Hip
/hip/
Also known as: hip rafter, hip end, hipped end, hip line, external hip
Definition
The external sloping ridge or angle formed where two sloping roof surfaces meet at a corner of the building. A roof with all sloping sides and no vertical gable ends is described as a hipped roof. The hip rafter runs diagonally from the ridge down to the eaves corner.
In Practice
Hip roofs are more complex to construct than gable roofs but are more resistant to wind uplift and suit detached properties well. The hip rafter must be correctly sized to carry the jack rafters that frame into it. Lead or purpose-made hip tiles weatherproof the junction. Hipped roofs have no verge, which removes one potential weakness.
UK Building Regulations
Approved Document A - Structure
Hip rafters carry greater loads than common rafters and should be sized by reference to TRADA span tables or a structural engineer.
See Also