By The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed August 2026.
Roofing terminology with pictures is easiest to learn from one labeled diagram: find the line or board on the drawing, then look it up by what it does and where it sits. This guide pairs a plain-language description of a labeled roof diagram with a parts table split into five systems, so you can point at any ridge, hip, valley, eave, rake, soffit, fascia, or flashing detail and name it correctly. Every part below is grouped by the job it does, not dumped into one long alphabetical list, and each row tells you where the part physically sits on the roof.
This is the picture-led reference. If you want the longer prose explanation of each term, use the complete parts-of-a-roof walkthrough. For the broader vocabulary, including measurement, insurance, and warranty jargon, use the roofing terms glossary. This page stays focused on naming physical parts you can see on a diagram or photo.
How to read a labeled roof diagram
Read a labeled roof diagram in five passes, moving from the frame outward: structure first, then covering, drainage, trim, and finally the penetrations. A roof is a stack of systems, so grouping the labels by function makes 25 to 30 part names memorable instead of overwhelming. Once you know which system a part belongs to, its name and job usually explain themselves.
- Structure: the frame and the sloping lines that give the roof its shape, such as the ridge, hips, valleys, rafters, and deck.
- Covering: the layered materials that shed water, from underlayment up to the visible shingles or panels.
- Drainage: the parts that collect and carry water off the roof, mainly gutters, downspouts, and flashing that steers water.
- Trim: the edge boards and finishing pieces that close off the roof edges, such as fascia, soffit, and drip edge.
- Penetrations: anything that pierces the roof plane and must be flashed, including chimneys, skylights, vent pipes, and roof vents.
The parts of a roof, grouped by system
The parts of a roof fall into five systems: structure, covering, drainage, trim, and penetrations. The tables below name each part, say in one line what it is, and tell you where to find it on a labeled diagram. Terms like ridge, hip, and valley describe lines on the roof; terms like fascia and soffit describe boards; terms like flashing and vent describe details at a joint or opening.
Structure: the frame and lines that shape the roof
Structural parts are the frame and the sloping lines a roof is built around. The ridge, hips, and valleys are the lines you see from the ground; the rafters, trusses, and deck are the frame underneath that carries the load. These are the reference points every other system attaches to.
| Part | What it is | Where it is on the roof |
|---|---|---|
| Ridge | The horizontal line at the very top where two roof slopes meet | The highest point, running the length of the roof |
| Hip | The external sloping line where two roof planes meet outward | Runs from the ridge down to an outside corner |
| Valley | The internal angle where two roof planes meet inward and water collects | Runs from the ridge down toward the eave between two slopes |
| Rafters | Sloped framing members that carry the deck | Beneath the deck, running from the wall top plate up to the ridge |
| Trusses | Prefabricated triangular frames that replace site-cut rafters | Spanning wall to wall inside the attic, supporting the deck |
| Roof deck (sheathing) | Plywood or OSB panels, commonly 7/16 to 5/8 inch, nailed to the frame | The flat base layer over the rafters or trusses, under everything else |
Covering: the layers that shed water
The covering is the stack of layers that keeps water out, built from the deck upward. Underlayment goes down first as a secondary barrier, an ice barrier is added at vulnerable edges in cold climates, and the visible shingles or panels form the outer surface. The ridge cap and starter course finish the top and bottom edges of that surface.
| Part | What it is | Where it is on the roof |
|---|---|---|
| Underlayment | Felt or synthetic sheet that acts as a secondary water barrier | Directly on the deck, beneath the shingles or panels |
| Ice barrier | Self-adhered membrane that seals against ice-dam backup; often required by the IRC in cold climates | At eaves, valleys, and around penetrations |
| Shingles or panels | The visible outer roofing material, such as asphalt shingles or metal panels | The top surface of every slope |
| Starter course | The first sealed row that anchors the shingles at the bottom edge | Along the eave, under the first visible row |
| Ridge cap | Shingles or metal that cap and seal the ridge and hip lines | Along the ridge and every hip |
Drainage: parts that carry water off the roof
Drainage parts collect the water the covering sheds and move it away from the house. Gutters catch runoff at the eave, downspouts carry it to the ground, and specialized flashings steer water into the gutter rather than behind it. On a labeled diagram these sit at the lowest edges and at any point where a slope meets a wall.
| Part | What it is | Where it is on the roof |
|---|---|---|
| Gutter | The channel that catches water running off the slope | Along the lower horizontal edge, mounted to the fascia |
| Downspout | The vertical pipe that carries gutter water to the ground | Running down the wall from a gutter outlet |
| Kick-out flashing | A diverter that throws water off the roof and into the gutter | At the lower end where a slope meets a sidewall |
| Valley (as a water path) | The channel two slopes form that carries the most concentrated flow | The internal line running down to the eave |
The gutter itself has its own set of named components. For the elbows, hangers, end caps, and outlets, see the gutter parts diagram.
