Hip Roof vs Gable Roof | Advantages & Disadvantages of Gable Roof and Hip Roof Design
Hip Roof vs Gable Roof | Types of Hip Roofs |Types of Gable Roofs Design
Hip Roof vs Gable Roof
The roof is the most important part of a building. The roof protects the interior of a building from damage. When it comes to picking a roof, people will think about two different types: Gable and Hip.
A Gable roof is a roof with two sloping planes meeting in a peak. It is usually made of sheet metal or shingles. The roof slope is typically 30 degrees, but can range to 25-60 degrees.
A Hip roof has two sloping planes meeting at a ridge line, usually forming a valley. Hip roofs are less common due to the increased structural load needed to support it. Both roofs have their benefits and drawbacks.
We have compared the two roof designs below….
Gable Roof Design
A gable roof is a type of roof design where two sides slope downward toward the walls – and the other two sides include walls that extend from the bottom of the eaves to the peak of the ridge. Also known as pitched or peaked roofs, gable roofs are some of the most popular roofs globally. They are easily recognized by their triangular shape.
A gable roof is a roof that does not slope and is sometimes seen on traditional bungalows. This is a roof that has two sloped sides and two sloped sides that meet at a peak.
Gable Roof Construction Procedure
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gable Roof Design
Advantages of Gable Roof Design
- Low cost: Gable roofs are cheaper because the framing is simpler and requires less material to construct, but their design makes them less energy efficient than other roofs.
- Easy installation: Gable roofs are easy to install and can be done so by one person, making this a great addition to your DIY projects list.
- Easier to maintain: They are also easier to maintain and are perfect for those that do not want a lot of upkeep on their homes.
- Modern look: Older homes can still have a modern look with Gable design, which makes them timeless pieces of architecture that will never go out of style.
- Landscaping: Gable roofs are great for adding landscaping to your yard because you can use them as both a floor and a roof. You can also use the brick as walls and the ground for landscaping.
- Does not leak often: Most roofs will leak at some point no matter how many times you replace them, but gable roofs are designed with only one plane of weakness and have a lower potential for leaks.
- Can be used to cover garages / carports: You can easily use your gable to cover a garage or a carport because it is perfect for doubling what you have on each side.
- Provides a great view: Gable roofs are amazing for providing a great view. Your home is becoming more of a work of art with every new gable addition!
- Versatility: Gable roofs are commonly used in a variety of building types, from single-family homes to multi-family apartment buildings, because they work well with almost any design and suit a variety of roof shapes and functions.
- Simple: Gable roofs can be designed and built by an amateur builder and often require less maintenance than other roof designs.
Disadvantages of Gable Roof Design
- Heat and Cold: Gable roof designs don’t shed heat as well as other design styles and therefore tend to absorb more heat than many other types of roofs.
- Limited Build: Gable roofs are difficult to build on sloped properties, and it can be difficult to accommodate large or unusual shapes in a gable roof. Gable roofs are generally limited to a few standard designs, but these designs can be modified in many ways.
- Imbalances: The weight load on a gable roof is uneven, with the heaviest side and least-heated area being directly over the eave or eaves.
- Sagging framing: Gable roofs always have sagging beams which are usually treated with metal braces to keep the roof in place.
- Poor attic design: Gable roofs have poor attic space during construction.
- Steep pitch makes cleaning difficult: The steep pitch of the gable roof makes it hard to clean and maintain the gutters, which can cause issues with clogged gutters over time.
- Energy inefficient: Because of their simple design, gable roofs do not insulate your home as well as other styles of roofing.
- Not an all-purpose design: Gable roofs work well for covering the sides of your home, but other framing elements may restrict your ability to use it in places you would like to have flat surfaces on your home’s walls.
- Limited space on roof: This limits the size of attic you can build and can be partially responsible for decks being smaller than other roof styles.
- Limited space inside: Gable roofs dramatically limit the interior space because you cannot build a wall past the trusses and need to leave room for interior beams to support the roof.
