Using A Stanley Roofing Square

How to use a framing square and its etched on tables to figure out roof slope rafter lengths.

Using a stanley roofing square.

Multiply it by the total run of the common rafter. If you know the unit rise and run of the roof you are laying out then you can determine the length of the rafter using the rafter tables stamped on the face of the square. A right angle line to the top plumb cut line is easily made with the stanley quick square. Place the square with its fence on the top edge of the lumber.

24 in steel english rafter roofing square. 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. It can be used for making small roofs such as those on dog kennels or on large projects such as a house roof. Find the inch line on the roofing square and the get the number directly below.

The stanley manual does a great job of explaining all of the different roof types includes a glossary of terms and shows you how to use a square to find the correct pitch for different types of roofs. 7 in dual color square. 8 in english try mitre square. Stanley has the manual for their quicksquare online and i found a public copy of the swanson speed square manual see links below.

Stanley carpenter combination and quick squares feature aluminum for durability graduations for easy reading. A carpenter s framing square includes some tables stamped right into the tool itself. For example if your. Also known as a framing square this device is widely used for a range of purposes including building wooden frames.

If the inch line is 8 the number below it is 47 65 cm 18 76 inches. Use the second row of numbers on the roofing square to determine the length of the hip or valley rafters. The roofing square is an amazing tool when you know how to use it e g all you need is the span of the roof and a pitch e g if you want a 35 degree pitch common rafter the square tells you it has a 1221mm length per meter run so for a 4m span roof with the run being half the span the common rafter is 2442mm at the measuring line its the same for a hip or valley but they are 1578mm p m r. 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.