There’s a general saying ” Be thankful for having a roof over your head”. Roofs are a fundamental part of the basic structure of a House. A building lacking proper roofing is no way other than an open garden having walls & boundaries around.
When it comes to the type of roofing one should opt for. It’s mostly a difficult choice to make. Having plenty of options available, choosing one among many becomes a back-breaking task for the builders. Although, if you’re looking for plush roofing with low maintenance costs, longer durability and not to forget, an elegant design. Pitched roofs will suit you the best.
What is a Pitched Roof?
So, the question arises, which roof you will consider as a pitched one? The roofs that have sloping surfaces are categorised as Pitched Roofs. But there are more specifications to it. Before putting any of them under this group. You should make yourself clear that the slope should be more than 10 degrees. Usually, two roofs are oppositely inclined at angles over 20 degrees. And are connected by a central ridge at the highest point. However, this is barely a common and basic model. There are a lot of variations and assortments that will be discussed further in this article. But before that, if you prioritize your safety. Make sure to get the best roofing shoes for improved grip and protection.
Parts of a Pitched Roof
A pitched roof may appear as a simple structure of slanting planes. Yet, it has certain aspects that are worth taking a glance at. To gather some quick notes about the pitched roof, its primary members are enlisted below.
- Eaves: The sloped surfaces have a lower portion that projects away from the outer wall. These are called Eaves. And they are meant for protecting the inner structure from rainwater & sunlight.
- Purlins: When Span (Horizontal distance between internal walls) is large, Purlins are used as support to rafters. And they are generally made of wood or Steel.
- Gable: It is the triangular upper part of the wall that is present at the end of a ridge roof.
- Cleats: These are the small wood blocks, fitted on the rafters or the ceilings.
- Template: The structure that provides support under the end of the beam. This is called Template. It usually has a square or rectangular shape. And is made of either stone or concrete. The template helps in dividing the load from roofs to a huge bearing area.
- Rafters: Rafters are one of the main components of a pitched roof. These are horizontal structures that are laid from the ridge to the eaves. Typically, for small scale construction, wooden rafters are picked. Whereas for Industrial construction, Steel rafters are more preferable.
Other than these, including ceiling battens, Fascia, Flashing, Verge etc. are a few more important elements of pitched roofing. Nevertheless, they do not need much of your attention until you’re a Civil Engineer.
Types of Pitched Roof
As we’ve gone through the briefs about pitched roofs. Now, we can better understand the types of Pitched roofs that are built.
- Mono Pitch Roof: The roof having a single slope is termed as Mono Pitched. These types of roofs have unequally levelled two walls, to make an incline.
- Couple Roof: These are the popular ones. They have two roofs attached by a ridge at the top. This variety of leaning couple surfaces is used for multiple constructions.
- Collar Roof: The collar roof also named collar tie roof, is quite common in domestic roof construction. It has a horizontal tie raised from the feet to the middle of the rafters. This horizontal tie is often called a collar tie. And is used to prevent the bending of rafters.
- Purlin Roof: In the making of Purlin supported roofs, the load is distributed among other members. Purlins are horizontal logs that run parallel to the ridgeline.
- Trussed Roof: Sometimes, the span of the roof exceeds 5m. In such cases, Timber Truss Roofs are made, if the structure lacks inside walls to support the Purlins.
How to build a Pitched Roof for your Home?
Someone who’s into designing and creativity can easily install a pitched roof without much technical help. But if you’re willing to have sophisticated tile work or heavy furnishing. You must contact your architect for that. Apart from this, these kinds of tops can be built quite effortlessly. Let’s get acquainted with the elementary constructing strategy.
Essentials: Before undertaking the project, few things are necessary to be on your checklist. Good quality Plywood, timber battens, roofing nails and proper roofing tools. You will also need a few strong helping hands to lift the heavy plywoods. And most importantly, don’t forget to buy premium roofing tool belts to ease the assembling process.
Installation: Initiating a building endeavour, requires pre-planning and accurate calculations. Above all, the location plays a crucial role. Make sure to remove any potential obstruction like overhanging branches, electrical cables etc. Calculate the roof pitch, amount of material required and create a plan accordingly.
When you’ll begin the construction, start by raising the trusses. Fit temporary braces and roof trusses. The central support of the roof is created afterwards. At last, once you add roof trusses and permanent braising. You can move onwards for sheathing.
Finishing: The skeletal framework would be ready after sheathing. Then you can complete the finishing of your roof by installing drip edges, underlay and roof cover materials.
Benefits of Having a Pitched Roof
Usually, Pitched Roofs are found in areas receiving heavy rainfall or snowfall. But from a few decades, their increasing numbers have broken old concepts. With the passing years, they’ve become a popular and common roofing choice.
Their growing use signifies that they’re advantageous over Flat roofs. Pitched roofs are compact, have low maintenance demands and are more ventilated. The oldest standing structures, “Pyramids” have a structural resemblance with these inclined planes. Therefore, you can’t doubt their durability and strength. In addition to this, they are easy to install and give an aesthetic look to the house. The bonus point is that you can easily set solar panels on these roofs if you want to save some green energy.
Bottom Line
Nothing can be better than to conclude this article with a simple remark. No roofing option is inherently perfect. All of them have their pros and cons. Pitched roofs are a good match for your house if you can bear the expenses that come in its installation process. Choose wisely and get the best roofing for your dream home.