How Do You Measure A Roof Pitch

The best roof pitch depends on the style of roof you are going for.

How do you measure a roof pitch. Then in the attic place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level. Slope the slope of a roof is represented as x 12 where x is the number of inches in rise for every 12 inches of run this is very useful information for many purposes especially for roof framing the slope sometimes called pitch is calibrated on speed squares. The roof pitch is important in determining the appropriate installation method and how much roofing material will be needed. 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.

If you do need to calculate the pitch an estimate or shortcut is usually more practical than measuring the roof s overall dimensions. For a gothic style the rafters must equal the span 60 while an elizabethan style requires the rafters to be longer than the span. If you a looking for a sleek modern style a not entirely flat roof with a pitch of 1 40 should be used. To measure the roof pitch you ll need an 18 or 24 inch level a tape measure and a pencil.

First measure 12 inches from one end of the level and make a mark. Roof pitch is used to describe the slope or angle of the roof. Then calculate the pitch of the roof by placing a level against it angling the level so the bubble is centered and measuring the distance between the end of the level and the roof. Roof pitch calculator results explained.

To measure a roof start by measuring the length and width of the building s exterior walls and multiplying them to get the area. Roof pitch or slope is a measure of vertical rise to horizontal run expressed in inches per foot. Divide the slope by two to get the pitch. Often you express roof pitch as the ratio between the rise and the run in the form of x 12.

If it s four inches you have a 4 in 12 pitch and so forth for other measurements thereby determining your roof pitch. Here are a couple examples. For a simple gable roof the span wall to wall will be twice the size of the run wall to ridge horizontally. Example a the measurements are taken from on top of the roof.

The example to right shows 2 different ways to determine or calculate roof pitch also called roof slope. If this distance measures 4 inches you have a 4 in 12 pitch. The 7 means that the roof rises 7 for every 12 it runs. Placing a ladder near the roof you will put a level a foot or so up on the roof hold it level and measure from the 12 inch mark straight down.

On a ladder beside the roof place the level a foot or so up the roof hold it level and measure from the 12 inch mark on the level s bottom straight down to the roof. 8 inches and you have an 8 in 12 pitch. Angle the angle of a roof is the same as the roof s slope except instead of being.