How To Use Framing Square For Roof Pitch

Framing square guides are small inexpensive metal attachments to the framing square that are locked in position on the square s edges at the pitch and run dimensions to define the roof angle and make the repeated marking of the rafters much more efficient.

How to use framing square for roof pitch.

This article explains how to make quick use of a framing square and its imprinted data to get some basic roof measurement data like roof pitch or slope rafter lengths and end cuts. Finding the pitch of a roof is simple with a speed square. This article will explain the basics of how to cut a roof rafter using a framing square in 4 easy steps. The slope or pitch of a roof is measured in inches of vertical rise per foot of horizontal run.

Roof framing rafter layout. Fix stair gauges on the framing square to mark the pitch. For this project you will need. A long standing use of the framing square that is missed by many new carpenters is the rafter table imprinted right on the framing square itself.

A carpenter s framing square includes some tables stamped right into the tool itself. From one end of the rafter material using a speed square or framing square mark an x in 12 angle on the rafter and cut it measure down y height from the long point of the rafter cut and make a mark. The triangle shaped square was invented in 1925 by albert swanson to provide a quick accurate method for marking rafters. 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.

This will the first point of the rafter measurement line using the results of your rafter length calculation measure from this point along the rafter measurement. So if the pitch of your roof is 7 12 place one stair gauge on the vertical part of the framing square the tongue at the 7 inches 18 cm mark and place one stair gauge on the horizontal part of the framing square the body at the 12 inches 30 cm mark. Square guides are available at most hardware and home improvement centers.