How Cut With The Speed Square For Roof Pitch

A speed square and level can be used to easily find the pitch of a roof.

How cut with the speed square for roof pitch. How to measure roof pitch with a speed square. Take a board a 2 x 4 or 1 x 4 works fine and hold the square so the lip is flat against the long edge of the board and the square lies across the face of the board. Description the stanley quick square is constructed basically of three 3 parts namely refer to figure 1. Set the level on the edge of the speed square as shown below then place the heel of the speed square on a rafter or gable edge of the roof.

To find the pitch just place the pivot point against the shingles. Use a level and a pencil to make a plumb vertical line on one face of an existing rafter. Like the picture only the lip will be completely along the edge of the board. 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.

Move the square until the table on one side of the rectangular slot in the square is at the right pitch 5 on the top of the board. The stanley quick square is designed to provide a quick accurate and repeatable means for laying out and cutting the various cuts on common hip valley and jack rafters used in roof construction. Use the table marked common top cut. Then place a torpedo level on the fat base of the rafter square and adjust the square until the level is level and read the pitch on the side of the rafter square.

Simply move the pivot point against the edge of your board lining up the edge of the board with your desired angle. 1 the body 2 the adjustable arm. Swing the square until you read the desired angle on the board s edge and make your mark. The bottom edge has all of your angle markings which allows you to use a speed square find and mark out any angle you might need.

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. Put the pivot point of the speed square a small hole marked pivot where the straight side of the square meets the side with the lip on it at the top edge of a rafter board.