Would your timber outbuilding benefit from a catslide roof?

Some people simply love the aesthetic of a catslide roof, but there are actually several benefits which come with this trendy style. If you are considering having a catslide roof on your timber outbuilding, here are some of the benefits associated with this style to help you decide if it is right for your project.

What is a catslide roof?

A catslide roof is an English name for a roof that extends lower or longer on one side, sometimes to a point just a few feet off the ground, thus creating a “cat-slide”! Now, we’re not too sold on the fact that the name of this style roof supposedly comes from the fact that cats like to sit on the roof, and when it rains, they use it to slide down the ground, but we are certain that this style provides steeply pitched upper walls and two lower ones to create a longer roof extension on one side. The roof continues down below the main eves height and allows you to have a greater depth of building without increasing the ridge height.

Benefits of a catslide roof

• You may not need planning permission. With the addition of a Catslide roof you can increase the depth without the need to increase the ridge height. By keeping the ridge height below 4m it reduces the likelihood of you requiring planning permission.
• More storage provision. One of the most popular advantages of catslide roofing is its ability to offer more storage space. Because it features a section of the roof extending down lower to the ground, past the height of the main roof, it frees up some great storage space without making having make the ridge height of the roof any higher.
• Great for water shedding. A catslide roof will make light work of heavy rainfall or snowfall. It is great for water drainage and with a good gutter system, water will pass the roofing envelope with ease.
• Adaptability. You can extend the roof as much as possible to increase the space in your timber building. If you are building a garden office or timber framed house for example, you may want to incorporate a skylight or solar panel within your design. You can install a catslide roof in various places within your design – wherever you want to create extra space. If your structure consists of two floors, you may want to have your catslide sliding down to the ground floor ceiling height to make extra room on your first floor. Maybe you want to add one to the porch at the front of your timber framed home? Or incorporate one onto your garage or carriage barn so you can fit longer vehicles inside?
• Unique aesthetics. While all our timber buildings can be designed bespoke for your requirements and preferences, a catslide roof can really add to the aesthetics of your building to make it stand out from the crowd.

Here is our latest work in progress featuring a catslide roof – a 16×20 carriage barn with catslide rear:

If you are thinking of investing in a timber structure, feel free to check out our gallery for inspiration or request our brochure for more information and pricing.