Setting Out A Roof

How to set roof trusses diagram and layout.

Setting out a roof.

A framing square is traditionally used for laying out the roof and determining pitch. Pitch is the amount of angle or slope the roof has. Roof trusses arrive at the jobsite on the bed of a large truck. Every step of the truss installation follows explicit instructions from the manufacturer.

Setting the first trusses. This is denoted two ways a 1 3 or 1 4 pitch in fractions and a 6 12 pitch in inches which means the roof rises 6 inches for each 12 inches of run. The first step in the process of erecting the hip roof is to get the ridge beam into place at the top of the roof. Write on a spare sheet of paper or a section of exposed wood.

For example the width of the building may be 72 75 inches 184 8 cm. Measure as precisely as possible down to the 1 4 inch 0 64 cm 1 8 inch 0 32 cm or 1 16 inch 0 16 cm. Place the 4 6 common rafters in their designated positions along the 2 longest walls and nail them firmly to the wall with a nail gun.