Butt
The larger, exposed end of a shingle.

Deck
Plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing used as a base for securing roofing materials.

Drip edge
An L-shaped metal strip positioned along a roof’s edges to allow water to run off the roof without running down eaves or siding.

Eaves
On a sloped roof, the horizontal underside that projects out from the house wall.

Exposure
The part of a shingle that is exposed to the weather, usually less than half its actual length.

Felt or underlayment
Asphalt-impregnated roofing paper that creates a secondary, watertight barrier between many roofing products and the roof deck.

Flashing
Metal pieces that keep water from seeping into intersections, such as valleys or joints at vertical walls, or around roof penetrations, such as chimneys or vent pipes.

Pitch
Roof slope expressed as the ratio of a roof’s rise (vertical distance) to each foot of run (horizontal distance). A “4-in-12 pitch” means the roof rises 4 inches for every 12 inches of horizontal distance.

Rafters
The framework that supports the roof deck and roofing. On a sloped roof, these are the angled timbers on the underside.

Rake
The sloped edge of a roof over a wall.

Ridge
The peak where two sloped roof sections meet.

Square
A measurement of roof area that equals 100 square feet (an area 10' by 10').

Valley
The angle formed where two sloping roof surfaces intersect.

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