How To Use A Roof Rafter Square

Determine the slope or pitch of the roof by referring to your building plans.

How to use a roof rafter square.

To look at the face of the rafter square hold the body with your left hand with the tongue pointing to your right. Ensure that the wood surfaces are well planed and sturdily attach to one another before you begin. Simply move the pivot point against the edge of your board lining up the edge of the board with your desired angle. Place the pivot point against the shingles.

For example if your roof is a twelve over twelve that is it has a rather steep forty five degree pitch then the unit length of the rafter is to be found on the face of the square below the. How to use a framing square. Choose or determine a pitch the angle at which the rafters rise. Then divide the span by two to get the rafter run the length each rafter must cover.

For a 24 foot wide building the run would be 12. You can use a speed square to find pitches. To use this tool you will need to do some rudimentary math. Read the pitch on the side of the rafter square.

With a torpedo level and a speed square you can pretty accurately gauge the pitch of any roof with a gable end photo 1. Place the square with its fence on the top edge of the lumber. The pitch is defined as the vertical distance a roof. Place a 2 by 6 board on sawhorses to lay out the first full length or common rafter.

This simple device is crammed with tables data and tricks that allow a carpenter to lay out roof rafters stairs or other building features. Locate the desired angle on the hypotenuse side of the square and pivot the tool until that angle s notch lines up with the top edge. As a matter of fact finding the pitch of a roof was the motivating factor for how this tool was invented in the first place hence it s official name the rafter square. A framing square is a lot more than a simple square cut saw guide.