Mansard Type Roof

A mansard or mansard roof also called a french roof or curb roof is a four sided gambrel style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope punctured by dormer windows at a steeper angle than the upper.

Mansard type roof.

In cross section the straight sided mansard can appear like a gambrel roof but it differs from the gambrel by displaying the same profile on all sides. It depends upon what type of design customer wants to implement. The word mansard means an actual attic inside the roof not just the shape of the roof. The steep roof with windows creates an additional floor of habitable space a garret and reduces the overall height of the roof for a given number of habitable stories.

There is a sort of visible distinction between flat roofs and mansard roofs. This curb hip style roof includes two distinct slopes with the steeper angle on one side for better drainage. One such important type of the roof is the mansard roof. Mansard roof type of roof having two slopes on every side the lower slope being considerably steeper than the upper.

Although the style was used as early as the mid 16th century in england and italy and was employed by pierre lescot at the louvre it was named for the 17th century architect françois mansart who used it on paris hôtel s. Mansard is a four sided roof with double slopes on each side so its sides can either be curved or flat.