How To Use Speed Square For Roof Pitch

You can use a speed square to find pitches.

How to use speed square for roof pitch.

It s often marked right on the tool. How to use this tool like a boss. 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 on the square against the bottom of the rafter and align the 90 degree angle side of the square with the pencil mark.

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. This is accomplished by use of the main protractor and two specialty protractor angle guides on the inside of the tool. If the shed is unfinished then simply prop the speed square against the roof framing such as the rafter and repeat the same method. To find the pitch just place the pivot point against the shingles.

The pivot is a point at one end of the lip about which you can rotate the speed square to find angles. For the other 98 of the world using metric check out my new video on the metric speed square. Swing the square until you read the desired angle on the board s edge and make your mark. Use a level and a pencil to make a plumb vertical line on one face of an existing rafter.

Measuring pitches part of the speed square s role as a protractor and its original mission as a tool is in quickly finding common and uncommon rafter angles for the pitches on roofs. Use the markings on the square to see where the roof edge lines up with the pitch notations. How to measure roof pitch with a speed square.