A Closer Look at the 3 Most Popular Roof Types in Australia

Does shape and design matter for roofs?

It definitely does.

It might go unnoticed but your roof serves as shields from the harsh weather conditions outdoors. These include:

• Long summer
• Humidity
• Heavy rainfall
• Cyclones

Therefore, innovations on roof styles were invented.

So what are the three most popular roof types in Australia? Let’s begin exploring them.

Hip roof

A hip roof consists of three or four sides angled into a downward slope. This causes the roof to look like a pyramid with a pointed or ridged top.

Features

• Pitch – All sides of a hip roof are pitched downward. The angle is very helpful to prevent rainwater from getting stuck on the roof surface which often causes damage. The shape also made the roof sturdy against strong winds.
• Eaves – A hip roof is known to have overhanging edges which serve as shades to the windows. The eaves can prevent excessive sunlight from entering the house.
• Materials – Houses with hip roofs in Australia use steel, concrete tiles or terracotta.

Cons

• Dried leaves may get stuck on those crevices that often results in leaks and damages.
• Although its sturdiness is a great advantage, this type is somewhat more expensive and difficult to install as compared to the rest.

Gabled roof

A gabled roof resembles a triangle having two vertical sides and two sides sloping downward.

Features

• Spacious attic – one of the advantages of a gabled roof is that the vertical sides and ridge maximizes the space for an attic.
• Steep slopes – most gabled roofs have steep slopes which are ideal for places with heavy rain.
• Materials – Like hip roofs, materials such as steel, terracotta and concrete tiles can also be used for gabled roofs.

Cons

The only downside of the steep slopes of a gabled roof is that it makes climbing the roof difficult. Thus, fixing damages on a gabled roof can be a challenge. For this reason, some gabled roofs are made with crow steps for climbing.

Skillion roof

This type has just recently been popular in Australia and gives off an industrial vibe.

Features

• Low cost – as compared to the other two types with more slopes, skillion roofs are cheaper and easier to install.
• Ideal for solar panel installation – as mentioned earlier, this type has a less steep slope which is very good to lay solar panels on.
• Flat shape – the flat surface is great for the skylight to minimize electricity consumption.
• Materials – The skillion roof is a modern style of roofing. Most of the time, it uses steel materials which give this type a contemporary look.

Cons

Skillion roof has relatively lower pitch than the hip and gabled roof, making it almost impossible to house an attic.

Although cheaper and easier to install, a skillion roof is not as durable as a hip and gabled roof when it comes to strong winds. Thus, it is advisable to be used only in places with a favourable wind.

Conclusion

As discussed above, each roof type has its advantages and disadvantages. We can also conclude that the ideal roof type has a lot to do with the prevailing climate in an area.

Therefore, planning out the most suitable roof type for your house will cut repair expenses and will make the property sturdier. If you need advice on what type of roof you should install for your house renovation or brand new property, leave us a message and we will gladly help.