Choosing the Best Roof Style for Your Shed

Whoever would’ve thought installing a metal shed comes with so many questions to figure out? You’re questioned on the shed’s size, design, materials, and placement. Even after deciding on the size and style of your metal shed, you’re still not done with the questions.

You still need to pick a roof. Yep, your shed doesn’t always come standard with a roof. Even if you go with a prefab kit, you may still be dealing with roofing questions. So, what are the common roof styles for metal sheds? Knowing a bit about your options makes it a little easier to know how to answer the question.

Before we dive into your roofing options, it helps to understand a bit about the pitch. Nope, we’re not talking about a sound your roof may make. We’re not referring to a musical pitch. Instead, it’s the roof’s slope. When a roof isn’t perfectly flat, it has a pitch.

Even though your local weather plays a role in determining the extent of a roof’s pitch, so does the design of your metal shed. If you live in areas with heavy annual rain or snowfall, you may want to go with a more steeply pitched roof. This allows snow and rain to run off the roof. In other words, you don’t need to worry about water pooling on the roof and leaking inside your shed. 

Since snow slides off the roof, its weight isn’t going to bring your metal shed down. Generally speaking, most metal shed roofs have a 3/12 pitch. This gives the roof enough of a slope to let moisture and snow slide off without having a sharp point on top.

Now that you have a better idea of how pitch affects the functionality of the shed roof, it’s time to look at the various options. This is only a brief list. If nothing grabs your fancy, you may need a custom-designed roof. In this case, talk to a professional. They can help you design the perfect metal shed and roof.

Mono-pitched are also known as shed roofs. This just shows you how popular this roof style is. Mono-pitched roofs are inexpensive and functional. The roof has a slight slope starting at the top ridge point. Water runs easily off the roof but you can run into problems with snow. Snow tends to accumulate on the roof and the weight can be a problem. Wind gusts can also be an issue. Mono-pitched roofs have been known to lift up in strong wind storms.

Even the name sounds somewhat quaint and attractive. You tend to think of Victorian homes when gable roofs are mentioned. Yep, you can add this same curb appeal to your metal shed. Gable roofs are great options when you want to let plenty of sunlight inside the shed. You also get two slopes, compared to one with a mono-pitched roof.

The roof’s overhang is great for getting rid of water. Rain simply slides off the roof. The double slopes can also make it harder for snow to accumulate on the roof. The primary downside is the overhang. Strong winds can get underneath and lift the roof. Gable roofs also tend to be custom requests so expect to pay a slightly higher price.

Whether you’re dealing with heavy winter snow or strong summer storms, arched roofs can handle just about anything. The roof has a continuous design, meaning it’s not installed in sections. This adds to its durability, especially when the wind kicks up.

Arched shed roofs are popular across the country. Chances are, you’ve passed a metal shed with an arched roof without realizing it. This popularity also works in your favor. Most shed manufacturers offer arched roofs as a standard option. This way you’re usually not paying a fee for a custom design.

Do you love the rustic farm look? If so, why not get your metal shed in on the design trend? A gambrel roof is semi-curved and has two slopes, a shallow and deeper one. As long as the gambrel roof has a minimal overhang, wind shouldn’t be too much of a problem. This type of metal shed roof also works great at shedding excess snow and moisture.

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