Caribbean Disaster
Mitigation Project
Implemented by the Organization of American States
Unit of Sustainable Development and Environment
for the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Caribbean Regional Program
THE ROOF
HIPPED ROOF
This is the strongest type with all sides of the roof sloped. There are no gable ends in this roof. Instead, rafters come across diagonally from the corner and meet the ridge board a short distance from the ends of the house. These are the hip rafters.
Other shorter rafters go from the wall plate to the hip rafter and are called jack rafters.
After the ridge is firmly in position, the rafters are attached to fit neatly onto the wall plate.
Experience and experiment have shown that the hip roof with the pitch in 25º - 40º range has the best record of wind resistance.