Sometimes, people assume that steel buildings are all pretty much the same. There’s a foundation, four walls, and a roof. But there are many decisions to make in the design phase. They will impact the functionality and aesthetics of the completed structure. The style of roof you choose for your steel building is a good example. Here’s a quick overview of some of the available roof style options.
Flat Roof
This is exactly what it sounds like. The roof has no slope and fits on top of the four walls like a lid on a box. This roof style is simple to design and the look is very industrial. It’s sometimes selected for garages and storage units. It can be a workable option for geographic regions that are dry most of the year. Areas with a lot of precipitation aren’t always a good fit. That’s because it doesn’t direct water into the gutters. Also, snow can build up and put too much strain on the roof.
Single Slope
This style is like a “lean-to” with one edge of the roof higher than the other. It’s another unassuming roof style that has the advantage of directing runoff easily to the edge of the roof. People often choose this style for steel building add-ons to existing buildings and for smaller sheds. It’s also the “go to” design for shade structures in sports and recreation areas.
Gable
This roof style is the classic triangle shape with a roof that has just two panels. This is a popular roof style on churches, especially with a nice, steep pitch leading up to the cross. It’s also a solid look for community centers and other buildings that want to blend in by looking more residential than commercial. A Monitor roof is similar. But it has two distinct levels with the upper “cap” separate from the lower part of the roof. There’s often a porthole or small window near the apex on the front wall to accentuate the design.
Gambrel
This is an old-fashioned Dutch roof design in the same basic style as the gable. But each side of the roof features two panels that break up the pitch of the roof. This design gives the top of the building a dome shape rather than coming to a sharp point. It’s a popular style for agricultural structures including stables and barns. The high domed shape of the roof leaves a lot of room within the building for an accessible attic or loft.
Hipped
This roof is similar to the gable. But it has a panel at the front and rear of the building as well as one on each side. From the top, it looks a bit like a shallow pyramid with two long sides and two short ones. This gives the building’s walls a more squared off profile rather than having front and rear walls that reach all the way to the apex of the roof in a triangle shape. A hip roof in the Gambrel style is called a Mansard roof. Hipped roofs allow for runoff in all four directions. That reduces the amount of soil erosion in any given spot.
Butterfly
This is a very rare roof style that is V-shaped, completely inverted so that the edges are higher than the center. It was popular in the 1950s but is rarely used today. If maximizing rainwater collection is the goal, a butterfly roof might still be a potential option since it easily directs rainfall into a collection system. However, snow buildup would put a lot of strain on a roof in this style.
As you can see, you must carefully consider the roof style options for a metal building based on durability, function, erosion, precipitation, and other climate and operational conditions as well as aesthetics. The smartest choice is to work with an experienced designer and engineer to create a building plan. Get started now by filling out our contact form.
