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Shed Roof Options

A shed roof can make or break the entire eye appeal of your new portable storage building.

Sounds simple, I know, but you will be surprised what a profound visual effect different roof styles will have on your storage shed.

Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the available options so you can then make an educated decision when choosing the perfect roof style for your new shed.

Types of Roof Sheds

There are several main roof styles to consider before building or purchasing your new portable storage building:

Gable Style
A gabled roof is your basic roof layout where the roof falls to either side of the peak of the roof.

When you view a gabled roof from the side it looks like a triangle. You can have a gable roof that has the slopes running to the front and back of the shed, or to each side of the shed.

Gambrel Style
The easiest way to describe a gambrel roof is to picture an old barn. You have the roof slowly sloping from either side of the peak, then there's a seam and the roof slopes further down from the first slope.

From a side view the roof line has the appearance of a bell shape.

Saltbox style
A saltbox style is essentially a gable roof (see above), BUT the 2 sides are not equal in length.

Basically, the peak of the roof does not line up with the center of the building. Instead it is more towards the front of the storage shed giving the shed 1 long sloping side of the roof and 1 short sloping side of the roof.

Shed Roof Style
A shed roof is a straight sloping roof with no peak and only one side. So, if you wanted rain/snow to run to the back of the storage shed - the front of the shed would be higher than the back of the shed and the roof would run down from front to back.

Roofing Material Options

As with the styles of roofs, there are several roofing material options available for consideration:

Metal Shed Roof
Using metal for the roof of your portable storage building is an easy and economical roofing choice. Metal is lightweight, water resistant, insect resistant, and rot resistant.

Metal is also relatively easy to install even if it's your first time. A metal shed roof is very practical and still eye-appealing roofing option.

Asphalt Shingle Roof
Everyone's familiar with shingles, so I'll just point out a couple of key advantages:

• Low-maintainance
• You can match the shingles on your storage shed with the roof on your home
• Weather resistant

You have 2 options with asphalt shingles - you can get the standard (3 tab) shingle, or you can get the upscale architectural shingle. Architectural shingles are heavier and usually come with a longer warranty period.

Wood Shingle Roof / Shake Shingle Roof
Very eye-catching shingles typically made from either cedar or pine. Wood shingles are very durable and long lasting. Wood shingles are also a bit more expensive - but hey, how big is your storage sheds roof anyway?

Although wood shingles and shake shingles are very similar, the main distinction is that wood shingles have more of a smooth finish, while shake shingles have a rough cut to them.

Which Shed Roof Should I choose?

Not surpisingly - it's up to you. Everyone has their own tastes and preferences. Pick the style you like and go with it.

A few things you should take into consideration though:

• Consider the roof line of your home - it's usually best to match it.
• If you go with shingles - match the color of shingles you have on your home as best as you can.
• Will you use your storage shed daily? You may want to run the roof lines to the side to avoid rain runoff falling in front of the door.
• How much storage area do you need? A higher pitched roof, or a gambrel style roof allows for the possibility of adding a loft for extra storage inside your shed.

Shed Roof Construction

When it comes to building a new storage shed probably the most intimidating part is the shed roof construction. Most DIY'rs feel they are handy with cutting and nailing wood, but many have never had any experience with roofing.

It's not nearly as complicated as it may seem. Like with any other project you do for the first time, do your research and then jump in and figure it out as you go.

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