Gambrel Barn Roof Angles

A gable roof has only two rafter or truss chord angles a top cut at the peak and a bottom cut at the walls.

Gambrel barn roof angles.

If you plan on building and installing your own gambrel roof you ll have to draw out plans first to determine the proper dimensions. You want to try and use angles that are as close to 45 as you can get for both ease of construction and good strength. 45 degrees where the joists meet up with the top plate or header and 90 where the joists meet in the middle at the ridge board. A gambrel roof is a popular roof style on many contemporary barns and sheds.

Move slider or directly enter angle to alter sweep angle of lower rafters and change the shape. Four angles needed with the gambrel roof design there are four angles that are used to make up a total of 180 degrees. In other words if you start with a say 14 12 bottom pitch your top pitch should be 7 12 or greater. Check overhang to calculate rafter overhang equal to the lower level cut at the full rafter depth.

Check overhang to calculate rafter overhang equal to the lower level cut at the full rafter depth. A gambrel style is often called a barn roof. You will need to make 22 5 degree angle cuts on the rafter joist ends that mate up to the top plate or header. Gambrel 2x4 truss measurements defined now we know all the necessary measurements to cut and make our first truss.

Gambrel roofs are symmetrical with two slopes on each side of the roof. A gambrel or barn style roof is simply a gable roof with a change in slope partway up the roof. 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. A gambrel has four angles at the peak at the wall and where the two rafters or truss chords connect.

Since the sum of the three angles in a gambrel roof is 180 degrees the angles you will need are as follows. Each truss piece will be 3 10 long on the top measurement and the angles cut will be 22 5 degrees off each end. Its double or sometimes triple slopes on each side of a peak provide more space inside the roof which is attractive to homeowners too. Move slider or directly enter angle to alter sweep angle of lower rafters and change the shape.

The easiest way to get these angle measurements on the ends will be with the use of a speed square. Besides its unique appearance a gambrel roof also serves to maximize the usable floor space in the attic area. Depending on the size of the roof and the pitch of the roof these angles will change. If at all possible it looks the best at exactly half.