Roofing Glossary

Rake

The rake is the sloped edge of a gable roof — the diagonal line that runs from the eave up to the ridge at the end of the house.

Roofers split a roof's edges into two kinds. The horizontal bottom edge, where the gutters hang, is the eave. The angled edge that climbs the gable end from that corner up to the peak is the rake. It's typically finished with a trim board (the rake or barge board), drip edge, and — on a well-built roof — a starter strip that glues the field shingles down along the entire run. No gutters here: the rake sheds water sideways onto the roof, not off it.

Wind lifting shingles along your gable edge? That's usually a fast, low-cost fix — before it becomes a leak. Serving Roseburg, Riddle & all of Douglas County.

Why rakes matter in Douglas County

Wind. When storm fronts push up the Umpqua Valley, gable ends take gusts broadside, and the rake is where wind gets its fingers under the roof — lifting unsealed shingle edges and peeling from the outside in. Homes on exposed hills around Winston, Green, and Camas Valley see it most: after a big blow, the shingle tabs flapping or missing are almost always along a rake or ridge.

When it fails, what it costs you

A few lifted shingles at the rake is a cheap repair; ignore it and the next storm works the opening wider, peeling whole courses and letting rain at the deck edge. Wind damage is also one of the most common homeowner insurance claims here — our storm damage and insurance guide walks through documenting it properly before anything gets patched.

Why do shingles blow off at the rake edge first?

Edges are where wind pressure concentrates, and rake shingles are cut ones with less sealed overlap than field shingles. If the roof was built without edge starter strips or the sealant bond has aged, the rake is the easiest place for a gust to start unzipping the roof.

Related terms

Eave · Drip edge · Ridge cap · Starter strip

Shingle tabs flapping after a windstorm?

Edge damage spreads with every gust. We'll assess it free — and help you document it if it's a claim.

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