ATP Presents

Complex Roof Layout

North American carpenters have used several techniques to cut rafters over the last 300+ years. Protestant
Huguenots and others trained in traditional carpentry came to Canada and America in the 1600's. Skills they
brought: lofting timbers over lay lines with plumb bobs, English and French Scribe, the art of the line, and
German Shiften geometry were common. However, the framing square manufacturers in the early 1800's sold
carpenters framing squares that required the carpenter to know very little about traditional roof framing
geometry. Carpenters were efficient at cutting rafters for simple roofs with the new framing square, however
the geometric base of roof framing was set aside in pursuit of production. Many books were published to
preserve the skills of the traditional carpenter and many were left to gather dust. The framing square is still a
solid measuring and layout tool but the power of the carpenter is found in the underlying geometry that can
be brought to the timbers via that square.

Complex roof framing layout can be accomplished by using unrelated right triangles but we will start with
related triangles. With a basic understanding of folding roof planes, drafting based on plumb lines and
dimensions taken from a plan view drawing the mental process of laying out various parts of complex roofs
becomes clearer. This process is called developed drawing. The goal of developed drawings is to discover
the true length and shape of geometry that is presented in plan view in a related auxiliary view.

Awareness of the different planes of roof kernels is the beginning of a study of the underlying geometry in
complex roof layout. The folding roof plane drawings in this document form the basic geometric roof framing
kernels that should be studied. Mastery of the drawing techniques requires practice, the math that is
represented by the geometry requires even more effort.

Page 1 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

TFG - Roof Framing Kernel Geometric Development
Drawing out the roof framing kernel on a 48"x48" sheet of plywood using the framing
square:

Start your drawing for an equal pitched 8:12 roof with a plan angle of 45°. The two sides of
the plan view drawing, Eave Length & Rafter Run, will be 12" in length. Finish the plan
view triangle by drawing the Hip Rafter Run line. Next draw in the Roof Slope Triangle by
drawing the 8" Common Rafter Rise line perpendicular to the Common Rafter Run Line.
Then draw the Rafter Length line to finish the Roof Slope Triangle. The Rafter Length line
will be the length of the profile-common rafter for 12" of run in plan view. Draw an 8" line
perpendicular to the Hip Rafter Run line. Finish the drawing by drawing the Hip Rafter
Length line .

8"
Co
m
m
on
Ri
se

8"

Common Rise

Hip Rafter Slope

Triangle
gth
Len
Hip

Roof Slope
Triangle
n

Rafter Run
Ru
ip

th
H

g
12"

en
rL
fte
Ra

Plan View

Eave Length

12"

Page 2 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

S = Roof Slope Angle
D = Plan Angle
R1 = Hip Rafter Slope Angle
P2 = Jack Rafter Bevel
P7 = Roof Sheathing Angle
P1 = Purlin Miter Angle
R2 = Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle & Square Tail Hip Rafter Miter
C1 = SBBA for Purlin Miter Line, Hip Rafter Square Tail Miter Line
C5 = Hip Rafter Backing Angle

- Vertical Plane Symbol

m
90
°-
R2

Purlin Plane on Hip Elevation Pu

rlin
Pla
ne
gth

in
E lev
Len

a tio
n
Hip

Purlin Plane Length

w
Vie
n

P1
lan
Ru

in P
ip
H

e
lan

R1
in P

th
g
rl

en
Pu

rL

Purlin Plane Length

fte
Ra

S
Rafter Run
D

Eave Length

Add the Purlin Miter Angle P1 geometric development to your drawing. Also, add the hip rafter purlin
housing angle geometric development as shown. For the angle 90° - R2.

Page 3 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

S = Roof Slope Angle
D = Plan Angle
R1 = Hip Rafter Slope Angle
P2 = Jack Rafter Bevel
P7 = Roof Sheathing Angle
P1 = Purlin Miter Angle
R2 = Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle & Square Tail Hip Rafter Miter
C1 = SBBA for Purlin Miter Line, Hip Rafter Square Tail Miter Line
C5 = Hip Rafter Backing Angle

- Vertical Plane Symbol

90
°
-R
2

Pu
rlin
Pla
n ei
gth

nE
lev
Len

ati
on
Hip

Purlin Plane Length

w
Vie
n

P1
lan
Ru

in P
ip
H

e
lan

R1
P

th
rlin

g
en
Pu

rL

Purlin Plane Length

fte
Ra

S
Rafter Run
D

Eave Length

Alternate method of developing the hip rafter purlin housing angle geometrically for the angle 90° - R2.

