Built-up Roof

A low-slope (or flat-seeming) roof covered with alternating layers of roofing felt and hot-mapped asphalt and topped off with a layer of hot asphalt, known as flood coat.

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Counterflashing

 

The flashing which is imbedded at its top in a wall or other vertical structure and is lapped down over shingle flashing.

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Eave

The lower edge of a roof (usually overhanging beyond the edge of the house).

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Fascia

Trimboard behind the gutter and eaves.

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Flashing

 

Copper and aluminum metal or other material used at junctions of different planes on a roof to prevent leakage.

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Felt

 

The "tar paper" used by roofer, usually made of a combination of asphalt and either paper or rags.

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Frieze Board

 

A Board at the top of the house's siding, forming a corner with the soffit.

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Gable

The triangular upper part of a wall closing the end of a ridged roof.

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Hip

The external angle at the junction of two sides of a roof whose supporting walls adjoin.

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Joist

In a flat roof, a horizontal structural member over which sheathing is nailed.

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Rafter

A structural member (usually slanted) to which sheathing is nailed.

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Rake

The slanting edge of a gabled roof extending beyond the end wall of the house.

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Ridge

The horizontal line at the top edge of two sloping roof planes.

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Sheathing

The rigid material (often 1" x 6", 1" x 8" boards known as roofers, pre 1960 after that plywood was used) which is nailed to the rafters, and to which shingles or other outside roofing materials are secured.

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Shingle Flashing

Copper and aluminum metal flashing that is laid in strips under each shingle and bent up the edge of a chimney or wall.

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Slope

The number of inched of vertical rise in a roof per 12 inches of horizontal distance. Also referred to as pitch.

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Soffit

The boards that enclose the underside of that portion of the roof which extends out beyond the sidewalls of the house.

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Square 

One hundred square feet of roof, or the amount of roofing material needed to cover 100 square feet when properly applied.

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Underlayment

The material (usually roofing felt) laid on top of sheathing before shingles are applied.

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Valley 

Two opposing roof lines meet or are adjacent to one another. The less-that-180-degree angle where two sloping roof sections come together.

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Valley Flashing

Shingles woven or lapped over each other at valley of roof.

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