Is it time to replace your Mansard roof? Are you unsure what to expect because you’ve never had to replace it?
A mansard roof (aka French or curb roof) provides a home with a Tudor or cottage look. However, it’s so unique that some roofers never replace one in their careers.
Due to its uniqueness, replacing a mansard roof is different from the more common roof styles. So, there are some things to keep in mind when replacing your mansard roof.
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has helped homeowners understand the complexities of their roof replacement. Because a Mansard roof is so unique, let’s break down the 6 things you need to know before a Mansard roof replacement.
By the end of this article, you’ll learn:
A mansard roof (also called a French or curb roof) is a double-sloped roof with an almost vertical pitch on the sides and a flat or low slope roof section on top. Depending on the home, the top story will actually make up the lower section of the roof (on two or all four sides).
Think of it as the outer walls are made of roof instead of brick or siding. This makes a mansard roof unique compared to other roof styles, such as hip and gable.
Obviously, the construction is the main thing that makes it unique with the outer walls being made of roof. However, the installation and roofing material options also stand out (more on this in a bit).
“Mansard” is a general term for the specific roof style. However, there are multiple types of mansard roofs depending on the architectural design.
The types of mansard roofs are:
Unless you’re designing the home, there’s nothing you can do about the architectural style of a mansard roof. However, the specific type will affect pricing and the complexity of the roof replacement.
The most common residential roofing material in the United States is architectural asphalt shingles. However, I don’t recommend this asphalt shingle for a mansard roof.
The main reason is that the weight of shingles makes it very hard to stop them from sliding down the vertical sides of a mansard roof. Manufacturer installation instructions do have a steep slope application, but there’s still a chance they’ll eventually start sliding off.
However, some roofers install architectural asphalt shingles like normal, instead of following the specific instructions for a mansard roof’s pitch. That’s why it’s better to go with a recommended roofing material.
As you just learned, an architectural asphalt shingle isn’t the best option on a mansard roof. Instead, I recommend considering luxury asphalt shingles, synthetic shingles, or cedar shake shingles.
Luxury (also called designer) asphalt shingles are the premium line of asphalt shingles designed to look like a slate roof. They are bigger and thicker than other shingles, but the installation helps avoid the sliding that can happen with architectural shingles.
Synthetic shingles are a premium roofing material made out of an engineered polymer or recycled materials that mimic the look of slate or cedar shake shingles. They’ll be more expensive than asphalt shingles, but they last longer and won’t slide off because they’re lightweight.
Cedar shake shingles are also a premium material made of natural wood (cedar) materials that are much lighter than asphalt shingles. Like the synthetic shingles, they’ll be much more expensive than asphalt shingles.
Unfortunately, these are premium materials that come at a high price point. So, your budget is a huge factor when choosing the right roofing material.
Like the mansard roof’s vertical sides need a specific roofing material, the pitch of the top portion may require something different. You can use the same material as the lower part if it’s above a 2:12 pitch (2 vertical units up for every 12 horizontal units out).
However, anything below a 2:12 pitch or even completely flat requires a water-tight membrane roof system, like EPDM, PVC, or TPO. You can’t go wrong with any membrane roof system, so pick the one in your budget and that fits your needs.
For example, PVC and TPO come in white or another lighter color with reflective properties to keep the room below cooler. On the other hand, EPDM is black but much more durable than other membranes.
If you have a mansard roof, be prepared for a very pricey roof replacement. The reason it’s so expensive comes down to the labor, time, and materials required to do it properly.
The lower portion’s steep pitch means a mansard roof can’t be walked on, so the crew must stand on ladders for the tear-off and installation processes. Not only does this mean moving slower, but the complexity of the process also increases labor costs.
Then, you have the high material costs from choosing a premium roof system (if you take my recommendation), plus the other roofing components and the membrane roof system (if applicable) for the top portion. All this together makes a mansard roof replacement slow, expensive, and complex.
After reading this article, you have the 6 things you need to know before replacing your mansard roof. It’s one of the most unique roof styles in residential roofing, so it’s not very common.
In fact, plenty of roofing contractors won’t do it or have never done one. That’s why hiring a roofing contractor with experience replacing mansard roofs is crucial.
This ensures everything is done correctly on a very complex and difficult roofing project. However, this isn’t the only thing you need to look for in a roofing contractor.
That’s why I wrote another article with the tips you need to make the best hiring decision.
Check out 9 Tips to Find a Great Roofing Contractor to find a great roofer in your area for your upcoming mansard roof replacement.