight roofing material option. They are not only lightweight but also very durable, which is a great quality to have in a roofing material.
Plus, they have a longer warranty (usually) than other roofing material options. They are also usually less expensive but are fire proof as well.
5. Three Tab Shingle
Three tab shingles are pretty much like a basic asphalt shingle. The main difference is that they have cut outs on them which makes a difference when applying them to your roof.
So when you apply one shingle, it looks as though you have applied three shingles to your roof. It is all about the appearance with this option, but should definitely be considered when building your home.
6. Tile Roof
A tile roof is what you commonly see in Mediterranean or Spanish style homes. They can be molded to many different shapes, according to your preference.
But they also are great at keeping your home cooler as they can be made into lighter colors that will help reflect heat from your home.
7. Metal
When we have to get a new roof (hopefully no time soon), I am planning on going with a metal roof. You can create a roof from galvanized metal, zinc, tin, aluminum, and copper.
Plus, a metal roof will usually last around 50 years. That sounds great to me! If you want options and don’t want to have to replace more than a couple of times in your life, then this could be a good option.
8. Plastic
Plastic roofing is usually used when creating a greenhouse. If you have plans to grow things inside your home, then you still might want to consider this.
So some homes actually have a greenhouse attached to the side of them. If you would like to consider this for your home, then you may want to check out adding a plastic roof to that part of your home.
9. Slate
Slate roofing is truly amazing stuff. It can last between 80 and 100 years! You read that right. If you install this kind of roof, you could be looking at only having to roof your house one time in your life. It is also great at resisting water and other elements because it is such a heavy duty material.
But before you get completely sold on this style, you need to know because of the weight of this roof it makes them extremely difficult to DIY. You also will need to make sure that your home can support the weight of the roof. Also, you usually have to hire someone to repair the roof (again, because of the weight) and that makes this roof more expensive than other options.
10. Living
Our final roofing material option is a living or green roof. These roof types are one that is literally planted on. It does a great job at insulating your home but requires some regular trimming.
Therefore, this makes it a very eco-friendly roof. Plus, it is usually less expensive to create as well.
Well, you now have 15 different roof types and 10 different roofing material options. As you can tell, a roof can be a unique option for your uniquely designed home.
