ToolHuts

Outils pratiques pour un travail de précision

Calculateur de Pente de Toit

Visualisez la pente de toit en élévation/emprise, en degrés et sur un schéma de triangle à l'échelle.

mm
mm
18.4°Rise 1200 mmRun 3600 mmRafter 3795 mm
Pitch4.00 in 12
Angle18.43deg
Rafter3794.7mm
Ratio0.3333

Fonctionnement

How to use it: enter rise and run in the same units - rise is the vertical height the roof gains, run is the horizontal distance it covers over that height (for a full roof, run is usually half the building width, to the ridge centerline). Pitch, angle, and rafter length update as you type.

Formula. Pitch ratio is rise divided by run; carpentry "X in 12" notation scales that ratio to a run of 12; angle comes from the inverse tangent; rafter length is the hypotenuse of the rise/run triangle:

Pitch ratio = rise ÷ run, X in 12 = pitch ratio × 12, Angle = atan(rise ÷ run), Rafter length = √(rise² + run²)

Worked example. With the defaults above (1200 mm rise, 3600 mm run): pitch ratio = 1200 ÷ 3600 = 0.3333; in the common notation that's 0.3333 × 12 = 4.00, i.e. a "4 in 12" roof; angle = atan(0.3333) ≈ 18.43°; rafter length = √(1200² + 3600²) = √14,400,000 ≈ 3794.7 mm.

Traditional fractional pitch. Older references sometimes describe pitch as a fraction of the span instead of "X in 12" - a "1/4 pitch" roof rises a quarter of the total building width. Since run is half the span, fractional pitch = (X in 12) ÷ 24. The reference chart below converts between all three notations for common roof pitches:

X in 12AngleTraditional (fractional) pitch
2 in 129.5°1/12 pitch
3 in 1214.0°1/8 pitch
4 in 1218.4°1/6 pitch
5 in 1222.6°5/24 pitch
6 in 1226.6°1/4 pitch
7 in 1230.3°7/24 pitch
8 in 1233.7°1/3 pitch
9 in 1236.9°3/8 pitch
10 in 1239.8°5/12 pitch
12 in 1245.0°1/2 pitch

Exemple avec les saisies actuelles

Le résultat ci-dessus utilise exactement ces valeurs. Cet instantané est inclus à l’impression pour comparer la sortie aux mesures d’origine.

Rise
1200 mm
Run
3600 mm

Résultat principal: Pitch: 4.00 in 12.

Avant d’utiliser le résultat

  • Measure from the datum or reference edge described by this tool, and do not mix inside, outside and centerline dimensions.
  • Keep inputs in the displayed units and preserve more precision than the final cutting or purchasing tolerance requires.
  • When the result is close to a limit, verify it with a test piece, field measurement, manufacturer drawing or qualified project professional.

Limites

This is triangle geometry only. The rafter length shown is the theoretical line-length of the rise/run triangle - it does not subtract a ridge-board reduction, add eave or gable overhang, or account for a birdsmouth notch at the wall plate, all of which change the actual lumber length you'd cut.

It also does not size rafters structurally (span tables, snow/wind load, species and grade). Use it for layout and pitch, and have spans checked against your local code or an engineer for anything load-bearing.

Questions fréquentes

What does "4 in 12" mean?

It's carpentry shorthand for the pitch ratio scaled to a 12-unit run: for every 12 units the roof runs horizontally, it rises 4 units. It's unit-independent - 4 in 12 is the same slope whether you measure in millimetres or inches.

Is the rafter length the actual board length I should cut?

No - it's the straight-line hypotenuse between your rise and run points. Real rafters are usually longer (for overhang past the wall) and get a birdsmouth cut and ridge-side trim, so treat this number as the geometric baseline, not a cut list.

What does a "1/4 pitch" or "1/3 pitch" roof mean?

These describe rise as a fraction of the total building width (span) rather than as "X in 12". A 1/4 pitch roof is a 6-in-12 roof (26.6°); a 1/3 pitch is 8-in-12 (33.7°). See the reference chart above for the full conversion.

How do I find run if I only know the building width?

For a simple gable roof, run is typically half the building width - the horizontal distance from the wall plate to the ridge centerline. Measure to the ridge, not the far wall, if the roof isn't symmetric.