hip roof, also called hipped roof, roof that slopes upward from all sides of a structure, having no vertical ends. The hip is the external angle at which adjacent sloping sides of a roof meet. The degree of such an angle is referred to as the hip bevel.

What qualifies as a hip roof?

A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope (although a tented roof by definition is a hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak).

What is the purpose of a hip roof?

The hip structure provides ideal protection from severe weather like rain, snow, and high winds. They are found more readily in hurricane-prone high wind areas. That's because all four sides of the roof slope toward the ground, and there are no flat roof surfaces and limited exposure on any one side to wind updrafts.

What style of house has a hip roof?

Balance and symmetry define the French Provincial style, which has a steep hip roof. Balance and symmetry are the ruling characteristics of this formal style. Homes are often brick with detailing in copper or slate. Windows and chimneys are symmetrical and perfectly balanced, at least in original versions of the style.

What's the difference between a hip roof and a gable roof?

The main difference between a hip and gable roof are the slopes on its sides. On a hipped roof, all sides slope downward to the home's walls. Gable roofs only have two triangle-shaped slopes that extend from the bottom of the roof's eaves to the peak of its ridge.

How does a hipped roof work?

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Where are hip roofs most common geographically?

Hip roofs are most common in North America and are considered to be the second most popular roof styles after gable roofs. While a gable roof consists of two sloping sides that join together at the top of gable ends, a hip roof has four sloping sides with no gable ends.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hip roofs?

A hip roof has four slopes that come together at the top to form a ridge.

• Advantages: The four-way slope makes it much more stable than other roofing types, and allows water and snow to run off with ease. ...
• Disadvantages: Hip roofs are more complex than flat or gable roofs, making the odds of failure a bit higher.

What does a hip style roof look like?

A hip roof has no vertical ends. It is sloped on all sides, with the slopes meeting in a peak (if the structure is square). Or with the ends sloped inward toward a ridge formed by the adjacent sides (if the structure is rectangular).

Are hip roofs more expensive?

Hip roofs are more expensive to build than gable roof because it is a more complex design that requires more building materials including a complex system of trusses or rafters.

What is hip rafter?

: the rafter extending from the wall plate to the ridge and forming the angle of a hip roof.

What are 3 advantages of a hip roof?

Hip Roof Advantages

• High Wind Performance. Hips roofs are a solid choice for high winds. ...
• Hip Roof vs. Gable Roof for Insurance. ...
• Easy to Build. From a builder's perspective, hip roofs are easier to construct. ...
• Snow Performance. ...
• Attic Space. ...
• Expense. ...
• Less Expensive. ...
• Ventilation.

Is a hip roof better?

The construction strength of the hip roof can support the weight of snow on top and the pitch of a gable roof can shed rain and snow easily. However, if you are building or buying a home in a high wind region or where storms such as hurricanes are present, a hip roof is a better option.

Are hip roofs strong?

A hip roof is more stable than the traditional gables that you will find in Europe and North America. This advantage is due to the inward slope that occurs on all four sides of the structure. This design element helps to solidify the exterior while providing extra resilience against wind and precipitation.

Why is it called a hip roof?

hip roof, also called hipped roof, roof that slopes upward from all sides of a structure, having no vertical ends. The hip is the external angle at which adjacent sloping sides of a roof meet. The degree of such an angle is referred to as the hip bevel.

Are hip roof stronger than Gable?

A hip roof slopes inward on all sides. It is stronger than a gable roof in hurricane resistance because it doesn't have a triangular gable end wall that often fails under the pressure of high winds. Also, hip roofs are self-bracing.

Does a hip roof need ceiling joists?

The thrust to worry about is at the tails of the common rafters. If you build a square hip roof, you can do it without ceiling joists.

Why are hip roofs so popular?

Pros: Hip roofs are more stable than gable roofs. The inward slope of all four sides is what makes it sturdier and more durable. Hip roofs are excellent for both high wind and snowy areas. The slant of the roof allows snow to easily slide off with no standing water.

Which type of roofing is best?

Asphalt Roofing Shingles

Relatively lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to install, asphalt shingles are the best choice for most houses. They come in sheets that are layered on a roof to give the illusion of more expensive single shingles, such as cedar and slate, that are installed one shingle at a time.

What type of roofing is cheapest?

Asphalt. Asphalt is the cheapest of all roofing materials in the market. This makes it a perfect option for homeowners facing budgetary constraints. A shingle measuring one square foot retails for as low as $1.

When were hip roofs invented?

Hip roofs, or hipped roofs, were popularized in the U.S. during the early Georgian period of architecture, in the early eighteenth century. Many stately homes in the mid-Atlantic and Southern regions were two-story, rectangular brick structures with hip roofs.

Do hip roofs leak?

Heavy Risk of Leaks

Heat-welded seams will perform better, but the huge number of seams you will use will not remove the risk of leaks from your hip roof.

Are hip roofs self supporting?

We frequently encounter hipped roofs that are constructed as self-supporting assemblies (i.e. no interior support). ... The simplest hipped roof is a pyramid shape. A small pyramid-shaped roof can be constructed out of basic wood framing and can be supported on walls or posts without any mechanism to resist thrust.

Does a hip roof need Rafter ties?

A hipped roof can be designed without rafter ties or internal columns by using the wall plates as tension members and the roof deck for stability. Without roof deck, the four hip members together with a four foot long ridge beam form an unstable structure when hinged at all six nodes.

What angle is a hip roof?

Parts of a Hip Roof

Hip rafters are nailed at a 45 degree angle to the ridge board down to the four outside corners of the building. Also used to nail the top of the jack rafters. Jack rafters are nailed to the hip and slope down to the exterior walls. They have the same seat and tail cut as a common.

Does a hip roof have load bearing walls?

Hip Roofs. ... In hip roof designs, all four exterior walls support the ends of roof rafters, so all exterior walls bear a weight load from the roof above them. Interior load-bearing walls may also support the roof as they do in gable roof designs.