Minecraft wiki entry for Roof_decorations, associated text: There are two common ways to 'end' a roof. One method is to extend it a way beyond the edge of the building. This helps keep the walls and ground around the building foundations drier. The other way is to extend some or all the parapet wall higher than the roof, allowing for various decorative finishes, and shrinking the size of the roof relative to the rest of the building. These designs include the Flemish gable, stepped gable and some other variants.