Roof Inspiration: Victorian Roof Styles

Author: Dan Stout | January 14, 2025

Victorian roof styles have a charm all their own. But the materials and construction can pose a challenge to contractors, and can confuse well-intentioned homeowners.

Homes described as "Victorian" are inspired by architectural styles popular during the reign of England's Queen Victoria. The original Victorian homes were built from the mid-1800s through the 1910s, and many modern builders still draw on the style for inspiration in new construction. There are several subtypes of Victorian homes, but common themes include steep slopes, slate or wood shingles, asymmetry and decorative gingerbread trim (sometimes called "whimsy").

Features of Victorian Roofs

There's a tremendous variety in Victorian homes. This is partly because the Victorian era lasted so long, partly because the style was adapted to fit the needs of different regions and countries, and partly because the style itself is known for its asymmetry and variety. The impossibly narrow Victorian row houses in San Francisco look very different from a spacious Victorian farmhouse in Kansas or a brick Victorian in Ohio, but they all share a sense of drama and decoration.

There are a number of Victorian home styles, such as Italianate, Folk Victorian and Second Empire. However, many of the distinctions are found in the layout or siding details. For roofers, there are a more limited number of elements to consider.

Victorian roof styles are known for their dramatic pitches and use of slate, clay tiles and wood shingles. Many Victorian homes have gable roofs, but you may also see mansard roofs, as well as turrets and towers. Working on a Victorian home often requires tackling details like box gutters and second-story porches with integrated roofing.

Material Options for Victorian Roofs

The process of selecting materials for Victorian roofs generally can be broken down into one of three categories:

• New construction: Often open to a variety of construction materials.
• Historic neighborhoods: Typically have material guidelines laid down by the local governing body.
• Non-historic neighborhoods: Often have no requirements beyond the local building ordinances (though the homeowner may want to maintain a historic feel).

Of the various Victorian roofing materials, slate is the most durable but expensive to install. If your client needs a fully authentic slate roof, options like Vermont Natural Slate, quarried specifically for roofing stock, can provide the foundation for a roof that lasts into the next century.

If your client simply needs a slate appearance, modern synthetic slate shingles can deliver a historically accurate look for a fraction of the cost. Other common Victorian roof styles include clay tiles and wood shingles, both of which are readily available in most markets. Second-floor porches will typically require a low-slope roof, but because they're obscured there's often more leeway in terms of material selection.

Depending on the scope of work, you may need to pick up additional detailing, such as a decorative pediment. Note that if you're matching existing historical decoration, you may have to create custom detailing for any replacements.

Historic Designations

Although some Victorian homes are treated like any other job, some are in neighborhoods with special historic designations. There's a wide range of requirements and regulations that you might find, from something as simple as selecting materials from a preapproved list to having to go through a full plan presentation and approval from an architectural review board.

Even a well-intentioned homeowner who does their research can easily get confused by the many types of Victorian roofing styles and historic materials. And navigating the red tape of historic preservation or an HOA (or even both!) can be a time suck that's well beyond the ability of a typical homeowner to navigate.

Don't assume that the client has worked out all the details of historic approval. You must confirm that you're within regulation before starting work. After all, it's your license on the line.

Sources for More Information

It's worth contacting local historic building groups, both to learn about any regulations and to get a deeper understanding of Victorian roofing. Your local Beacon supplier may be able to provide guidance about what materials have been used in a given historic neighborhood in the past. And if you're taking a proposal to an architectural review board, pick up some samples and bring them to the meeting. Demonstrating the finished product can go a long way to easing the mind of nervous board members.