If you are wondering what a mono pitched roof is then keep reading the following article where I discuss its design in detail. All of us have surely heard of the mono-pitched roofs which are a not so uncommon sight in residential areas.
Contents
Mono-pitched roofs are also known by the names of skillion roofs, shed roofs, pent roof and lean-to roof. They differ considerably from the conventional gabled roofs in shape and construction.
While the gabled roof is always pitched in two directions, the mono-pitch always slants in a single direction. A mono-pitch roof consists of a single surface of the sloping roof which is generally not attached to another roof surface.
Let us now get to the characteristics of the mono-slope roof along with some of its advantages and disadvantages.
MONO-PITCH ROOF FEATURES
The Mono-pitch roof is always made out of one single roofing surface. This kind of roofing is true to its name; Mono meaning single and the slope is referred to as the pitch.
Mono-pitched roof construction is generally standalone roofs which imply that you don’t need to attach them to any part of your roof. They differ considerably from traditional roofs which usually tend to have various pitches and slopes in various parts of the roof.
However, it is entirely possible for a structure to have more than one roofing style. For instance, one can go for both gabled roofing (varied pitch) as well as mono-pitch roofing. This kind of roof construction has been termed as split mono-pitch roofing.
Moreover, homeowners can choose to make a little addition to their existing roof by going for this kind of roofing.
One needs to place the mono-pitch roof at a height which is lower than that of the height of the ceiling of the main construction. In such a house although the main roofing comes with a flat ceiling, the mono-pitched part of the roofing would have a slant.
This sort of mono-pitch construction is known as lean-to roof.
STRUCTURE OF THE MONOSLOPE ROOF
Mono-pitched Roof of Skillion roof mainly depends on gravity in order to maintain the integrity of its structure. One of the major advantages of this kind of roofing is that they can be easily constructed without much hassle within a very short span of time.
The process of constructing a Mono-pitched roof is more than simple and doesn’t require too many hands when compared with the gabled roofing. As a result, Mono-pitched roofing construction can be completed in very less time and doesn’t involve too much expense.
Traditionally these kinds of the roof were mainly built for garages, but more and more people are now opting for Mono-pitch roof truss for their homes.
The Mono-pitch roof system doesn’t come with many members which is one reason which helps this kind of roof to distribute its load equally to the load bearing walls which have been placed near the roof both internally and externally.
MEMBERS OF THE MONO-PITCH ROOF
The Mono-pitched roof consists of two parts which are listed below:
The Rafter – The rafter can be defined as the sloping member that forms the pitch of this kind of roofing system. A rafter is generally used to support the materials of roof cladding along with the lining materials of the ceilings.
The rafter is also used to transfer the loads to the outer walls giving the support. When the length of the rafter is considerable, then you will surely need a beam in order to support those rafters and prevent them from deflection.
By making use of the ‘bird’s mouth cut’ on these rafters, one can connect them easily to provide proper support through the beams or walls.
Generally, a rafter is placed at 450 – 600 centres having an area of cross section 100*50.
Let us now come to the second member of the Mono-pitched roofing viz. the beams. These are an indispensable aspect of Mono-pitched roofing.
In a Mono-pitched roof, the beams are supposed to go horizontally forming a 90-degree angle with the rafters. The presence of the beam becomes indispensable when the cross-sectional area of the rafters tends to exceed the recommended length without support.
In other words, it is the beam which provides the rafters with solid support and makes the construction strong.
WHY GO FOR A MONO-PITCH ROOF DESIGN?
People who want to go for a more holistic approach to design needs to go for Mono-pitch roof house designs. Moreover, putting up a Mono-pitch roof is way cheaper than conventional gabled roofs.
Setting up a Mono-pitch roof for your house requires not only much less workforce but also much less time. Apart from serving as the roofing of garage, straw shed of grain stores, Mono-pitch roofing has successfully made its way into the main house.
One major advantage of this kind of roof is that on a building which is free standing, the mono-pitched roof would have the ability to extend back without the need of an internal gutter.
However, if one needs extra heavy weight rafters for their mono pitch roofing then the cost of setting up is going to be more.
If you want to maximize the natural light in your nursery, then you can surely go for a Mono-pitched glass roof.
A mono-pitched glass roof would allow maximum sunlight to enter your nursery which giving it a very special look. Make sure to get the drawings of your Mono-pitch house plan done by a professional in order to avoid any complications during the process of setting up the roof.
A Mono-pitched roof would allow you to make the ceilings higher and also provide you with space for clerestory windows below the eye level.
When the clerestory windows are placed under the eaves of your roof, your architect would now be able to elongate the gallery windows standing on the seams of your home. This would also allow much more sunlight into your rooms.
Moreover, the Mono-pitched roof would also help to create a sense of enlarged space. You need to have a proper talk with your roofing contractor and then decide on the roofing material of your Mono-pitch roof.
All the 3 elements of your home, living, bedroom pods and utility can be housed under a single Mono-pitch roof and therefore at first site they would seem like one.
However, you can choose to install breezeways and sliding doors to link them. In pavilion style houses Mono-pitched roof would allow proper drainage and more sunlight to reach the spaces in the interior.
If you are planning to build a cabin house in the forest or a mountain retreat, then you definitely need to go for the Mono-pitched roof.
The mono pitch roofing can also act just as an extension of the roof which already exists. In such a case the mono-pitched roof is placed lower than the ceiling height of the building provided that the ceiling is a flat one.
As a result, the mono-pitched part of the roof comes with a raked or sloped line of the ceiling in order to maximize the height of the ceiling. This is precisely why this kind of roofing is also known as lean-to roofing.
Mono-pitched roofs were also widely being used for providing the clerestory windows for a hall or any room which have a row of big windows located beneath the edge of the Mono-pitched part which reaches above the other roof present below.
COST OF ERECTING a MONO-PITCH ROOF
A mono-sloped roof is generally not a standalone choice but a style of architecture. This particular style of architecture is more popular in houses which are more intent on a streamlined and modern look and feel or wants to go for a low slope profile.
One has surely come across Mono-pitched roof structures in houses which have big living spaces or bedrooms. They are also a popular choice of simple home additions.
The fact that this kind of roofing comes with just one pitch makes the slope more or less moderate. Moreover, the cost of installation of a mono-pitched roof is much lesser than that of multi-pitch roofs.
The installation cost, however, depends on certain crucial factors like the actual slope of the roof and the number of beams and rafters being used.
You surely need to keep in mind that a mono-pitched roof made out of cheap materials like asphalt shingles would cost much less than that of metal materials.
You need to select a material for your mono pitched roof which would go well with the look and structure of your home. Mono-pitched roofs are ideal for people who want to go for a minimalistic yet contemporary look.
Single story extensions in houses are often made out of the mono-pitched roofing style.
The mono-pitched roofing construction comes with lots of economic as well as practical advantages and one need to talk to their architect and decide on a material which would suit the overall look of the house.
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.