- Material costs increase: Gable roofs require more material to construct because they have more parts, which means that your material costs will be higher, too.
- Unconventional Design: Building a gable roof on an unconventional shape requires a complex design and great skill to ensure that the resulting structure is structurally sound.
- Linear: Gable roofs are linear in design and structure, making them less visually appealing than many other roof designs.
- Poor Wind Resistance: Wind resistance for gable roofs is limited because of their linear design and materials.
- Poor Weather Protection: Gable roofs suffer from exposure to wind and rain, especially on multi-story homes, but they don’t work well for creating a covered area or patio below the roof space that would be protected from weather elements.
- Limited Ventilation: Gable roofs don’t have adequate ventilation and therefore can be very uncomfortable on very hot or humid summer days.
- Structural Issues: Gable roofs have limitations with regard to structural issues, such as heavy snow loads and earthquakes.
- Gable roofs can be problematic in high wind prone areas. If the frames are not properly constructed with adequate supports, the roof can collapse due to strong winds. High winds can also cause materials to peel away from gable roofs. If there is too much of an overhang, winds can create an uplift underneath and cause the roof to detach from the walls.
If a gable roof is used in high wind areas, be sure proper braces are used and have the roof inspected after a large storm to ensure no damage occurred.
Note: It is recommended to use at least a pitch of 25.0° angle.
Related: >>Top 13 different types of roofs with pictures
Types of Gable Roofs Design
Side Gable Roof
A side gable is a basic pitched roof. It has two equal panels or sides pitched at an angle. Both sides of the gable meet at the ridge in the middle of a building. The triangle section can be left open for an open gable roof, or it can be enclosed for a boxed gable roof.
Crossed Gable Roof
A crossed gable roof is two gable roof sections put together at the right angle. The two ridges are perpendicular to each other. Lengths, pitches or heights may or may not differ from each other.
Front Gable Roof
A front gable roof is placed at the entrance of the house.
Dutch Gable Roof
A Dutch gable is a hybrid of the gable and hip roof. A gable roof is placed at the top of a hip roof for more space and enhanced aesthetic appeal.
Hip Roof Design
A hip roof (or hipped roof) is a type of roof design where all roof sides slope downward toward the walls – where the walls of the house sit under the eaves on each side of the roof.
Hip roof is one of the most useful roofs because it has the advantage of shedding rain or snow while also protecting the interior from the effects of bad weather.
It also has the potential to serve a dual purpose as an aesthetic feature. Unlike the Gabled roof which is sloped, it is a square or rectangular shape and is designed to shed water in any direction. This roof type can also be designed to serve a dual purpose as an aesthetic feature.
A hip roof has four sloped sides and two sloped sides that meet at a peak in the middle. A hip roof is a good choice for a house with a lot of exposure to the sun because the roof is sloped all the way around to give the most shade.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hip Roof Design
Advantages of Hip Roof Designs
- Aesthetical: The hip roof design with its various shapes provides a beautiful appeal to the home.
- Efficient: Due to the sloping of the roof, rain water will run off in multiple directions, which is good for drainage.
- Sustainable: The slope of a hip roof allows rain water to re-enter the earth as it falls through a downspout or via natural absorption into ground soil or any other porous material like your lawn or gravel drives.
- Strong: The strength of a hip roof will depend on the type of material used to construct it. Wood constructed hip roofs, for example, are strong but subject to fire, whereas steel constructed hip roofs are usually stronger and more durable.
- Visible Roof Framing: With a gable roof design, the framing is hidden in the gable eaves. The hip roof design allows you to see the framing of your home’s roof and other construction materials used to create it.
- Enhanced Ventilation: Due to its shape, a hip roof is able to allow for more air circulation, which decreases the chance for mold or mildew.
- Quick Installation: Most of the time, a hip roof design is a lot quicker to install than a gable roof. This narrows the gap between construction and the settlement date. In addition, it mitigates conflict with neighbors or co-owners in an apartment complex over when the new roof must be installed.
