Victorian House Roof

In basic terms a mansard roof has 4 sides with each side bearing two slopes.

Victorian house roof.

The lower slope is steep enough to sometimes appear vertical. The color material shape and size of the roofing must match as closely as possible to the original. The best way to restore the victorian roof to its former glory is to match the original roofing materials to modern roofing materials. During the victorian period many different types of roofing materials were used.

Although some roofs in more expensive later victorian houses have timber sarking boarding laid over the rafters the practice of draping sheets of underfelt beneath the tiles as a secondary line of defence is a relatively modern concept previously any moisture seeping through in stormy weather would have dried out thanks to lofts being well ventilated. The gable is the triangular siding area formed by the shape of the roof. Front gable roofs have the gable in the front of the house. The most popular roof style may be the side gable because it s one of the easiest to build.

After 1840 stationary and portable mills produced the sawn shingles common for queen anne and shingle style houses of the victorian period often stained in greens or earth tones. Also like the notch woodwork underneath. What distinguishes a second empire style house from an italianate is its high mansard roof. Of course the typical for all the victorian houses elements still present like the multiple colors walls rich in texture steep roof pitches and this one is really specific below the gable there is usually a vergeboard.

The gables on this house face the sides so the slope of the roof is in the front and back.