What Is a Gable Roof and Is It the Right Choice for You?

There are many types and shapes of roofs for the home, garage, or even a stand-alone shed. However, a gable roof isn’t always the right choice for the home. Use this guide to learn what a gable roof is and find out more about the benefits and drawbacks of this roofing style.

What Is a Gable Roof?

A gable roof is generally easy to recognize by the flat-faced end, which is commonly shaped like the letter A. The flat, triangular end of the roof is known as a gable, which is made up of siding, stone, brick, or whichever material is used to make the exterior wall of the home, while the roof section is installed on top, forming the triangular slopes of the roof.

Gable roofs are common in northern areas that tend to get a lot of snow and ice. The shape of the roof helps to shed snow before it can pile up too high, while allowing ice and meltwater to flow down on either side of the roof. A basic gable roof may only have two gable faces and two sloping roof sides, but more complex structures may have significantly more gables.

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Common Gable Roof Materials

Gable roofs are a made using a combination of framing, roofing, and siding materials, including lumber, plywood, underlayment, and shingles. Typically, the joists and rafters will be made with lumber, while plywood may be used as a sheathing layer, followed by a layer of underlayment material designed to resist moisture, heat, and UV radiation.

After installing the framework, sheathing, and underlayment, the installers will put in the top layer of roofing material, which can include asphalt shingles, slate shingles, metal sheet roofing, stone-coated steel roofing, or even solar roof tiles. For the gables of the roof, the contractor will generally opt for siding, stone, or brick, depending on what is used for the rest of the exterior walls.

Gable Roof Benefits and Drawbacks

When deciding on the right roof for a new addition or looking at different housing design while shopping around for a new house, it’s important to consider more than just the aesthetic appearance. Consider these pros and cons of a gable roof.

Benefits

Inexpensive: A gable roof tends to be less expensive than a hip roof and other roofing options because it only has two roof planes, requiring less roofing material.

Built-in Ventilation: The gable faces of a gable roof allow the contractor to install gable roof vents to help improve attic ventilation.

Increased Attic Space: The design of a gable roof naturally increases the amount of available space in the attic.

Appealing Decor: This roofing style looks great and improves the overall appeal of the home.

Drawbacks

Poor Wind Performance: The biggest drawback to investing in a gable roof is the potential risk for high winds to gather under the gable overhang. For those that live in areas that experience frequent hurricane weather, tornados, and other high wind conditions, a gable roof isn’t a good choice.

Reduced Living Area: While a gable roof can help to increase the amount of space in an attic, it actually reduces the height of the living area when installed directly over the first- or second-floor space, like in a bungalow or Cape Cod-style home.

Simple Design: The plain design of a gable roof can be appealing for some, but not every homeowner shares the same tastes. For some people, the simple look of a gable house is a drawback when compared with more complex roof designs, like a hip roof.

Gable Roof vs. Hip Roof

Two common roof styles for residential homes include gable and hip roofs, but there are some key differences.

Gable Roof

A gable roof has sloping roof sides and a flat-faced end that is shaped like a triangle or the letter A. This type of roof is popular in colder climates because it is designed to easily shed snow, ice, and meltwater. Gable roofs also tend to be less expensive to install than a hip roof, providing ample attic space for storage or a spare bedroom. However, a gable roof doesn’t perform well in high wind conditions and the plain design may not be appealing to some homeowners.

Hip Roof

A hip roof has four sloping roof sides and does not have the flat face that is present on a gable roof. Instead, all four sides slope down from the peak of the roof, making them a great option for high-wind locations. Hip roofs aren’t as effective for shedding snow and ice, so hip roofs are more common in warmer climates. They tend to be easier to build than a gable roof and have an appealing design.

Gable Roof Design Variations

Gable roofs can be constructed with a variety of design styles that incorporate the basic gable roof structure into more innovative aesthetics. Consider these gable roof design variations when looking for a new home.

• Open Gable: This is the classic style of gable roof, with two sloping roof sides and two flat, triangular gable faces.
• Box Gable: This gable roof style is nearly identical to an open gable design, except that the roof’s gable is enclosed and extended.
• Cross Gable: Roofs that combine two gable sections at a right angle to each other have a cross gable design.
• Gambrel: Gambrel roofs are often seen on barns and similar structures. Instead of just two sloping sides, the sides of a gambrel room will typically have two different slopes, forming a pentagonal gable face.
• Saltbox: Similar to an open gable design, a saltbox gable roof can be identified by one end of the roof extending further than the other side, creating an asymmetrical aesthetic.
• Dutch Gable: Combine both a gable roof and a hip roof with a Dutch gable design, which feature an open gable in the center of the room, surrounded by a hip roof skirt around the gable.