Disadvantages of Hip Roof Design
- Construction Time: A hip roof is a much longer process to construct than a gable roof. Whereas a gable roof can be installed in a matter of few days, a hip roof can take several days or even weeks.
- More Weight on the Foundation: The angled shape of the hip design requires more support, which adds more weight on your home’s foundation.
- Low ceiling heights: Gable roofs limit the height of rooms because the trusses support the roof at this height, so keep that in mind when building your home.
- Less Ventilation: A hip roof usually doesn’t possess any openings such as skylights, dormers or vents, which allows for less free-air circulation of air in your home’s attic space and so more mold or mildew buildup, which is another disadvantage of a hip roof.
- More Difficult to Install or Repair: Because of the angled shape, it is a lot harder to install or repair a hip roof than a gable roof. It requires more complex engineering and materials to install and repair properly.
- Less Control Over Water Flow: Water may trickle into the home if water runoff is not controlled properly and drainage channels are not installed. This can be very bad, especially in the case when your home isn’t properly winterized before your move in date!
- Snow Accumulation: Because of its shape and the lack of eaves, a hip roof design can accumulate a lot of snow during winter months. This can be bad news for your home’s foundation if not removed regularly.
- Difficult to Clean: The angled shape makes cleaning and proper maintenance of a hip roof much harder than a gable roof.
- Expensive to install: The cost of materials to construct a hip roof is higher than the cost of installing a gable roof. Also, the time it takes to install it is longer.
- Minimal Attic Storage Space: A hip roof doesn’t possess eaves which leave you with very little attic space that can be used as storage space or for recreational purposes.
Note: For high wind areas, or strong storms, a pitch of 18.5°-26.5° angle is recommended.
Proper construction and roof system maintenance is a must to prevent minor issues from turning into major problems.
Suggested materials: Hip roofs, like gable roofs, can be covered with almost any type of roofing material, such as shingles, decra, mabati or tiles.
Types of Hip Roofs
Simple Hip Roof Design
The most common type of a hip roof. It has a polygon on two sides and a triangle on two other sides. The sides come together at the top to form a simple ridge.
Cross Hipped Roof Design
Similar to a cross gable roof. Use separate hip roofs on homes with different wings. The line where the two roofs meet is called a valley.
Note: Valleys can allow water to pool. Proper waterproofing is a must.
What Is the Difference Between a Hip Roof and a Gable Roof?
Hip roofs have higher wind resistance than gable roofs do because of their shape; however, this also means that it’s harder for rainwater to run off of a hip roof into gutters or downspouts
The main difference between the two types of roofing is in how water flows off the surface – with a hip roof you need gutters on both sides while with a gabled one you only need them on one side
A hip-roofed house will be taller at the eaves than it would be if it had been built with a traditional pitched (gabled) roof
Hip Roofs provide better ventilation since there’s no obstruction from an overhang like there would be with a Gabled Roof
Gables are easier to install when building new homes so builders often use these as standard.
Hip roof is slanted on all four sides, and a gable roof has two slants. The slope of the roof affects how much snow will accumulate on it – if there’s too much weight, it could cause structural damage
Is Hip Roof Cheaper Than Gable?
Hip roofs are more complicated and labor-intensive to build. Even when the roof square footage works out to be the same between a gable and a hip roof, a contractor will likely spend more time framing a hip roof. So hip roof is more expensive than gable roofs because they require more materials and labor to build, but they offer better insulation and can last longer.
Gable roofs are cheaper because the framing is simpler and requires less material to construct, but their design makes them less energy efficient
Hip roofs are typically more expensive than gable roofs because they require a lot of materials to construct, but they have many benefits that make them worth the cost
The main benefit of hip roofs is their ability to shed snow and water quickly, which means less maintenance for homeowners in snowy climates
Gable roofs are cheaper and easier to build, but they don’t offer as much protection from snow or rain as hip roofs do
Hip and Gable Roof Combination
The hip and gable roof combination are an aesthetic alternative to a simple gable roof as well as a practical alternative to an open hip roof.
