Dutch Hip Roof

Roofs are made of various designs according to regions and the climatic conditions in those regions.

The variations of materials used to build the roofs could also vary from place to place. The design we will be talking about today is the Dutch Hip Roof.  So, what is a Dutch hip roof?

According to various descriptions, the gablet roof combines the benefits of the gable roof  along with the hip roof.

In this way a new architectural design is established which is pleasing, as well as beneficial. The Dutch hip roof is also called a hybrid because of the gable and hip roof combination.

The hip and gable combined roof can be found in architectures all over the world including Asia, Africa and the West Indies. This style of roof is not only effective in areas where it snows, but is also good for the tropics where there is lots of rain.

If there are extended overhangs then they keep torrential rain out of the home and also provide the necessary shade from the sun.

 

WHAT IS DUTCH HIP ROOF STYLE?

This style of roofing is sometimes also referred to as a gablet roof. Dutch hip roof style is a combination of the traditional hip and the gable roof styles.

The gable is the triangular portion which is placed on the peak of the hip roof. The gable at the top is part of the roof or can be a stand-alone fixture in the middle of the roof, which provides attic space or extra windows.

The four sides of the Dutch hip roofs slope downwards and therefore this design of roof works well to remove snow and rainwater drips off of it easily.

This roof style is suitable in areas frequented by hurricanes and tornadoes too, as the roof can withstand damage.

Dutch hip roof design is both aesthetic and practical. This kind of roof design therefore works well with homes, as well as barns, garages and sheds.

Quite often the triangle of the gable stands in line with the masonry wall below as the walls sometimes rise to the roof and even form a parapet.

The sloped design of the roof includes covering the eaves, though the overhangs could be relatively short as compared to other roof designs.

This overhang helps to protect the walls of the buildings as well as the windows. Dutch hip roof design is suitable for cottages and ranch style homes rather than in modern homes.

The height of the roof keeps the homes cool. Hip roofs are stable because the four sides have an inward slope, but it is the gable at the top that gives the roof design a lot of style.

A Dutch gable hip roof is a part of the hip roof, therefore when designing this kind of gable hip roof the ridge of the hip part of the roof does not go all the way up, but stops short so that the gable can be fitted in.

The gable helps to reduce the heat inside the building that rises upwards and can escape through the ventilation placed in the two ends of the gable. Traditionally it is the two ends of the gable that have ventilation, which is placed as high as possible to reduce heat.

However, modern Dutch gable hip designs can place the gable just over the veranda or in a particular part of the roof and it does not  always have to be placed on the ridge center.

Gables are also designed into homes as stand-alone fixtures that provide ventilation, but also are used to enhance the aesthetics of the home.

Dutch hip roof house plans are created separately for homes, garages, shelters, sheds and pool houses. The roof design is planned according to the use of the building and also according to local building code standards for roofs in the area.

Hip roofs without a gable have a strong construction. Normally gables provide a relatively large attic space.

Most people are quite happy to use that space for storage or as an extra bedroom. However, in Dutch hip roof houses the attic space is reduced, especially if the gable is placed high up in the roof.

In the traditional Dutch hip roof gable houses the end walls of the gable roof tend to rise above the roof line.

One thing to be said about the construction of the this type of gable hip roof is that there is no need for girder trusses, but it is still possible to have level walls and the eaves are consistent.

VARIOUS DEFINITIONS FOR DUTCH HIP ROOF

“A style of roof framing similar to that in a hip roof, but with a small gable at the top” is a Dutch hip roof definition. In the USA a Dutch hip roof is also defined as a Boston Hip.

However, the Boston hip comes with a slight variation as the final row of shingles is bent over with a lateral overlap so that the shingles can provide a weather-proof joint.

Also alternate rows of shingles overlap in the opposite direction for this reason. The Dutch hip roof on the other hand can be constructed with any type of material, which includes asphalt shingles, tiles and metal.

However, most people use standing seams to prevent roof leaks. Another definition describes this type of roof as “a type of roof with upper gable ends built with a short hip section.”

Dutch hip roof pictures show various kinds of alternative designs in the modern homes. However, the traditional hip roof pictures all point to the basic hip design with the gable on the ridge.

The pictures clearly show how the low eaves overhang the perimeter of the house. These kinds of roofs are made for preventing the sun from penetrating into the home.

Since the eaves form a ‘protected’ area around the perimeter of the house, the rain does not penetrate into the foundation and the drier soil around the perimeter also keeps termites at bay.


Founder & Editor

Hi, I’m Jim. I was a roofing constructor for 20 years, before deciding to start myrooff.com and gather the best content about roofing. I love woodworking and construction and it was only natural for me to start this passion project of mine. Thank you for visitng.