Rainbow, Arched, or Gothic Roof

An arched roof has two shallow pitched, rounded sides that usually meet in a point. An arched roof gives even more room for hay than a gambrel roof, because the framing does not have cross pieces.

Barn with arched roof, Dauphin County
Barn with arched roof, Dauphin County, c. 1945.

Image showing arched construction of a barn extension
Arched roof addition to a barn, Washington County, c. 1955.
This image shows that arched roofs can also be used as barn extensions.