Both styles of roofs are commonly used in conjunction with one another to create a design that features both the steep angle of the gable roof and the shed-like shape of the hip roof
It has many variations, often with dormers, with the walls extending all their way up to the ridge line or terminating in deck overhangs that cover open porches while creating additional shelter for a patio below.
Both hip and gable roofs are classic, timeless styles. Hip and gable roof combination is often found in country homes that are built in the country. Buildings with hip and gable roof combination allow for a much larger roof area, which is key for those who live in more rural areas. Additionally, the combination allows to buildings with a more unique appearance.
How Long Does A Hip Roof Last?
The lifespan of a roof is determined by the materials used to construct it. Gable roofs are the most common type of roof in the United States, and with metal shingles, they will last for 50 years. Butterfly roofs are made of modern materials and can last for decades because water drains efficiently. Hip roofs can last for 40 to 50 years if properly maintained.
What Is a Cross Gable Roof?
A cross gable roof is made up of two or more gable rooflines that meet at an angle, usually with the two ridges perpendicular to one another. Because of the effect a cross gable roof has on the structure of a building, houses with this design also have a more complex layout.
How Much Wind Can a Roof Withstand?
Winds of 70-90 mph (miles per hour) are typically the starting point for wind that can cause roof damage. A gust of 50 mph, on the other hand, will take a beating on your roof. The age of your roof and the materials used to build it will all play a role in the damage that high winds will do.
In the past, most people were not overly concerned about wind speeds themselves. Roofs could withstand gusts of up to 90 mph. But in recent years, insurance companies have hiked up the insurance company’s wind requirements.
The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety recently released a study showing how your roof can be torn apart by 70 mph winds.
A 70-mph wind would easily damage your roof from glass breakage alone. But the same 70 mph wind could damage your roof by damaging the metal roofing. This is because the metal shingles are fastened on top of a layer of felt paper that acts as an insulator to slow down how fast heat can get transferred from the roof to your home below.
The same study showed that an 88-mph wind would cause so much damage to the roof that it would require immediate replacement, even if all other things were held at bay.
The damage that high winds will do to your roof will be determined by:
- What materials were used in your roof?
- How well the structure of your home holds up to high winds.
- How well fasteners hold up under extreme conditions.
- In the case of metal roofs, how metal is fastened down to the roof decking.
- What age is the roof? Glass breaks more easily as it ages and becomes weakened.
It is important to note that a variety of factors will make a roof more or less immune to high winds. But generally speaking, the older the roof, the less it will hold up.
The bottom line is that your roof will hold up to wind speed you need to see if your roof can withstand high wind speed.
Trying to decide what is the wind speed for your area will have to be done by professional engineers and inspectors.
If you live in an area that is prone to high winds, then it might be a good idea to replace your roof with a higher quality metal roof.
If you’re considering building a new home or renovating an old one, it’s important to consider which type of roof will be best for your climate and needs before making any decisions about construction materials.
Wind Resistance
Hip roofs are more wind-resistant in a storm.
The triangle-shaped “gable end” is prone to collapse in a force wind if not properly braced, with a domino-effect knocking down a row of roof framing members once the gable end collapses.
Can You Change A Hip Roof to A Gable Roof?
Yes, you can change a hip roof to a gable roof. Depending on the age and size of the home, you may have to hire a contractor to do the work. The contractor will likely need to tear down and rebuild the roof to accommodate the new design.
There are a lot of considerations that need to be taken into account when looking to change a hip roof to a gable roof:
- You will need to make sure that you have the right materials.
- For example, if you have a hip roof, you will need to make sure that you have the right decking and siding to go along with the new gable roof design.
- You will need to hire a contractor to do the work if it is beyond your expertise. If it is not beyond your expertise, then you can do it by yourself for a much lower cost.
- You may have to make some structural changes to your home.
- Lastly, you will want to make sure that you adhere to the latest building codes for your new gable roof design. These codes can be found online or in the local building permit office.
