What is a spout gable?

A spout gable (Dutch: tuitgevel) is a plain pointed gable with straight sloping sides that start from two short horizontal shoulders at the bottom left and right and end at the top in a narrow, rectangular section: the neck or spout piece. That rectangular top gives the gable the shape of a spout, hence the name. The type is common in historic Dutch town centres, for example along the canals of Amsterdam.

Features

• Shoulders: short horizontal sections at the foot of the sloping sides.
• Sloping sides: straight and clean, without steps or scrolls.
• Neck or spout piece: a narrow rectangular top, often with a hoist beam or window.
• Finish: usually a soldier course along the slopes, sometimes with tumbled-in brickwork. Both make the edge sturdier and less vulnerable to rain and frost.
• Roof: the tiled roof usually sits a little lower than the soldier course, so the gable stands up like a parapet above the roof.

Origins

Stepped gables suffered badly from the weather: every step is a horizontal surface where water lies and soaks into the brickwork. According to the Dutch Bouwkundige Kennisbank of Joost de Vree, many weathered stepped gables were later rebuilt as spout gables because that shape is less vulnerable. A related variant is the shoulder gable, which has an extra, more horizontal element in the sloping sides.

Application

• Narrow canal and town houses with the ridge at right angles to the street.
• Warehouses, where the neck made room for a hoist beam and loading door.
• Restoration and reconstruction of historic street fronts.

Practical tips

• Check the soldier course: loose or cracked bricks let water straight into the gable. Repair them with a mortar that suits the old brickwork; a hard cement mortar damages soft historic bricks.
• Mind the roof junction: where the roof meets the gable, sound lead or zinc flashing is essential.
• Listed building? Many spout gables are protected monuments. Agree on repairs with the local authority first.

Related terms

• Stepped gable
• Neck gable
• Bell gable
• Gable shoulder
• Soldier course
• Gable end

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