Hip roof: features, pros, cons

A hip roof is a roof with four slopes. Two of them, end ones, differ in a triangular shape and are called hips, which gave the name to this type of roof. Such triangular end slopes in a classic hip roof run from the ridge to the cornice. The other two slopes are trapezoidal.

There are also half-hip roofs: Dutch – hip-slopes are a shortened triangle, the base does not lie on the harness or Mauerlat as usual, but on the upper beam of the pediment and looks like a trapezoid; Danish – the hip is also a trapezoid, but rests on the Mauerlat, at the top, to the ridge, there is a small pediment.

We mentioned these types of hip roofs when we talked about what types of roofing systems exist in principle..

Separately, it is worth mentioning hipped roofs, which are quite often used for gazebos, as they are excellent for square-shaped structures. The hipped roof looks very attractive, highlighting the house or gazebo, emphasizing its correct shape. All four sides of such a roof are very similar in appearance to pyramids and have a triangular shape..

Hip roof advantages:

1. The structure turns out to be rigid, due to which it does not undergo deformation. Stiffness will be provided by corner ribs that connect near the ridge support beam.
2. The shape of the roof is very practical in terms of precipitation, the snow does not linger.
3. The hip roof will perfectly withstand strong winds, for regions where hurricanes and tornadoes are not uncommon – a big plus. All slopes are inclined so that the wind will not create a strong load on the gables.
4. Large eaves can be made on all four sides of the building. This will protect the facade from precipitation..
5. Visually, the house seems lower, more attractive, the roofing system is easily recognizable and is suitable for a variety of buildings, including frame houses and cottages.
6. Places of eaves overhangs are less exposed to destruction.

It is impossible not to tell about the shortcomings of the hip roofing system:

1. The hip roof will cost a lot. Of course, we agree – building a roof is always an expensive pleasure, but the hip version will still have a higher cost than the gable, for example.
2. The design turns out to be complicated, usually the construction of a hip roof is entrusted to specialists, and this is again additional costs.
3. The roof is low enough, that is, the attic will be small. Equipping an attic under a hip roof is a difficult task, often simply insoluble..
4. If there are skylights on the hip roof, moisture can penetrate through them to the upper floor. However, this drawback can be called somewhat far-fetched. There are skylights on many types of roofs, if they are reliable and of high quality, there will be no problems if you close them in time before a shower.
5. Without skylights under the hip structure, there will be no natural light sources.

As for the covering of the hip roofing system, it can be anything. You can choose metal tiles, Ondulin, soft tiles, ordinary slate, membrane … You just have to choose the right slope, taking into account the type of roofing material. In addition, when choosing the angle of inclination, experts advise taking into account the peculiarities of the climate of the region. If in your area heavy snowfalls are not uncommon in winter, then it should be made large so that the snow melts easier. And if you have strong winds, and the weather is dry and hot enough, you can choose the minimum angle of inclination – up to 5 degrees.

Masters advise taking lumber from pine and larch for the construction of a hip roof. Moreover, all boards and timber should be pre-treated with antiseptics and fire retardants in order to protect natural wood from possible fire, mold, fungi and other influences.

To summarize – all the disadvantages of a hip roof cannot be called critical, they are quite solvable. Often, owners decide to slightly increase the budget for building a roof, but to get the most reliable, durable and attractive structure..