Half-hipped roof: information on structure and construction

Almost everyone knows the typical truncated gable view of a half-hipped roof. She usually ducks under a protruding roof overhang in search of protection. Very few people know, however, that this is a half-hipped roof. Here you will find all information about this traditional roof shape and also experience numerous advantages and disadvantages.

What is hidden behind the half-hipped roof?

The half-hipped roof is a subtype of the hipped roof. Like this one, a half-hipped roof has two large roof areas of identical inclination meeting in a ridge. The gable ends are also bounded by sloping roof surfaces that meet the centrally located ridge. In contrast to the hipped areas of the classic hipped roof, which reach up to the eaves, the hipped areas of the half-hipped roof are shortened towards the bottom. The eaves, i.e. the lower edge of the roof, jumps upwards in the gable area. As a result, the triangular saddle roof gables are not completely replaced by roof surfaces, as is the case with the hipped roof, but appear here as trapezoids cut off at the top. One could say that the half-hipped roof represents a kind of intermediate step between a gabled roof and a hipped roof.

Classic examples of half-hipped roofs

The prime example of a half-hipped roof is probably the traditional Black Forest courtyard. The cantilevered roof covers both utility and living areas and, thanks to the steep roof pitches, safely diverts the sometimes enormous masses of winter snow. The large roof overhang ensures that a working area in front of the house is protected from rain and snow. And this is exactly where the hour of the half-hipped roof comes in. While a normal hipped roof would lead to enormous shading of the entire gable wall, the Reduced half-hipped area for sufficient lighting options without overdoing the protection of the roof overhang to reduce.

construction and statics

The supporting structure of the half-hipped roof consists of the following main structural elements:

• Rafters as a supporting plane for roof covering
• First as the upper support point of the rafters
• Central purlin or central purlins as support points for the rafters in the middle of the field
• Threshold as the lower support point of the rafters
• Supports or support system (“lying chair” or “standing chair”) for load transfer from the ridge, purlins and threshold to the solid walls below

The roof structure

The structures of the historical half-hipped roofs were extremely simple. As pure weather protection over the unheated roof space, transversely arranged slats supported the roofing directly on the roof rafters. Today, however, the roof structure is much more complex (construction from the inside to the outside):

• Optical paneling, e.g. B. as wooden formwork or plasterboard planking with paint, wallpaper or plaster
• Support battens for cladding, mostly at the same time installation level for lighting etc.
• Vapor diffusion-tight layer, usually as a film material
• Construction level made of rafters and soft insulation placed between the rafters (mineral wool, cellulose, etc.)
• Rainproof sub-roof membrane, as foil or additional water-bearing insulating layer (e.g. B. wood fiber board)
• Substructure of the roof covering, in the case of bricks or roof tiles made of counter battens and battens
• roof covering

Common roof coverings

Due to the usually quite high roof pitch on half-hipped roofs, the usual coverings are usually used for covering, which are also used on the pitched roof to be used:

• brick
• concrete roof tiles
• sheet

Regionally motivated, however, these types of coverings can also be found again and again as a historical quote and a return to the tried and tested at the same time:

• shingles
• slate
• thatch / straw

Roofing made of foil or bitumen sheets, as well as green and gravel roofs are flatter sloping roofs is technically possible, but more theoretical when you look at the examples that have been built Nature.

The pitch of a half-hipped roof

In theory, the half-hipped roof can be manufactured with almost any inclination of the main and hipped surfaces. However, the long history of this roof shape shows that common and, above all, sensible inclinations range between 35 and 50 degrees. This spectrum results in a well usable roof space and the constructive details can be created without excessive additional effort. At the same time, the roof has a healthy dimension in relation to the building below, so that design and technology go hand in hand here.

Typical superstructures and installations

Due to their mostly purely economic use in the roof space, a large number of historical half-hipped roofs do not require roof structures. Both technically and in terms of design, however, all common ones can be used due to the roof pitch Roof constructions and installations from the roof window to the dormer window to the roof balcony without any problems implement. Since the main roof surfaces compared to the ordinary hip roof are less severely trimmed due to the reduced hip areas, the half-hipped roof is even more suitable for upgrading the roof space with the elements mentioned.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages and disadvantages of the half-hipped roof are briefly summarized as follows:

Advantages

• With common inclinations, usually generous, easily usable roof space
• Good compromise between weather protection and lighting options for the gable areas
• Visually less intense appearance than a hipped roof
• Good drainage of rain and snow at normal inclines
• Good compatibility with roof structures and roof installations

Disadvantages

• High design effort for half-hipped surfaces
• High optical weight, especially in smaller buildings with a low number of storeys
• Difficult exposure options in the roof peak due to hipped areas

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