Gambrel Roof Slopes

So you have a really steep bottom pitch and a really flat top pitch.

Gambrel roof slopes.

This design provides the advantages of a sloped roof while maximizing headroom inside the building s upper level and shortening what would otherwise be a tall roof. The name comes from the medieval latin word gamba meaning horse s hock or leg. This measurement is best done on a bare roof because curled up roofing shingles will impair your measurement. A gambrel roof is one that has two sides to it.

Construction of a gambrel roof. The difference between the two is that the gambrel only has two sides while the mansard has four. Besides its unique appearance a gambrel roof also serves to maximize the usable floor space in the attic area. Similar to mansard the lower side of the gambrel roof has an almost vertical steep slope while the upper slope is much lower.

A gambrel roof is a two sided roof with two slopes on each side. The upper slope is positioned at a shallow angle while the lower slope is steep. The term gambrel is of american origin the older european name being a curb. This results in that squatty appearance.

This roof is symmetrical and the lower slopes are steeper than the ones on top. Most designs are symmetrical providing the advantages of a sloped roof while still maximizing the amount of space inside of the building. A gambrel roof features two distinct slopes one steeper than the other to create a barn like look on homes garages and sheds. A gambrel or barn style roof is simply a gable roof with a change in slope partway up the roof.

This design is sometimes called a dutch swedish german french english or new england roof. A gambrel or gambrel roof is a usually symmetrical two sided roof with two slopes on each side. This roof style offers several advantages including space drainage ease of building and affordability making it a roof style worth considering for your project. This enables it to provide the benefits of a sloped roof without compromising on space inside the structure.

The picture below shows the pitch of a 7 12 roof slope meaning that for 12 of horizontal measurement roof run the vertical measurement roof rise is 7. Most of your pre made trusses that are designed as a gambrel consist of roughly a 20 12 bottom pitch and a 4 12 top pitch.