Gambrel And Mansard Roofs

A gambrel or barn roof is much like mansard in a sense that it has two different slopes.

Gambrel and mansard roofs.

The cross section of a gambrel roof is very similar to that of a mansard roof. Similar to mansard the lower side of the gambrel roof has an almost vertical steep slope while the upper slope is much lower. In cross section the straight sided mansard can appear like a gambrel roof but it differs from the gambrel by displaying the same profile on all sides. The steep roof with windows creates an additional floor of habitable space a garret and reduces the overall height of the roof for a given number of habitable stories.

The difference between the two is that the gambrel only has two sides while the mansard has four. The only significant difference is that a gambrel roof consists of vertical gable ends and is not hipped at the four corners of the building structure. Simply put the mansard roof also known as the french roof or curb roof is a hybrid between a gambrel roof and a hip roof. If you are not familiar with a gambrel roof then let us first explain its architecture in brief.

A mansard or mansard roof also called a french roof or curb roof is a four sided gambrel style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope punctured by dormer windows at a steeper angle than the upper. A gambrel roof overhangs the façade whereas a mansard normally does not. Mansard roof type of roof having two slopes on every side the lower slope being considerably steeper than the upper. The cross section of a gambrel roof is similar to that of a mansard roof but a gambrel has vertical gable ends instead of being hipped at the four corners of the building.

Although the style was used as early as the mid 16th century in england and italy and was employed by pierre lescot at the louvre it was named for the 17th century architect françois mansart who used it on paris hôtel s.