Saltbox Slanted Roof

Saltbox houses are common in new.

Saltbox slanted roof.

They arose from the need for more room. Saltbox roofs look like a patched gable style roof with two sides sloping outwards from a central ridge. They often include a symmetrical brick chimney too. A salt box roof is asymmetrical in design with one side being more of slightly sloping flat roof and the other more of a lean to with gables at each end.

However instead of sloping to the same length one side reaches all the way to the first. Saltbox houses are variations of early colonial and cape cod designs. A flat roof is more difficult to ventilate as there is no overhang from a roof nor are there gables to insert wall vents. The style originated as a quick economical way to add living space to the back of an existing two story home.

With its asymmetrical roof and restrained facade the saltbox house has become an icon of new england s coastal areas. If you plan to have a flat roof then consider having several windows to act in lieu of vents. Historic saltbox houses are easily identified by their signature one sided sloped rooflines and simple colonial facades.