Ideal Pitch For Gambrel Roof

Check overhang to calculate rafter overhang equal to the lower level cut at the full rafter depth.

Ideal pitch for gambrel roof. Determine a pitch for the top slope of the gambrel roof the rise in inches per foot from the midpoint connection to the peak. Roof pitch for a 12x12 shed. The most popular style of pitch for shed roof is the barn gambrel shed which wouldn t look out of place whether it is in the dense urban areas or in the middle of farms on the countryside. The rule of thumb that i use when designing a gambrel is that the top pitch should be no less than half the pitch of the bottom.

It is easy to build a gambrel roof. A gambrel or barn style roof is simply a gable roof with a change in slope partway up the roof. For high wind areas or strong storms a pitch of 4 12 6 12 18 5 26 5 angle is recommended. Reverse that for the bottom angle.

Besides its unique appearance a gambrel roof also serves to maximize the usable floor space in the attic area. Move slider or directly enter angle to alter sweep angle of lower rafters and change the shape. One engineer recommends a 12 12 pitch for the new roof while another recommends a 7 12 pitch. Hip roofs can offer extra living space with an addition of a dormer or a crow s nest.

To calculate a gambrel roof select gambrel roof from the roof type dropdown list or click on the appropriate toolbar button to calculate a. They are excellent for both high wind and snowy areas. This is for the top level of a 3 story building that is 26 by 64. Although the design of a gambrel roof looks like it would be a complex construction to complete it really is a simple approach.

Remember that pitch is calculated as the height or rise of a roof pitch over 12 inches of horizontal run. The slant of the roof allows snow to easily slide off with no standing water. It only uses two roof beams along with gusset joints to create the final design. 7 12 or a rise of 7 inches per foot is a common top gambrel pitch.

The shallower the top pitch the more squatty it will look. Make that pitch 12 7 a drop of 7 inches per foot from the connection to the wall. Therefore if your roof rises 4 inches over the course of 12 inches of horizontal run then your roof pitch is 4 12. Gambrel roof framing geometry calculator inch this gambrel roof fits in a semicircle and starts as the top half of an equal sided octagon.

In other words if you start with a say 14 12 bottom pitch your top pitch should be 7 12 or greater. If at all possible it looks the best at exactly half. The ibhs recommends a 4 to 6 pitch roof. That s why the cost of a gambrel roof can be significantly less than one with steep gables.

Calculating the roof pitch is straightforward.