Using A Stanley 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.

Using a stanley roofing square.

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. Place the square with its fence on the top edge of the lumber. When you are building or repairing a roof one of the chief tools you can use is a roofing square. Using the stanley quick square tool the deduction of half the thickness of the ridge board is measured at right angles to the top plumb cut line and is marked parallel to the top plumb cut line.

Find the inch line on the roofing square and the get the number directly below. Multiply it by the total run of the common rafter. 24 in steel english rafter roofing square. 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.

For example if your. Also known as a framing square this device is widely used for a range of purposes including building wooden frames. 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. Stanley carpenter combination and quick squares feature aluminum for durability graduations for easy reading.

You just need to remember to minus half the stock of the ridge from the total rafter lengths. It can be used for making small roofs such as those on dog kennels or on large projects such as a house roof. 8 in english try mitre square. A carpenter s framing square includes some tables stamped right into the tool itself.

If the inch line is 8 the number below it is 47 65 cm 18 76 inches. A right angle line to the top plumb cut line is easily made with the stanley quick square. Stanley has the manual for their quicksquare online and i found a public copy of the swanson speed square manual see links below. 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.