Pound Ridge is a rural town of about 5,100 people (2020 Census) on Westchester's eastern edge, with high ridges, steep cliffs and rock outcroppings. Most of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, the county's largest park at over 4,000 acres, is here. The town was the site of the 1779 Battle of Pound Ridge, and its name was spelled Poundridge until 1948. The town has no village, and its small commercial center is at Scotts Corners.
The town sits around 600 feet up, with ridges to about 800 feet, and it is heavily wooded. Roofs here face tree debris and shade, more snow than the southern county, and wind along the ridges. Pound Ridge also has an unusual housing mix, from 18th-century farmhouses to flat-roofed moderns, and that mix drives the roofing decisions more than anything else.
Mid-century moderns and an 18th-century hamlet
At least 47 mid-century modern houses were built in Pound Ridge between 1939 and the early 1970s, by architects including Edward Larrabee Barnes, Peter Blake, Julian Neski and David Henken. Many of these designs use flat or low-slope roofs.
In the old hamlet, the Pound Ridge Historic District has 46 contributing buildings, mostly from 1780 to 1852, including restorations by Hiram Halle. These are steep-roofed, traditional houses. Homes in between sit on wooded multi-acre lots at about 228 people per square mile.
What to plan for on a Pound Ridge roof
Low-slope roofs on modern houses
Many Pound Ridge moderns have roofs too flat for shingles. Asphalt shingles need at least a 2:12 pitch, and 2:12 to 4:12 requires double underlayment. Below that, we recommend a membrane system such as EPDM, TPO or modified bitumen, detailed carefully around skylights, chimneys and long fascia edges. Keeping the thin roof profile these houses were designed with matters to their owners.
Ridges, trees and snow
On the ridges, wind and falling limbs are both risks. We recommend enhanced-wind fastening on exposed sites, which Jersey Roofing's crew installs with matching GAF or Owens Corning starter and ridge products, and we note any trees that threaten the roof. Shaded slopes in the woods hold snow and moss, so ice-barrier membrane at the eaves (required) and algae-resistant shingles both earn their place.
Traditional roofs in the old hamlet
Colonial-era homes near the hamlet have steep gable roofs, massive chimneys and old plank decking. Jersey Roofing's crew rebuilds chimney flashing with counterflashing set into the mortar joints and replaces damaged boards at tear-off, and we suggest materials that suit the period, such as a wood-shake look from GAF Grand Sequoia or a slate look from GAF Slateline.
Historic districts and design review
The Pound Ridge Historic District was listed on the National Register in 1985 and includes 46 contributing buildings, mostly from 1780 to 1852. If your house is in or near the district, check with the Town before choosing roof material and color. A designer shingle that reads as wood shake or slate usually fits these houses better than a standard architectural shingle.
Roof permits in Pound Ridge
- Office
- Town of Pound Ridge Building Department
- Phone
- (914) 764-4635
- Website
- townofpoundridge.com/building/code-book
The Town at 179 Westchester Avenue handles all permits in Pound Ridge, including Scotts Corners; Jersey Roofing files the permit for you.
The roof systems installed in Pound Ridge
Jersey Roofing installs complete GAF and Owens Corning systems: ice and water barrier at the eaves and valleys, synthetic underlayment, starter strips, architectural or designer shingles, matched ridge cap and balanced ventilation. On a qualifying GAF system it can register the Golden Pledge® warranty, and on an Owens Corning system, Platinum Protection. Both include lifetime workmanship coverage. Compare the warranties.
Neighborhoods we serve in and around Pound Ridge
- Scotts Corners
- Pound Ridge hamlet
- Sarles Corners