Building with Style: Where Roofs Meet Walls

Where Roofs Meet Walls by Gordon F. Tully Most houses have highly visible roofs that must join highly visible walls. The joints between wall and roof (an eave when the slope of the roof is at an angle to the wall, a rake when the slope is parallel) are crucial elements in a building. If they are detailed poorly, the entire house suffers; if cleverly done, however, they can salvage what might otherwise be a hopeless design. The problem is how to choose among the almost endless possibilities for detailing rakes and eaves. Should there be an overhang? If so, how big? How elaborate should the trim be? How do windows and dormers relate to the roof edges? How