Page 4 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

S = Roof Slope Angle
D = Plan Angle
R1 = Hip Rafter Slope Angle
P2 = Jack Rafter Bevel
P7 = Roof Sheathing Angle
P1 = Purlin Miter Angle
R2 = Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle & Square Tail Hip Rafter Miter
C1 = SBBA for Purlin Miter Line, Hip Rafter Square Tail Miter Line
C5 = Hip Rafter Backing Angle
SBBA = Saw Blade Bevel Angle

- Vertical Plane Symbol

P2 Common Rise

m
Line 2

Line 1

P1
ce
fa

iew
ur

nV
fS

S
Pla

Line 4
oo
nR

e in
Ru

n
ho

ip

Pla

th
H
gt

rlin

g
en

en
Pu
pL

Purlin Plane Length

rL
Hi

fte
Ra
Rafter Run
P7

C1
Line 5
m

P2
P7

Line 3
D

Eave Length

C1 SBBA method: use dimension "m" to develop

the geometry for the saw blade bevel angle C1.

Start the drawing by drawing lines 1&2. Take the dimension "m" and mark off this length on the Rafter Run
line below the Purlin Plane Length line. Draw line 3 back to the Purlin Plane Length line.

Draw line 4 perpendicular to the Purlin Plane in Plan View line. Swing an arc from the intersection of line 4
& the Rafter Run to the Purlin Plane Length line. Then draw line 5. The purlin saw blade bevel angle C1 is
used to cut the purlin miter angle line on the side of the material perpendicular to the roof surface, AKA the
upslope or downslope face.

Page 5 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

S = Roof Slope Angle
D = Plan Angle
R1 = Hip Rafter Slope Angle
P2 = Jack Rafter Bevel
P7 = Roof Sheathing Angle
P1 = Purlin Miter Angle
R2 = Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle & Square Tail Hip Rafter Miter
C1 = SBBA for Purlin Miter Line, Hip Rafter Square Tail Miter Line
C5 = Hip Rafter Backing Angle

- Vertical Plane Symbol

Co
m
m
on
Ri
se

Common Rise

Roof Surface Triangle

gth
Len
Hip

P2
R1
n
Ru
ip

14 7/16"
H

Rafter Run

thg
en
rL

"
fte

6
7/1
Ra

14

Hip Rafter
Backing Triangle
C5
P7
D

Eave Length

Roof Surface geometric development for Jack Rafter Bevel Angle P2, Purlin top cut & Roof Sheathing
Angle P7. Swing an arc centered at the intersection of the Eave Length and Rafter Run using the Rafter
Length as the radius from the top of the common rise to an extension of the common run. This develops
the roof surface triangle folded down over plan view.

Next draw in the Hip Rafter Backing Triangle. Draw a line perpendicular to the Hip Rafter Run line as
shown. Draw a line perpendicular to the Hip Rafter Length line back to the perpendicular line that
intersects at the Hip Rafter Run line. Swing an arc from the intersection of the perpendicular lines back to
the hip rafter run line to develop the hip rafter backing triangle.

Page 6 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

S = Roof Slope Angle
D = Plan Angle
R1 = Hip Rafter Slope Angle
P2 = Jack Rafter Bevel
P7 = Roof Sheathing Angle
P1 = Purlin Miter Angle
R2 = Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle & Square Tail Hip Rafter Miter
C1 = SBBA for Purlin Miter Line, Hip Rafter Square Tail Miter Line
C5 = Hip Rafter Backing Angle

- Vertical Plane Symbol

Common Rise
Roof Surface Triangle
ce
rfa
fSu
oo
nR

P2
ho
gt
en
pL

14 7/16"
n
Ru
Hi

ip
H

Rafter Run

thg
en

"
rL

6
7/1
fte

14
Ra

Hip Rafter
Backing Triangle
C5
P7
D

Eave Length

ALTERNATE METHOD of developing the Hip Rafter Backing Triangle from the Roof Surface Triangle.
From the intersection of the eave length and rafter run draw a line perpendicular to the hip rafter run line
and draw a line perpendicular to the Hip Length on Roof Surface line. Swing an arc with the center point
of the arc at the intersection of the Eave Length and Rafter Run using the perpendicular line on the Hip
Length on Roof Surface line back to the Hip Run line.

