Types of roof
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Approved document C: Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture, 2004 edition incorporating 2010 and 2013 amendments defines a roof as: ‘Any part of the external envelope of a building that is at an angle of less than 70° to the horizontal.’
A roof is a structure forming the upper covering of a building or other shelter. Its primary purpose is generally to provide protection from the elements, but it may also contribute to safety, security, privacy, insulation, and so on.
Roofs may have openings or windows within them to allow light into buildings, as well as providing, access, ventilation, views, and so on. They also frequently include other features such as chimneys, communications infrastructure, building services, drainage, lighting, access routes, and so on.
Roofs can be constructed from a wide variety of materials and in a wide variety of shapes depending on the requirements they have to satisfy, the local climate, the availability of materials and skills, the span to be covered, and so on.
This article provides links to further information about a range of roof types.
Click on the links below to access more information:
- Blue roof.
- Brown roof.
- Butterfly roof.
- Canopy.
- Clipped gable roof.
- Closed couple roof.
- Cold roof.
- Collar roof.
- Conical roof slating.
- Cool roof.
- Couple roof.
- Crow-stepped gable.
- Cross hip roof.
- Curb roof.
- Dome.
- Domestic roof.
- Dutch gable.
- Fabric roof.
- Flat roof.
- Fly roof (flying roof)
- Gambrel roof.
- Gable roof.
- Geodesic.
- Green roof.
- Half gable roof.
- Hammerbeam roof.
- Hip roof.
- Hyperbolic paraboloid.
- Jerkinhead roof.
- Lean-to roof.
- Long span roof.
- Metal roofing.
- Mansard roof.
- Mono pitch roof.
- Pitched roof.
- Purlin roof.
- Saltbox roof.
- Saw-tooth roof.
- Shell roof.
- Shingle roofing.
- Skillion roof
- Slate roofing.
- Tile roofing.
- Thatch roofing.
- Valley roof.
- Vault.
- Warm roof.
Featured articles and news
Government responds to the final Grenfell Inquiry report
A with a brief summary with reactions to their response.
A brief description and background to this new February law.
Everything you need to know about building conservation and the historic environment.
NFCC publishes Industry White Paper on Remediation
Calling for a coordinated approach and cross-departmental Construction Skills Strategy to manage workforce development.
'who blames whom and for what, and there are three reasons for doing that: legal , cultural and moral"
How the Home Energy Model will be different from SAP
Comparing different building energy models.
Mapping approaches for standardisation.
UK Construction contract spending up at the start of 2025
New construction orders increase by 69 percent on December.
Preparing for the future: how specifiers can lead the way
As the construction industry prepares for the updated home and building efficiency standards.
Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment
A practical guide for built environment professionals.
Updating the minimum energy efficiency standards
Background and key points to the current consultation.
Heritage building skills and live-site training.
Shortage of high-quality data threatening the AI boom
And other fundamental issues highlighted by the Open Data Institute.
Data centres top the list of growth opportunities
In robust, yet heterogenous world BACS market.
Increased funding for BSR announced
Within plans for next generation of new towns.
Comments