• 03 | 21 | 16

Roofing: Learning a New Language

Blank stares. That's what can happen if you talk to a roofer and don't know the language he's speaking.

Just like standing in a different country trying to speak English to someone who only speaks Chinese, it can be hard to communicate if you and your roofer aren't speaking the same language.

And, you need to know this new language … so you can effectively communicate and understand what's happening with your roof.

To make it easier for you and your roofing contractor to communicate, the team at DaVinci Roofscapes has put together this handy "translation guide" of roofing terms for you.

  • Tile: A roof tile may be curved or flat piece of baked (at times glazed) clay or a synthetic material. It is the basic block used to cover your roof that you see from the street.
  • Underlayment: It may be any sheet material which is installed in between the roof system and the roof deck. Besides helping in the separation of the two, underlayment also gives secondary protection against potential weather damage.
  • Hip: A sloping ridge that forms the junction between two slopes on a part of the roof that comes out at a separate angle from the main section of the roof.
  • Ridge: A horizontal line formed by two surfaces at the top of a roof where two slopes meet. Basically, it's the peak of a sloped roof.
  • Rake: The inclined edge of the roof which is adjacent to the first rafter of the wall.
  • Vent: An opening in the building designed mainly for the passage of air, water vapor, heat or other gases. 
  • Fascia: A face, band, or a flat board which is located at the outer edge of the cornice. 
  • Valley: The angle generated by the intersection of the two sliding roof surfaces. 
  • Gable: A triangular area that lies directly beneath the sloping roof. 
  • Flashing: Metal pieces used as roof joints to protect against water leakage.

 

Need more translation assistance related to polymer roofing and your roof? Then visit  What All Is Involved In The Installation Of DaVinci?