Graphical Construction Glossary >> Roofs and roofing. >> Butterfly roof

Butterfly roof

A roof that could be called an inverted gable roof. Both surfaces slope inwards from the walls to a central valley.

A roof under construction. The roofing is a type of opaque plastic sheeting. Note that it is not fixed directly with screws but the sheeting is held down via overbattens that are fixed through it into the RHS purlins. Note also that the roof is cantilevered out from a set og cental columns and beams.

Both roof faces fall inwards into a central valley.

I have seen a few of these on service station forecourts and the like, and the principal is the maximum amount of cover, but with only one point for a downpipe. Little need for any other rainwater control.

In a similar vein these roof forms are used a lot in older adjoining inner city properties where fire regulations etc. dictate the use of party or firewalls between occupancies. In this case one central valley gutter with one downpipe is better than one at either side.

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