Let’s Talk Roof Pitch
Roof pitch determines more than how a building looks. It dictates what materials you can use, how much they’ll cost, and whether a roof will shed water and weather the way it should. Whether you’re framing a DIY palapa or speccing a commercial pavilion, getting the pitch right is the first decision that shapes everything after it. Use the roof pitch calculator below to find your exact pitch in degrees and see which Endureed product fits your roof, then read on for the full breakdown.
What roof pitch actually means
Roof pitch describes how steep a roof is. It is measured in inches of rise for every 12 inches of horizontal run, so a roof that rises 4 inches for every 12 inches it runs has a “4-in-12 pitch,” usually just written as a 4 pitch or 4:12. You will also hear it called angle, incline, or slope, but in roofing, pitch is the standard term. Pitch determines what materials you can use, how much material the job needs, and how the roof will perform in wind, rain, and snow.
Roof pitch in degrees
Pitch is sometimes easier to picture in degrees than as a ratio. Here is the full conversion:
| Pitch | Ratio | Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| 0 pitch | 0:12 | 0° |
| 1 pitch | 1:12 | 4.8° |
| 2 pitch | 2:12 | 9.5° |
| 3 pitch | 3:12 | 14° |
| 4 pitch | 4:12 | 18.4° |
| 5 pitch | 5:12 | 22.6° |
| 6 pitch | 6:12 | 26.6° |
| 7 pitch | 7:12 | 30.3° |
| 8 pitch | 8:12 | 33.7° |
| 9 pitch | 9:12 | 36.9° |
| 10 pitch | 10:12 | 39.8° |
| 11 pitch | 11:12 | 42.5° |
| 12 pitch | 12:12 | 45° |
Not sure what your roof’s pitch is? Use the calculator above to convert your measurements in seconds.
Low, medium, and steep pitch ranges
There is no single standard roof pitch. Climate, roofing material, and building style all factor into what range a roof falls into.
A pitch below 3.5 is considered low. Low-pitched roofs are inexpensive to build, but they limit material options and require more maintenance over time. Most roofs in the United States fall between 3.5 and 7.5, a range most people can walk on safely with the right footwear and basic precautions. Anything above 7.5 is considered steep. Steep roofs handle snow, debris, and water runoff efficiently, but they typically require safety equipment and experience to work on safely.
Calculating ridge board height
If you are framing a structure without design software, here is how to work out the height of the ridge board by hand.
First, divide the width of the exterior structure frame in inches by two. This gives you the run for one side of the roof. Measure the outside of the wall framing on the actual structure, not including siding or sheathing.
Next, divide that run by 12 to get the run factor.
Then, multiply the roof pitch by the run factor. The result is the total distance the roof rises, which tells you where to set the bottom of the ridge board. This assumes the rafters and ridge board use the same size lumber, which is the most common setup.
Finally, add the width of the ridge board lumber to find the top height. For 2×6 lumber, add 5.5 inches. For 2×4 lumber, add 3.5 inches. That gives you your total center height.
What pitch works with Endureed
Endureed’s engineered thatch system installs on any roof with a pitch of 2:12 or greater. That means for every 12 horizontal feet, the roof needs to drop at least 2 feet. It is a low bar; the vast majority of residential and commercial roofs clear it easily. Roofs below that minimum need a different material, since water cannot shed properly at a flatter angle.
If your roof clears the minimum, the calculator above will tell you exactly which Endureed product line fits.
Did you know?
Endureed has completed over 5,000 installations worldwide. From Tokyo DisneySea to resorts across Fiji and the Pacific, our engineered thatch has been specified for some of the most demanding environments on earth. Take a look at a few of these projects.
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