Trim: the edge boards and finishing pieces
Trim parts close off and finish the roof edges. The fascia and soffit wrap the overhang at the eave, the drip edge protects the raw edge of the deck, and the rake and eave name the two kinds of roof edge. These are the parts homeowners see most from the ground, which is why their names come up first in most inspections.
| Part | What it is | Where it is on the roof |
|---|---|---|
| Eave | The lower horizontal edge of the roof, usually overhanging the wall | The bottom of each slope, above the gutter |
| Rake | The sloped edge of the roof on a gable end | The inclined edge running from eave up to ridge on a gable |
| Fascia | The vertical board across the rafter ends that the gutter mounts to | Behind the gutter, along the eave |
| Soffit | The panel that encloses the underside of the overhang, often vented for intake air | Beneath the eave, between the fascia and the wall |
| Drip edge | Metal L-flashing that guides water off the edge; required at eaves and rakes under the IRC | Along the eaves and rakes, at the deck edge |
| Gable | The triangular section of wall under a sloped roof end | The end wall directly under the rake |
Penetrations: anything that pierces the roof plane
Penetrations are the openings that break through the roof surface and must be sealed with flashing. Chimneys, skylights, plumbing vent pipes, and roof vents all interrupt the covering, and each needs its own flashing detail. Flashing, not the shingle, is what keeps these openings watertight, which is why most roof leaks start here.
| Part | What it is | Where it is on the roof |
|---|---|---|
| Flashing | Metal pieces (step, counter, base) that seal a joint or opening | Around chimneys, walls, skylights, and pipes |
| Chimney | A masonry or metal stack passing through a slope | Set into a slope, flashed on all four sides |
| Cricket (saddle) | A small ridged structure that splits water around a wide chimney | On the upslope side of a chimney |
| Skylight | A glazed opening framed into the roof with a curb and flashing | Set into a slope, flashed around the curb |
| Vent pipe (with boot) | A plumbing stack sealed by a rubber or lead pipe boot | Pierces the deck on a field of the slope |
| Roof vent | An exhaust or intake opening, such as a ridge vent or box vent | Ridge vents at the ridge (exhaust), soffit vents at the eave (intake) |
Flashing details drive most leak repairs, so it is worth knowing the types by name; see roof flashing types. To match exhaust and intake vents, compare the options in roof vent types.
Recommended alt text for a labeled roof diagram
Good alt text for a labeled roof diagram names the parts and their positions, not just “roof diagram,” so screen readers and search engines can read the same labels a sighted user sees. A diagram whose alt text lists the ridge, hips, valleys, eaves, and flashing is far more likely to be understood and cited than an unlabeled image. Write the alt text as a short spatial description, top to bottom.
Use descriptive alt text like these examples for a labeled roof-anatomy image:
- “Labeled roof diagram showing the ridge at the top, hips running to the outside corners, and a valley between two slopes.”
- “Cross-section of a pitched roof showing rafters, plywood deck, underlayment, and shingles stacked from the frame outward.”
- “Eave detail labeling the fascia board, vented soffit, drip edge, and gutter along the lower roof edge.”
- “Roof penetration detail showing step flashing at a chimney, a pipe boot on a vent stack, and a ridge vent at the peak.”
Keep each alt string under about 125 characters, name the parts left to right or top to bottom, and skip phrases like “image of.” The goal is that someone who cannot see the picture still learns the same roofing terminology the diagram teaches.
Roof terms people mix up
A few roofing terms get swapped constantly because the parts sit near each other. Hip versus valley, fascia versus soffit, and eave versus rake are the three pairs that cause the most confusion on a diagram. The table below sets each pair straight in one line.
| Pair | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Hip vs valley | A hip points out (an external ridge line to a corner); a valley points in (an internal channel that collects water). |
| Fascia vs soffit | Fascia is the vertical board you face at the edge; soffit is the horizontal panel underneath the overhang. |
| Eave vs rake | The eave is the horizontal bottom edge; the rake is the sloped edge running up a gable. |
| Ridge vs ridge cap | The ridge is the structural line at the peak; the ridge cap is the shingle or metal that covers it. |
Frequently asked questions about roofing terminology
What are the parts of a roof called?
The parts of a roof fall into five systems. Structure includes the ridge, hips, valleys, rafters, and deck. Covering includes underlayment and the visible shingles or panels. Drainage includes gutters and downspouts. Trim includes the fascia, soffit, drip edge, eave, and rake. Penetrations include flashing, chimneys, skylights, vent pipes, and roof vents. Naming a part by its system usually explains what it does.
What is the very top of a roof called?
The very top of a roof, the horizontal line where two slopes meet, is called the ridge. The material that covers and seals that line is the ridge cap, which is made of capping shingles or metal. On many roofs a ridge vent sits along the ridge to exhaust hot attic air. If two slopes meet at an outside corner instead of a straight peak, that sloping line is a hip.
What is the edge of a roof called?
A roof has two kinds of edge. The lower horizontal edge, where the gutter hangs and water runs off, is the eave. The sloped edge that runs up the side of a gable from eave to ridge is the rake. Both are usually protected by a metal drip edge, and the eave is backed by the fascia board and the soffit underneath the overhang.
What is the difference between a hip and a valley?
A hip and a valley are both lines where two roof slopes meet, but they face opposite ways. A hip is an external angle that slopes outward from the ridge down to a corner, so it sheds water away. A valley is an internal angle that slopes inward, forming a channel that collects and carries the heaviest concentration of runoff, which is why valleys are flashed carefully.
What is the difference between fascia and soffit?
Fascia and soffit both sit at the eave but in different planes. The fascia is the vertical board attached across the ends of the rafters, and it is the surface the gutter mounts to. The soffit is the horizontal panel that encloses the underside of the roof overhang, running from the fascia back to the wall. Soffits are often vented to bring intake air into the attic.
What is the overhang of a roof called?
The overhang is the part of the roof that extends past the exterior wall. At the bottom of a slope that overhang is the eave, and the panel closing its underside is the soffit. On a gable end the overhang runs up the slope and is called the rake overhang. Overhangs shade walls and direct rainwater away from the siding and foundation.