You’ve probably seen at least one gambrel roof at some point in your life, but you may not know its name.

The gambrel roof, is sometimes called a “barn roof” or a “Dutch roof”, and there are many examples of this style of roof all up and down the Hudson Valley.

This type of roof is a two sided roof, where each side of the roof has two slopes. Starting at the top of the roof, the first slope is fairly shallow, the second, lower slope is fairly steep.

A gambrel roof has its advantages. The slope of the roof allows for more head room in the top level of the home, as well as shortening what would otherwise be a tall roof.

Gambrel roofs are not a good choice for those with homes in areas subject to strong winds and heavy snowfalls.

The word “Gambrel” comes from the medieval Latin word gamba, which translates to a horse’s hock. Can you see where it comes from?