French Mansard Roof Construction

A four sided or french roof with double slopes on each side is called a mansard roof.

French mansard roof construction.

The concept of this roof is said to be originated in the 16th century. This style of roof or curb roof includes a four sided hip roof style with two distinct slopes. 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. This style of roof or curb roof includes a four sided hip roof style with two distinct slopes.

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. However they gained popularity in the 17th century by francois mansart. The mansard roof is a combination of gambrel and hip roof. An enormous sloping roof crowned the original louvre palace in paris constructed in 1546.

Mansard roofs are otherwise known as french roof designs. That honor would have to go to pierre lescot 1510 1578 who used this roofing style on a part of the louvre museum in the year 1550. It forms a low pitch and mostly known as a curb roof. During the baroque period 1600 1750 he used this technique of roofing extensively to create chateaus and grand townhouses which caught the eyes of the people.

The steeper angle can be found on one side and the window creates an extra floor of space in a home called a garret. Although the creation of the mansard roof is accredited to françois mansart 1598 1666 he was not the first to implement this roof architecture. 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.