How To Figure Roof Pitch With Speed Square

Often you express roof pitch as the ratio between the rise and the run in the form of x 12.

How to figure roof pitch with speed square.

Photo 2 shows how to use the speed square to mark a 33 1 2 degree angle the same as you would need on a rafter tail for a roof with an 8 12 pitch. Roof pitch refers to the slope which the rafter creates. Divide the first part of the ratio by 12 to work out the pitch. In the united states a run of 12 inches 1 foot is used and pitch is measured as the rise of the roof over 12 inches.

A speed square and level can be used to easily find the pitch of a roof. Before miter saws and even since professional carpenters used speed squares as a quick saw guide for cutting 45 and 90 degree angles. To convert between american roofing ratios and pitch degrees follow these steps. To see how pitch impacts the look of a garage and changes cost click the design center button on our pole barn kits page.

The triangle shaped square was invented in 1925 by albert swanson to provide a quick accurate method for marking rafters. Finding the pitch of a roof is simple with a speed square. Because of its compact size it is frequently used as a saw guide when cutting framing members as well as a layout tool for quick 45 and 90 degree cuts. Find the inverse tangent of the pitch to find the angle in degrees.

Check your results with the omni roof pitch calculator. You can assess this in two ways either as the roof pitch angles which the rafters make with the horizontal or the proportion between the run and the rise of the roof. It is often compared to slope but is not exactly the same. Roof pitch refers to the amount of rise a roof has compared to the horizontal measurement of the roof called the run.

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