Roof pitch is used to describe the slope or angle of the roof.
How do you measure a roof pitch.
Simply mark a level at 12 hold it perfectly level and measure from the roof surface to your 12 mark this.
Roof pitch refers to the slope which the rafter creates.
First measure 12 inches from one end of the level and make a mark.
The example to right shows 2 different ways to determine or calculate roof pitch also called roof slope.
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.
If you do need to calculate the pitch an estimate or shortcut is usually more practical than measuring the roof s overall dimensions.
The roof pitch is important in determining the appropriate installation method and how much roofing material will be needed.
Here are a couple examples.
8 inches and you have an 8 in 12 pitch.
If this distance measures 4 inches you have a 4 in 12 pitch.
For a gothic style the rafters must equal the span 60 while an elizabethan style requires the rafters to be longer than the span.
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.
The 7 means that the roof rises 7 for every 12 it runs.
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.
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.
If it s four inches you have a 4 in 12 pitch and so forth for other measurements thereby determining your roof pitch.
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.
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.
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.
The best roof pitch depends on the style of roof you are going for.
Often you express roof pitch as the ratio between the rise and the run in the form of x 12.
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.
Then in the attic place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level.
If you a looking for a sleek modern style a not entirely flat roof with a pitch of 1 40 should be used.
