Your roof plays a vital role in keeping your home comfortable and safe from the elements. A variety of roofing materials are needed for this structure, and understanding how they work ensures you can manage them properly. Below is a helpful guide to roof anatomy, including the essential materials required.

What Are the Different Parts of a Roof?

1. Framing

The framing is the primary support for the roof. It's made of lumber and shaped into the various features of roof design.

Wood is first angled at a pitch, which creates the steepness of the structure. These rafters are secured to the top plate of the home's wall framing and then angled diagonally to a horizontal ridge beam, which is the roof's highest point. Inside this frame are collars, joists, and beams that hold it together.

Other frame features include the eaves that extend over the rest of the home, valleys where the two downward slopes meet, and hips where high points meet.

2. Decking & Underlayments

Once the frame is complete, professionals secure large wood panels called decking across the rafters to close the attic. They then install underlayments, which are water-resistant barriers made from rubberized asphalt, synthetic materials, or asphalt-saturated felt. Should water seep through the shingles, this barrier will keep it from leaking into your home.

Roofing professionals also install spray-foam insulation or insulation panels below the decking. This material keeps heat from entering the home during summer and prevents warm air from leaking out during winter.

3. Roofing Material & Flashing

The final step is applying the roofing material of choice. Some homeowners choose classic asphalt shingles that are individually nailed into the decking. Others prefer more durable metal panels. Heavier options, such as clay tiles or slate, may require additional framing to support them.

Lastly, galvanized steel sheets called flashing are secured around chimneys, ventilation pipes, and seams where leaks are most likely.

If you’re shopping for roofing materials and lumber in Hamilton, OH, contact Butler County Lumber Company. Since 1912, they’ve offered high-quality building supplies to contractors and homeowners. You’ll find windows, woodworking materials, and more on their website, and you can call (513) 896-6660 to speak with a sales associate about your needs today.