There is a sort of visible distinction between flat roofs and mansard roofs.
Mansard type roof.
The word mansard means an actual attic inside the roof not just the shape of the roof.
A mansard roof can be defined as the four sided gambrel style hip roof that essentially constitutes of two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope punctured by dormer windows at a steeper angle than the upper.
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.
Mansard or french roofs are quite similar to a gambrel roof design since they are also made up of four sides.
It depends upon what type of design customer wants to implement.
Mansard is a four sided roof with double slopes on each side so its sides can either be curved or flat.
But you cannot misunderstand them as straight panel roofs.
Although the style was used as early as the mid 16th century in england and italy and was employed by pierre lescot at the louvre it was named for the 17th century architect françois mansart who used it on paris hôtel s.
Mansard roof type of roof having two slopes on every side the lower slope being considerably steeper than the upper.
In cross section the straight sided mansard can appear like a gambrel roof but it differs from the gambrel by displaying the same profile on all sides.