Your roof is more than just the function of keeping the elements out of your interior space. It also expresses your home’s style, influenced by not only the age of your home but also how roof design has evolved over time. The old-world charm of historic roofing has a direct influence on today’s roofing artistry, including the roof that tops your home. By looking at a historical roofing timeline, architecture and how it has been influenced by historic roofing materials begins to take shape. Roofing isn’t just functional. It’s architectural storytelling. Let’s take a look at historic roofing and trace the history of home construction through shingles, tiles, and pitch angles.
If you happen to live in a historic home, understanding historic roofing materials and designs can help you find historic roofing contractors who can provide the best roof restoration for old houses. If you live in a more modern home, you can learn how historic roofing has influenced contemporary design and how best to express this style through different materials. So, let’s get started on this journey through architecture and historic roofing.
Colonial Roofing Styles
Colonial architecture dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. This encompasses a time when British colonists introduced this style in New England and also the Colonial Revival period that stretched from the late 18th century and into the 20th century. Colonial architecture is an umbrella term that embraces several different styles, including Georgian and Cape Cod as well as French, Spanish, and Dutch Colonial. Overall, it adheres to simple, traditional lines focused on symmetry and rectangles with minimal embellishments. Colonial roof design follows some of these same features.
Building with What the Land Gave
In Colonial times, building materials were derived from the surrounding land. There were no home improvement centers where materials were easily acquired. Builders had to rely on what the land gave. For roofs, this included wood shingles and hand-split shakes, traditional roof materials for colonial style homes.
There were regional differences, however, as the land varied depending on where you lived. In the South, clay tiles were commonly used while in the Northeast slate tiles were both more practical for the climate and in more abundance.
Early Roof Shapes Favored Simplicity
The shape of historic roofing is as important to architectural design as the materials used. Colonial roofs reflected the Puritan mindset of the time, striving for both symmetry and minimalism. This included gable roofs, which is the most common type of roof seen in the United States, where two slanted planes come together in a center peak forming a triangular shape. These roofs have a steep pitch and are a functional design for many different climates. They are also easily constructed from wood materials.
Colonial homes also had gambrel roofs, which are most generally known as barn shaped roofs. Saltbox roofs were also used on Colonial homes, which defies the general symmetry of Colonial design. The saltbox shape, where one side has a long, low-pitched slope and the other side is shorter with a steeper slope, is thought to derive from the shape of salt boxes used to store salt during this era. The design does allow for storage under the longer side of the roof, while the other side provides for more headroom. It is a well-suited design for climates that experience heavy snow and rain.
Federal and Georgian Era Roofs
Federal architectural styles date to the beginning of the American republic, shortly following the American Revolution, roughly 1780 to 1830. Georgian is a typical Colonial architectural style that was popular through the reign of England’s four King Georges from 1714 to 1830. These two styles overlap and have similar characteristics, with extreme symmetry and rectangular boxes being the most recognizable. This overlap points to the dating of roofing styles by time period to be more about historic roofing materials and design characteristics than specific dates.
Brick and Slate: A Shift in Style
There was a shift during this time away from the wood used during the Colonial era to building with brick. This included slate tiled roofs with higher-pitches and built in dormers that allowed for bigger, more spacious homes. This time period is also marked by more refinement and rooflines that became more decorative, but still maintaining their practicality.
Influence of European Craftsmanship
Some of the more decorative elements during the Federal and Georgian eras came from the influence of European craftsmanship, including copper roof detailing found in roof flashing and chimney pots. These details, however, still adhered to classical lines, which were a hallmark of the period.
Victorian Roofing Styles
No look at historic home roofing is complete without touching on Victorian roofing styles. The Victorian era is generally marked by the long reign of England’s Queen Victoria, from 1837 to 1901. In the United States, this covers most of the 19th century, when industrialization gave rise to dramatic social and economic changes. Home and building designs were influenced by these changes and became more luxurious, ornate, and dramatic, greatly influencing the evolution of architectural design.
Steep Pitches and Ornamental Details
Victorian era roofing is characterized by a steep pitch roof design with intricate handcrafted roof details that served a more ornamental purpose. It was a time period where less was not more and architectural flourishes and design details reigned. This included slate patterns, copper ridges, and intricately designed weathervanes. There were several different architectural styles that became popular during this era.
Queen Anne
Popular from about 1880-2010 in the United States, this highly eclectic and ornate design, marked by a playful blend of Medieval and Jacobean styles, included towers, stained glass windows, asymmetrical facades, large porches, balconies, and decorative trim. Queen Anne roofs were steep and included a mix of cross gables, dormers, and turrets shingled with both slate and wood.
