Disadvantages Of Installing A Butterfly Shed Roof (& What To Choose Instead)

Are you considering a butterfly roof for your shed? These popular and pricey roofs offer a few distinct benefits. One of the key reasons homeowners spend extra on a butterfly roof is improved daylighting. Since butterfly roofs' gutters sit at a higher elevation than their center ridge, the exterior walls beneath them are taller and have a greater surface area that accommodates more fenestration. By fitting your home with massive windows, you allow more natural light to flood the space, and help the home stay warm through passive heat gain in winter. This feature is beneficial in a home, and can also prove useful in a workshop. However, in a shed, this feature is overkill.

The utility of butterfly roofs' unique configuration is limited in a shed. In other words, there's nothing a simple shed roof can't do that a butterfly roof can. What's more, butterfly roofs cost more to install than other types of roofs you would consider for a shed. And if you can't capitalize on the advantages of a butterfly roof's design, the extra cost simply isn't worth it. Finally, the butterfly design makes it easy for the roof to accumulate rain and snow, which may allow moisture to make its way into the structure. For this reason, butterfly roofs require regular maintenance. Below, we take a more in-depth look at the disadvantages of a butterfly roof in shed applications, and explain why a mono-pitched roof is a better shed roof design.

Unless you need your tools and garden hoses to bask in natural light all day, adding gigantic windows — and spending more on a butterfly roof to accommodate them — seems like a waste. As a storage structure, a shed doesn't need the extra light, nor does it benefit from the heat gain. In fact, some of the items you store in there (like propane or gasoline tanks, or some plant fertilizers) should probably be kept cool. That's not always possible with the kind of large windows that are usually installed under butterfly roofs.

Despite the lack of practical benefits for a shed, butterfly roofs generally command a high price tag. You can expect to pay as much as $29 per square foot for this type of roof. For comparison, a simpler design (such as a gable or shed roof) shouldn't cost more than $5 per square foot. The higher costs stem from a more complex configuration that makes installation difficult and the fact that this roof type is particularly vulnerable to leakages and needs to be thoroughly waterproofed during installation.

Even if it's installed correctly, a butterfly roof may leak when exposed to heavy rains or snow. Unmitigated, these leaks can damage the structure of the roof, not to mention the items inside the shed. To prevent water ingress, you need to clean the central valley frequently to ensure that water drains well and doesn't accumulate on the roof. Snow must likewise be cleaned often.

Instead of spending extra making a commitment to maintain a roof that offers few practical advantages in sheds, consider a mono-pitched roof (also known as a "shed roof") instead. Mono-pitched roofs comprise a single plane and just one slope that runs from the higher side of the roof to the lower. Unlike the overly-sophisticated butterfly roofs, their mono-pitched counterparts are known for simplicity and a low average cost of $5 per square foot. The lower costs are due to minimal material requirements compared to other roof types. For example, mono-pitch roofs need just a single gutter, and don't require ridging at the apex. Opting for a mono-pitched roof is a simple money-saving tip that will help you build your shed cheaper.

Mono-pitched roofs also make for an excellent shed roof design because they drain rainwater and snow well. Unlike a butterfly roof, which comes with a central valley that floods every time it rains, a mono-pitched roof lets any rain run off unimpeded. Likewise, snow slides down easily with this type of roof. Without accumulating snow or rain, the membrane of a mono-pitch roof lasts a long time and frequent maintenance is unnecessary.

The benefits of a mono-pitch roof extend beyond cost and utility. This minimalist roof design comprises half a butterfly roof's profile. So, if you were intrigued by the sleek shed design with a butterfly roof as the focal point, you may find mono-pitched roofs to be a close second in terms of aesthetics.