Page 7 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

TFG - Roof Framing Kernel geometric development for the purlin miter angle and the
SBBA for purlins and square tail hip rafters. This geometric development can be developed
with just a framing square. This works on all plan angles with equal pitched roofs or
unequal pitched roofs.

S = Roof Slope Angle

D = Plan Angle
R1 = Hip Rafter Slope Angle
P2 = Jack Rafter Bevel
P7 = Roof Sheathing Angle
P1 = Purlin Miter Angle
R2 = Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle & Square Tail Hip Rafter Miter
C1 = SBBA for Purlin Miter Line, Hip Rafter Square Tail Miter Line
C5 = Hip Rafter Backing Angle

- Vertical Plane Symbol

71 0° - R
.9 2
9

°
2

39.7
6°
P2

25
.2
R1 4°
P1

29.02
°
60
.98
°

C1
P7

4° 3 3 .6
36.0 9°

6°
39.7
°
.0 9

S
23
C5
50 .

P2
P7

24°
45.0
D

0°

Page 8 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

 Irregular Hip Roof Development
Standard geometric roof framing kernel with a unit rise of 12", fig. 1. By drawing out the roof framing
kernel on a sheet of plywood or paper the mental process of visualizing the folding roof planes, fig. 2, is
enhanced.

Draw the base of the roof framing kernel with the rafter elevations then develop the hip rafter slope
triangle based on the unit of rise of 12", as seen in fig. 3. This technique that follows works for all
unequal pitched roofs, as well as eaves that are not at 90°.

Rafter Runs for both pitches are based on a 12" Rise

n gth
r Le
fte
Ra

Rafter Rise
Ra 12"
fig. 1 fig. 3 fte 12"
12" rR
ise
Rafter Rise
10:12 12" 10:12 12"
Rafter Run
14.40"
14.40"

ngth
Hip Slope

Hip Le
18"
Eave Length
27.
18" 50°

gth
adjacent plan angle

Rafter Run

en
n

rL
Ru

fte
er
aft

Ra
pR
8:12 38.6 Hi
6°
8:12
Plan View
51.

Plan View
34°

main plan angle Eave Length

fig. 2

Unit Run for 12" Rise

formula 12 ÷ (pitch÷12)
4/12 Pitch Unit Run = 36"
5/12 Pitch Unit Run = 28.80 - 28 1316" 12
6/12 Pitch Unit Run = 24"
5:12 7:12
7/12 Pitch Unit Run = 20.57143 -- 20 9/16" 28 13/16" 20 9/16"
8/12 Pitch Unit Run = 18"
9/12 Pitch Unit Run = 16"
10/12 Pitch Unit Run = 14.40 -- 14 13/32" fig. 3
11/12 Pitch Unit Run = 13.09091 -- 13 3/32"
12/12 Pitch Unit Run = 12" 12 12
12
13/12 Pitch Unit Run = 11.07692 -- 11 1/16"
10:12 11:12 13:12 14:12 15:12 16:12
14/12 Pitch Unit Run = 10.28571 -- 10 9 32"
15/12 Pitch Unit Run = 9.60 -- 9 19/32"
16/12 Pitch Unit Run = 9" 14 13/32" 13 3/32" 11 1/16" 10 9/32" 9 19/32" 9"

Page 9 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

 Irregular Hip Roof Development
The next step in developing the geometry for the roof framing kernel is to fold out the roof surface planes.
The roof surface planes are right triangles consisting of Eave length, Rafter length and Hip length for the
common rise of 12". With the roof surface developed you can take actual lengths and angles of the roof
sheathing geometry, jack rafter side cut angles and purlin top cut angles.

