The steep roof with windows creates an additional floor of habitable space a garret and reduces the overall height of the roof for a given number of habitable stories.
													
																	Mansard roof description. 
									
	
		
	
																	Although flat roofs are mostly used for commercial. 
																	The steep lower portion often features dormer windows. 
																	A mansard roof has two slopes on each of the four sides. 
																	What distinguishes a second empire style house from an italianate is its high mansard roof. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	It was widely used in renaissance and baroque french architecture. 
																	The upper slope has a low pitch and is not easily seen from the ground. 
																	The mansard roof is a hipped gambrel roof thus having two slopes on every side. 
																	Mansard roofs can help create a great deal of extra living space. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	A century later the french architect françois mansart 1598 1666 used double sloped roofs so extensively that they were coined mansard a derivation of mansart s name. 
																	Mansard roofs are for the most part based on standing seam or batten seam construction. 
																	A mansard or mansard roof also called a french roof or curb roof is a four sided gambrel style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope punctured by dormer windows at a steeper angle than the upper. 
																	The lower slope is steep enough to sometimes appear vertical. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	A mansard roof also known as a french roof is a four sided roof with a double slope on each side that meet forming a low pitched roof. 
																	The shorter upper slopes not visible from the ground give the appearance of a flat roof. 
																	Both of the aforementioned roof types can provide extra attic space or other room without building an entire additional floor. 
																	They do however have a slight pitch one that enables water run off and drainage. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	When napoleon iii ruled france 1852 to 1870 paris became a city of grand boulevards and monumental buildings. 
																	Mansard roofs epitomize french architectural design. 
																	The second empire style eisenhower executive office building in washington dc has a high mansard roof. 
																	Mansard roofs come in a variety of shapes the most common being straight angle convex and concave silhouettes. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	The lower slope is so steep that it can look like a vertical wall with dormers. 
																	You can consider gambrel roof to be a modified version of a gable roof. 
																	The lower ends of the pans are typically hooked over an edge strip to form a drip. 
																	A mansard roof has no gables. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	If you are not familiar with a gambrel roof then let us first explain its architecture in brief. 
																	The sides can either be flat or curved depending on the style. 
																	In basic terms a mansard roof has 4 sides with each side bearing two slopes. 
																	Simply put the mansard roof also known as the french roof or curb roof is a hybrid between a gambrel roof and a hip roof. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	Flat roof shapes as the name suggests look completely flat to the naked eye.