Second Empire
In the mid-19th Century, during the reign of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, there was an interest in French architecture, which included the Mansard roof. This historic roofing style is most associated with Paris and is marked by its double slopes, a steep upper slope and a flat lower slope, creating more usable space on the upper floors of a building.
Gothic Revival
During the mid-19th century, there was also a renewed interest in antiquity and medieval architecture, especially Gothic churches, which spawned a Gothic Revival. This style incorporated spires and arches, giving Gothic architecture roofs a dramatic flair, including pointed gables, stained glass, and woodwork details. There was a focus on churches and public buildings throughout this time period.
The Rise of Craftsman and Prairie Style Roofs
Following the drama of the Victorian age, the turn of the 20th century saw American architecture become less influenced by European trends, which gave rise to Craftsman and Prairie architecture. These styles can be found throughout the Midwest and showcase an emphasis on structures blending into their natural surroundings. This is reflected in the era’s roofing craftsmanship. Minnesota especially is full of this style of home.
Low Pitches and Wide Overhangs
Craftsman and Prairie style roofs incorporate a lower pitch than earlier designs and also included wide overhangs, deep eaves, and exposed rafters. Keeping with the emphasis on nature, this architectural style also included natural materials, such as wood and stone.
Asphalt and Affordability
Tracking roofing materials through history inevitably lands on the introduction of asphalt shingles, which are the most used roofing material in the United States and were invented to meet a growing need for housing and the use of simpler materials. They were also far more affordable than traditional roofing materials and could be massively produced.
Post-War Roofing Shifts
After World War II and the rise of suburban America came a much greater demand for single-family homes. This period from the 1950’s through the 1970’s emphasized utility over detail. It saw the introduction of prefab roofs, basic asphalt, and standardization that rose out of the mass construction demands of suburban construction booms.
Lost Art: Decline of Handcrafted Elements
This period is also defined by a decline in the creation of handcrafted elements in home design and construction. There is a distinct drop in the use of slate, copper, and wood as costs rose and efficient, affordable construction materials and techniques were preferred over the art of handcrafted design.
Modern Roofing Trends Inspired by the Past
There are, however, historic roofing design influences found throughout modern trends in home construction. From historic architecture-inspired roofing to the use of more traditional roofing materials, modern roofing is inspired by the past.
Slate and Copper Make a Comeback
Slate and copper are both making a comeback as sustainable and durable materials with timeless appeal.
Slate roofing restoration can be well worth the expense as it is a sustainable material that can last between 75 to 100 years if properly installed and maintained. When compared to the lifespan of an asphalt roof, which is between 20 to 30 years, you can see why this historic roofing material is being used more often on both new construction and historic homes.
Homes with metal roof designs are also making a comeback, especially copper, galvanized steel, aluminum, and zinc. Metal roofing materials can last from 40 to 70 years if properly installed and maintained.
Mixing the Old with the New
Another trend in modern roofing is the use of composite shingles that are designed to mimic the look of traditional cedar or slate shingles, and even metal roofs with a historic patina. This blending of a historical aesthetic with the benefits of new construction materials can give you the look and feel of traditional design without the high roofing costs. This blend of old style with new performance can be especially good for heritage roofing repair.
Why Historical Roofing Still Inspires Today’s Builds
Looking at historic roofing with its wide range of styles and materials can inspire modern home designs and historic home remodels. Artisan roofing contractors, such as Summit Construction Group, a premiere Minnesota roofing company, can help you discover ideas for the best roofing for historic homes and contemporary builds that blend past beauty with present technology. This authenticity can add to both the charm and value of your property.
Summit Construction Group’s approach of honoring tradition with modern performance can help your roof tell a story. Reach out for a consultation to find the perfect roofing design and materials for your home.
FAQ
What are the oldest roofing materials still in use today?
Slate, clay tiles, and copper
How do you identify what historical era a roof belongs to?
Architectural style, pitch, shape, roofing materials and construction style
What are the defining traits of Victorian roof design?
Asymmetry, decorative details, steep pitch, complex shapes, use of towers and turrets, ornate gables
Why were colonial roofs so steep?
To help shed snow and water and provide storage and additional living space
Can modern synthetic materials replicate historical aesthetics?
Absolutely, combining traditional aesthetics with modern performance
Are historical roofing materials more durable than modern ones?
Many historic roofing materials are more durable, such as slate and copper
What kind of roofing is best for historic home restorations in Minnesota?
Metal and slate are both good choices for roofing material that can withstand the Minnesota climate.