6"
. 7 44
18

12"
12
"
18.7446"

10:12 12"
Rafter Length

14.40"

Roof Surface
H
ip
Ra
axis of rotation

fte
rL
18"

en 8:12
Jack Rafter gt
h
"
Side Cut Angle
33
25
.9
.63
87
21

7"
Plan View

axis of rotation
Rafter Length
Hi
pR

Roof Surface
a ft

Roof Sheathing Angles

er
Le
ng

21.6333"
th
25
.9 8
77
"

fig. 1

Jack Rafter
Side Cut Angle

Page 10 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

 Irregular Hip Roof Development
The next step in developing the geometry for the roof framing kernel is to develop the hip rafter backing
triangle. Draw line a1 perpendicular to the hip rafter run line h1 and extend it to the eave lines. From the
point where a1 crosses hl draw line a2 perpendicular to the hip rafter slope line h2. Swing an arc with the
radius equal to a2 from point d1 to the line h1. Then draw lines b1 and b2 from the intersections of line a1
and the eave lines. Each section of this shaded triangle will be the hip rafter backing angle for that side of the
roof.

- Vertical Plane Symbol

axis of vertical plane rotation

h2

ion

axis of vertical plane rotation

t
ota
Hip Rafter Backing Angle h1

er
la n
lp
ca
rti
ve

a2
of

b2
is
ax

d1
axis of rotation

a1

b1

axis of rotation
Hip Rafter Backing Angle

Hip Rafter Backing Triangle

Page 11 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

 Irregular Hip Roof Development

Rm

Ra Profile Rafter
in elevation

R2m

Hip Rafter
in elevation R2a

Ra
45°

F
Rm

G
90° P2m

m
P2a
m

D
P1a
HRSTa
Profile Rafter
in elevation
HRSTm Ja
P1m

R3a R3m 36.8 36.8

7° 7°
Jm

m
53.
90

"m" is a plumb height

E

90°
13

It can be any dimension,

°

but must be the same dimension

in each location

C
vation
d epth
r in Ele
backing

D Deck Angle 90°

90°
e

Pitch 9:12 & 12:12

lin

m
fte

el

Plan Angles
lev
Hip Ra

9:12 plan angle = 53.13011°

12:12 plan angle = 36.86989°
m
m
pl
um 90°
bl
in
es
Plan View

This drawing is a combination of French art du trait and German Shiften. Start the drawing with a plan view of the hip rafter, drawing
the hip rafter shift-offset for equal height shoulders. Then draw the profile rafters in elevation using the same height for the rise of the
rafter. Next, draw the hip rafter in elevation using the same rise.The hip rafter purlin housing angles are drawn using the French
technique and the hip rafter witches cut on the hip rafter tail is drawn using the German technique. This drawing should be the base
for all your geometric roof plans in plan view. The most important parts of this drawing are the plumb lines. The drawings do not
have to be full scale in length, however the width of the hip rafter and jack rafters must be drawn to the correct width. This drawing is
about 48" x 48".

In this geometric drawing the purlin rafter miter angles on the stick-timber are P1m and P1a. The purlin rafter top bevel cut angle can
be laid out using the roof sheathing angle P7 or 90° - P2m and 90° - P2a. R2m and R2a are the hip rafter purlin housing angles on the
stick-timber. The angles to cut the hip rafter for square tail alignment on the hip rafter, HRSTm and HRSTa, are the same angles as
the hip rafter housing angles, because the tails are at 90° to the roof surface plane. You can use either technique to develop the hip
rafter square tail alignment cut. However, by developing the plumb lines for HRSTm and HRSTa they develop the hip rafter top
bevel angles R3m and R3a on an unbacked hip rafter.

Page 12 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

The TFG - Roof Framing Kernel geometric development is a geometric base development
that can be used to develop all of the roof framing angles geometrically. The roof framing
angles are based on these three angles.
1: Hip Rafter Backing Angle
2: Valley Sleeper Layover Bevel Angle
3: Roof Surface - Sheathing Angles.

All of the roof framing angles we use are based on these three angles. For plumb hip rafters, the hip rafter
backing angle and roof sheathing angles define the cut on the timber. For canted rafters, the valley sleeper
layover bevel angle and roof sheathings angle define the cuts on the timber for canted rafters. This descriptive
geometric drawing below only works on equal pitched roofs with a deck angle of 90°. However, the saw blade
bevel angle can also be developed geometrically for each of the miter angles by using the roof sheathing angle
in a folding roof framing drawing.

