Whether you are building a covering for a patio, a roof over a deck, your own do-it-yourself storage shed, or something wildly creative for your home, one essential task you will have to tackle is installing a roof. A roof over your head—even outdoors—makes a huge difference in how you protect occupants and anything you store inside a structure from the elements. Roofs also make places feel more private. Your first step before you install a roof is understanding the basic terminology of roofing. You cannot follow instructions or a professional's advice without understanding what the major related terms mean. So before you start shopping for roofing supply in Atlanta, you should read and try to memorize the following terms: - Decking: Also called sheathing, these are the panels that cover rafters and form a solid layer onto which shingles or panels can be attached.
- Dormer: The walls and roof around a window that projects out of a roof.
- Drip edge: This is a type of edging that is placed along the end of a roof's eaves—used to create water run-off and direct moisture away from the structure's walls or foundation.
- Eave: The lower end of a roof that hangs over the walls or support beams of a structure.
- Fascia: The trim that covers the rafter edge of a roof's eaves.
- Flashing: Metal strips or pieces that block moisture from entering a roof and seeping into the structure below—usually applied around intersections, windows, dormers, chimneys, roof valleys, etc.
- Gable: The triangular section under a sloped roof and above the main structure.
- Hip: The angle that forms outside the intersection of roof panes.
- Rafters: A specific part of the truss consisting of beams that run from the top to the bottom of a roof (usually diagonally).
- Ridge: The peak or highest point of a sloped roof, which usually runs the length of a roof.
- Shingles: The individual pieces, often made of asphalt or wood, that make up the decorative and protective top layer of a roof.
- Soffit: The bottom of the eaves seen from below, usually finished with siding materials and paint or finish.
- Starter strip: This refers to asphalt that is applied at the eaves of a roof, used to protect the spaces between the first set of roofing shingles.
- Tar paper: Often called underlayment, these are the soft and dense papers that are applied between the decking and the shingles or panels of a roof, used to protect moisture from penetrating the roof.
- Truss: The basic frame of any roof, no matter the type—the support beams that a finished roof will be based on.
- Valley: The angle that forms inside the intersection of roof panes.
Be sure to remember these terms when you read and follow instructions for installing a roof. Refer back here when necessary so that you can follow instructions precisely. Keep in mind, though, that the materials you use are just as important as the instructions you follow. Find high-quality roofing supply in Atlanta so you can build a successful roof on your property.
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