Editing Roof (section)

{{short description|Top covering of a building}}
{{redirect|Rooftop|other uses|Rooftop (disambiguation)|and|Roof (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2012}}{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}

A '''roof''' ({{plural form}}: '''roofs''' or '''rooves''') is the top covering of a [[building]], including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights, providing protection against [[rain]], [[snow]], [[sunlight]], extremes of [[temperature]], and [[wind]].<ref>Harris, Cyril M. (editor). ''Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, Third Edition'', New York, McGraw Hill, 2000, p. 775</ref> A roof is part of the [[building envelope]].

The characteristics of a roof are dependent upon the purpose of the building that it covers, the available roofing materials and the local traditions of [[construction]] and wider concepts of [[architectural design]] and practice, and may also be governed by local or national [[legislation]]. In most countries, a roof protects primarily against rain. A [[verandah]] may be roofed with material that protects against sunlight but admits the other elements. The roof of a [[Conservatory (greenhouse)|garden conservatory]] protects plants from cold, wind, and rain, but admits light.

A roof may also provide additional living space, for example, a [[roof garden]].