B= Plumb Hip Rafter Backing Angle

V = Valley Sleeper Layover Bevel Angle
S = Roof Slope Angle

B
D = Plan Angle --45°
R1 = Plumb Hip Rafter Head Cut Angle
R2 = Plumb Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle
R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
C = Jack Rafter Top Bevel Angle
JM = Jack Rafter Plumb Cut 0 °
90.0

V
JC = Jack Rafter Lower Claw Angle

B
PM - Purlin Miter Angle on Stick
PC = Purlin Lower Claw Angle
R = Purlin Top Bevel Angle
H = Canted Hip Rafter Head Cut
F = Canted Hip Rafter Foot Cut
JCC = Jack Rafter Miter Angle on Canted Hip Rafter

R
PCC = Purlin Miter Angle on Canted Hip Rafter
H
DJC = Jack Rafter Lower Claw Angle on Canted Hip Rafter
DPC = Purlin Lower Claw Angle on Canted Hip Rafter
SBBA = Saw Blade Bevel Angle
F

S
R

Canted Hip Rafter

Rotated into Roof Surface Plane

PM

PCC
R2

JCC
JM

V
S

F
R1
PC
S
JC C
V
B
R

V
B

B
D
PC C

C
JC C

DJ C
DPC

Page 13 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

 R2
R1

R1

C
S° S°

S = Roof Slope Angle

D = Plan Angle --45°

R
R1 = Plumb Hip Rafter Head Cut Angle
R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
C = Jack Rafter Top Bevel Angle
D

D
S = Roof Slope Angle
D = Plan Angle --45°
R1 = Plumb Hip Rafter Head Cut Angle
R2 = Plumb Hip Rafter Purlin Housing Angle

R1

PCC

JCC V

S
B= Plumb Hip Rafter Backing Angle S
V V = Valley Sleeper Layover Bevel Angle F
S° S = Roof Slope Angle C
D = Plan Angle --45°
R1 = Plumb Hip Rafter Head Cut Angle
R

V
B

D
D

V = Valley Sleeper Layover Bevel Angle

S = Roof Slope Angle
D = Plan Angle --45°
R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
C = Jack Rafter Top Bevel Angle
R = Purlin Top Bevel Angle
H = Canted Hip Rafter Head Cut
B= Plumb Hip Rafter Backing Angle F = Canted Hip Rafter Foot Cut
S = Roof Slope Angle JCC = Jack Rafter Miter Angle on Canted Hip Rafter
D = Plan Angle --45° PCC = Purlin Miter Angle on Canted Hip Rafter
R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
C = Jack Rafter Top Bevel Angle on Plumb Hip Rafter
JM = Jack Rafter Plumb Cut on Plumb Hip Rafter
JC = Jack Rafter Lower Claw Angle on Plumb Hip Rafter
PM - Purlin Miter Angle on Stick on Plumb Hip Rafter
PC = Purlin Lower Claw Angle on Plumb Hip Rafter
R = Purlin Top Bevel Angle on Plumb Hip Rafter

PM
JM

PC S
JC C
B
R

B
D

Page 14 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA

All of the roof framing angles can be developed from 3 triangles for regular plan and pitch roofs

S = Roof Slope Angle

R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
F = Canted Hip Rafter Foot Cut

S = Roof Slope Angle

R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
H = Canted Hip Rafter Head Cut
F

H
S

S
BA
SB

90°
R

-S

A
SBB
R

C
V = Valley Sleeper Layover Bevel Angle
R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
PCC = Purlin Miter Angle on Canted Hip Rafter JCC

A
SBB
C
JC C = Jack Rafter Top Bevel Angle
JCC = Jack Rafter Miter Angle on Canted Hip Rafter
PCC
SBBA

V
C = Jack Rafter Top Bevel Angle
JC = Jack Rafter Lower Claw Angle on Plumb Hip Rafter
BA
SB
R

PC

B= Plumb Hip Rafter Backing Angle

R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle
PM - Purlin Miter Angle on Stick on Plumb Hip Rafter
BA

R
SB

PM

PM-Stic
k
B= Plumb Hip Rafter Backing Angle
B

90 R = Roof Surface - Roof Sheathing Angle

°- PC = Purlin Lower Claw Angle on Plumb Hip Rafter
B
A

R
SB B

Page 15 of 15 2018 TFG CONFERENCE - EAST - Virginia Beach, VA