How Steep Should A Roof Be

Definitions vary on when a roof is considered pitched.

How steep should a roof be.

Examples of extreme slopes range from 1 4 12 almost flat to 12 12 sloping down at a perfect 45 degree angle. 2 12 4 12 conventional slope roof. A ratio is the most common way of expressing roof pitch or roof slope but degrees are also possible. Thus a 4 12 pitch would be a 33 slope.

A 4 12 pitch is around 18 5 degrees but not exactly. You can also divide the rise over run multiply by 100 and get a percentage. In degrees 10 2 in 12 or 1 in 6 is considered a minimum. Roof slope is a very important aspect and it is considered the primary factor in roof design.

So the pitch of a roof is determined by how many inches the slope rises for every 12 inches it runs horizontally. If a roof increases in height by three inches for every foot of horizontal run it is considered to have a 3 in 12 pitch or just a 3 pitch the primary purpose of pitching a roof is to redirect water and snow. However in general terms low slope roofs commercial roofs are those below 2 12 or 3 12 while steep slope roofing would consists of roof pitches above either 2 12 or 3 12 and higher. Pitched roofs including gabled and hipped roofs are the most common types in the united states.

The exact roof slope in degrees is given by the arctangent. Any pitch higher than 9 12 is considered a steep pitch. For most home styles roof pitches fall in a range 4 12 a moderate slope up to 8 12 fairly steep.