This article has been written to provide information on installing a hip roof & a gable roof. It is never a bad idea to consider other options before you install the new roof. As always, feel free to ask consult your roofing contractor.
Things to Consider When Choosing Your Roof Design
Whether you’re in the market for a new era, you are restoring your home or building from scratch, there are certain things that you should consider when choosing a roof design.
Here are just a few tips:
- Size: Size is a choice. With a hip roof design, you have the option to choose between smaller or larger sizes. A hip roof can be as small as 30 feet across and as large as 60 feet. When selecting this design, think about your home’s overall size, intended use and the size of your desired living space.
- Aesthetics: Hip design projects are not 100% symmetrical roofs, which makes them unique even when compared with gable designs. You’re free to make minor modifications to the roof that will bring more flair and individuality to your home.
- Materials: Every material has its pros and cons, but the most common materials used for this type of roof are wood (cedar, redwood or cedar shake), metal (steel or aluminum) and clay tile. If you are considering using a hip design in your new home, ask your contractor for recommended materials for different areas of the country.
- Cleaning: The biggest disadvantage of the hip roof design is its inability to be cleaned regularly. This means that your roof will accumulate more vegetation during the summer than gable designs. In some areas, this can be a huge problem and you should take the time to research proper methods of controlling mold and mildew growth in this type of construction.
- Ventilation: With the angled slope of hip roofs, they allow for great air circulation than a gable roof design. In most cases, this is an advantage because it allows for more room and airflow in the attic area of your home.
- Maintenance: Hip roofs are notorious for having challenging maintenance and cleaning. Some builders will recommend hiring a professional to maintain the roof residential gable 60 ft, due to the need to remove snow in winter.
- Roof Density: A common mistake that many home builders make is the use of heavier roof materials that can support a heavy load. Although this is a great design choice to ensure your home is safe from wind, if you are not an avid admirer of your roof, you may find it to be too loud or heavy looking.
- Ownership: Roofs are long-term investments, and selecting the right type of roof for your home will ultimately determine the protection and value of your newly built property in the future.
Roofing Materials
A roof is an important part of a house or building that can protect its exterior and interior from the elements, such as wind, rain, and snow. If you are building your own home or planning to replace your old roof with a new one, it is important to choose the right type of roof depending on your local climate and environment.
Shingle Roofs
The most common type of roofing used for residential homes is known as shingles. A shingle is a series of individual overlapping pieces that are created from either recycled or new paper. Shingles are the most commonly used roofing material since they can be easily installed and removed, are durable, lightweight, and can be expensive.
Metal Roof
The next best choice for roofing types is a metal roof. Metal roofs are made from sheets of steel that have been galvanized to protect against corrosion and weather damage.
Slate Roofs
Another popular type of covering used in residential homes is slate. Slate roofs are created from pieces of slate that are often arranged in a random pattern to give the roof a natural appearance. Slate roofs look attractive but they are heavy and require regular maintenance to prevent moss or mold build up.
Tiled roofs
Tiled roofs are another type of covering that can be installed on your home or office, though they require a greater level of skill to install than most types of roofs. Tiled roofs consist of clay tiles laid out in a variety of patterns with an overlap between each tile. The tiles can be laid in any direction and do not need a complete line of tiles to continue the border around the edges.
Tiled roofs are attractive but they are extremely heavy, especially when compared to other types of roofs. The weight of a tiled roof can be compared to that of three or four thousand pounds.
A tile roof represents an enormous investment due to the large amount of cost involved in creating a tile roof. In fact, a tile roof can be worth more than your entire house. The investment is so large that in many cases it is the payoff on the investment that ultimately determines how long the tile roof lasts.
Tile roofs can last up to 60 years, but many of them have a design flaw that causes them to leak or crack. The same problem arises with metal roofs and slate roofs.
Another problem is that tile roofs require regular maintenance for the life of the roof. After the tiles have been installed on your roof, you will need to repair or replace them every 10 years as they slowly deteriorate over time.
