An Examination of the Dome Roof Through Time

Roofs were originally designed to protect against the elements Mother Nature throws at us, including wind, rain, snow and hail. Roofs were initially a simple structure made of whatever materials were available, such as clay, sticks, sand, or clay. They became more complicated and eventually became rectangular. One day, someone tried a dome roof.

Reggie Reed Roofing is a local roofer in Tampa Bay who loves roofs. Roofs are something we love so much that over the past 20 years we have installed, maintained and repaired thousands of commercial and residential roofs. We have always held ourselves to the highest standards of roofing — the customer. We can install any type of roofing material, including metal roofs, slate, tile, and asphalt roofing. This blog post will focus on a very unique type of roofing — the dome roof. It has a fascinating past. For all your roofing needs, contact us today!

The Dome Roof

Dome roofs are flat roofs with no angles or corners. They are strong roofs that don’t require columns to support them. Thousands of years old, these domes are still standing today. We don’t know how they got there. The dome roof was created when humans tried something new, as with all great discoveries throughout history.

Dome Roofs: The Benefits

Most buildings had rectangular roofs before the dome roof. These roofs required support columns, which took up much of the interior space. As the human population grew, this became a problem. Temples needed more space to hold more people.

Romans were the first to engineer a dome. However, the idea had been around for many years. The monolithic dome roof was the first to be integrated into buildings. It was basically an arch, which had existed for hundreds of centuries, inside a circle. This new architectural style was quickly adopted and dome roofs began to appear in mosques and churches.

Stone was the preferred material for the first dome roofs. The Pantheon, an Italian monolithic dome roofing, is perhaps the most well-known. The Pantheon had a structural problem. It was too heavy. This led to architectural details like coffers being added to the design to reduce its weight. Many people believe this was done for aesthetic reasons. The Pantheon’s oculus (or hole) at the top of its dome roof is a well-known feature. Many people mistakenly believe that this was done for aesthetic reasons. The dome roof was lighter because of the inclusion of the oculus. One of the many beauty of the Pantheon today is the light that flows through the roof.

Dome Roofs in Middle Ages

Dome roofs grew in height throughout the Middle Ages. This was, in one sense, a tribute to God. In another, it was human’s desire for superiority. Dome roofs got heavier as they grew in height. Engineers wanted taller domes so a solution was needed. It was discovered in 532 AD that if there were windows or space between the arches, it would reduce the weight.

Dome roofs were still too heavy. Like all things on the planet, dome roofs are subject to gravity. Domed roofs are subject to gravity, which causes their sides to push outwards. This can lead to cracking. This was what happened to St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in the 1700s. Human ingenuity was again a key factor. To prevent the dome roof from falling apart, tension rings made of iron were placed around it. Tension rings are now included in every dome roof today because this innovation worked.

Modern Dome Roofs

Due to the design of the dome roof, it is impossible to build one due to gravity and weight of the materials. This problem can be solved by someone else. This trick was invented by the Romans in the 1400s. It is best seen in Washington’s U.S Capitol Building. It is possible to create the illusion of a higher ceiling by constructing two dome roofs within one. The U.S Capitol dome was built in 1793 with a thin outer dome shell, which is held up by a circle of curved ribs. The smaller dome beneath this outer shell supports the larger dome. The dome roof shell is much larger than the dome, and you can only see it from the inside.

Modern times have seen the dome roof use lighter-weight materials to maintain its height. The dome roof of the U.S. Capitol was the first to use cast-iron.

The dome roof was relatively unchanged for over 2,000 years, until Buckminster Fuller built the geodesic dome roofing in the 1950s. The roof’s design uses triangles rather than arches. This innovation in dome roofs led to geodesic domes being made in a wide variety of styles and shapes. One of the most well-known geodesic dome examples is found at Disney World’s Epcot Center.

Reggie Reed Roofing

Dome roofs are among the most beautiful and stunning designs ever created by humans. These roofs are a perfect example of how physics works to overcome all forces that affect buildings and create functional spaces we can use.

Reggie Reed Roofing specializes in commercial and residential roofs. We can replace, repair, or install your roof using any roofing material you choose. We are a family-owned roofing company that focuses on providing the best roofing materials and installations to our customers. We want you to be happy with your new roof, from the initial roofing estimate through to the final roofing installation.

Reggie Reed Roofing is one of the most trusted local roofers in Tampa Bay. We can help you with any roofing emergencies, including tree damage to your roof. We can work with any insurance company to make sure your roof repair is covered by your homeowner’s policy. We want you to have your life uninterrupted while your roof is repaired or replaced. We provide outstanding service and efficiency. Call us today for a free roofing inspection and roofing estimate!

This post was written by Reggie Reed! Reggie is a state-certified roofing contractor and co-owner of Reggie Reed Roofing. He is a 4th generation roofing contractor. RR Roofing offers a wide variety of roofing services for residential homes, apartment complexes, condos, commercial buildings, churches, and more. Reggie enjoys dedicating his spare time to helping underprivileged youth in his community and traveling with his family and friends. Click here for more information!