- Shed roof or lean to roof: This type of roof slopes in one direction only and is used for smaller spans.
- Gable roof: This roof slopes in two directions so that the end formed by the intersection of the slopes is a vertical triangle.
- Hip roof: This roof slopes in four directions such that the end formed by intersection of slopes is a sloped triangle.
- Gambrel roof: This roof like the gable roof slopes in two directions but there is a break in the slope on each side.
- Mansard roof: This roof like the hip roof also slopes in four directions but there is a break in slopes.
- Ridge: It is an apex line of a sloping roof.
- Ridge piece or ridge beam or ridge board: This is a wooden piece or board, which runs horizontally at the apex (highest point on the roof). The common rafters are fixed to this piece and are supported by it.
- Common rafters or spans: These are inclined wooden members supporting the battens or boarding to support roof covering. They run from a ridge to the eaves (edges). They are normally spaced at 30–45 cm centre to centre depending upon the roof covering material.
- Hip: It is the line produced when two roof surfaces intersect to form an external angle, which exceeds 180°. Hipped end is a portion of the roof between two hips.
- Jack rafters: These are common rafters shorter in length, which run from a hip to the eaves or from a ridge to a valley. A hip or valley is formed by the meeting of jack rafters.
- Valley rafters: These are sloping rafters which run diagonally from ridge to the eaves for supporting valley gutters. They receive the ends of the purlins and ends of jack rafters on both sides.
- Valley: A valley is the reverse of a hip. It is formed by the intersection of two roof surfaces having an external angle, which is less than 180°.
- Eaves (edges): These are the lower edges of the inclined or pitched roof from which the rainwater from the roof surface drops down. Normally, gutters are fixed along the eaves to collect and drain the rainwater.
- Eaves board: This is a wooden board fixed to the feet of the common rafters at eaves. The ends of the lower most roof covering material rest upon it. The eaves gutter can also be secured against it. Normally, eaves board is 15–20 cm wide and 20–25 mm thick.
- Barge boards: These are wooden planks on boards fixed on the gable end of a roof. They connect the ends of ridges, purlins and wall plates.
- Battens: These are thin strips of wood which are fixed on the common rafters or on the top of ceiling boards to support the roofing materials.
- Cleats: These are small blocks of wood or steel that are fixed on the principal rafters to support the purlins.
- Purlins: These are horizontal wooden or steel members laid on principal rafters on wall to wall to support common rafters of a roof when the span is large.
- Wall plates: These are long wooden members, which are embedded from the sides and bottom in masonry on top of walls, almost at the centres of their thickness. This is essential to connect the walls to the roof. The feet of the common rafters are fixed to the wall plates by means of simple notching and nails.
- Truss: A roof truss is a framework of triangles designed to support the roof covering or ceiling over rooms. The use of interior columns is avoided.
- Span: A span or clear span is the clear horizontal distance between the internal faces of wall or supports. The effective span is the horizontal distance between the centres of walls or supports.
- Rise: This is the vertical height measured from the lowest to the highest points. In the case of pitched roof it is the vertical distance between the wall plate and the top of the ridge.
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