# Need angles for gambrel roof



## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Building the goat barn- construction has started! The barn will be 10 ft by 12 ft with a gambrel roof...with the rafters going across the 10 ft side...but need to know the angles of the rafters to build them. Anyone know where I can get some free plans to figure the roof angles?

Willow


----------



## ninny (Dec 12, 2005)

Don't know about plans but if you do a google search on "gambrel roof angles" you'll find a few websites where people discuss the different angles used.
Here's just one of the sites.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/26098-gambrel-roof-angles.html

.


----------



## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

There was a link to a university ag site posted on here some time ago, that had great plans for barns, shed, etc. It had a whole section on different sized gambrel roofs. I printed off some of the plans, and probably have the link at home. It sort of seems like it was the university of Wisconsin or Michigan, but I am not sure. Maybe some here still remembers.


----------



## MushCreek (Jan 7, 2008)

They can be whatever you want- I've seen some that were nearly flat on top, and vertical on the side. Normally, what looks good is a 7/12 pitch on top. and a 12/7 pitch on the side. Those work out very close to 30 degrees, which makes it easy to set a miter saw. BTW- 7/12 means 7' of rise for every 12' of run.


----------



## Witterbound (Sep 4, 2007)

Yep, I'd make it whatever looks good to you, and is easy to duplicate. No need to over think it. Lay out your rafters on the ground and see what angles you like. Then cut 'em.


----------



## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

o&itw said:


> There was a link to a university ag site posted on here some time ago, that had great plans for barns, shed, etc. It had a whole section on different sized gambrel roofs. I printed off some of the plans, and probably have the link at home. It sort of seems like it was the university of Wisconsin or Michigan, but I am not sure. Maybe some here still remembers.


I think the link is still in the "sticky" threads in the shop forum.


----------



## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

Witterbound said:


> Yep, I'd make it whatever looks good to you, and is easy to duplicate. No need to over think it. Lay out your rafters on the ground and see what angles you like. Then cut 'em.


Uhh.....this might work.......especially if it doesn't snow in your area.


----------



## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

How much room do you need under the gambrel?

If you want it easy take a look at what angles have stops on the chop saw. 

22.5 is common and with cutting the ends of all the rafters at that and 45-15/16" long makes for easy work because all 4 rafters are the same. Gives a total rise of 5' for the gambrel (1/2 the width).


----------



## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

> Yep, I'd make it whatever looks good to you, and is easy to duplicate. No need to over think it. Lay out your rafters on the ground and see what angles you like. Then cut


 'em. 



o&itw said:


> Uhh.....this might work.......especially if it doesn't snow in your area.


Gambrel roofs usually don't carry much of a snow load, as the roof pitches are quite steep.

It's only 10' wide anyway.


----------



## just_sawing (Jan 15, 2006)

Gambril is as easy as knowing how many days are in a Leap year.
There are 366 days in a leap year and as long as you remember that .366 times the width is the lenght of all four sides.
Cut a 15 degree on one side and a 30 on the other put them together and you have it.
Do remember that this is the long end.


----------



## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

just_sawing said:


> Gambril is as easy as knowing how many days are in a Leap year.
> There are 366 days in a leap year and as long as you remember that .366 times the width is the lenght of all four sides.
> Cut a 15 degree on one side and a 30 on the other put them together and you have it.
> Do remember that this is the long end.


Gotta love old-school carpentry.


----------



## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

OK, I will pass on the info. I was hoping to find a plan with all measurements on it because my husband is building this and that is what he asked for....and if I don't find one, he is going to make me pay for a plan. Normally he just goes out and puts up a shed or building with no plan, but this is his first gambrel roof. BTW the barn is going to be 10 ft by 16 ft....don;t know why I put 12. I need enough space to store hay and straw for the goats and would be nice to store 4 bales of shavings for the other buildings....so not a ton of space....maybe 10 bales? So I don't need to go real high.

Shop forum? I will see if I can find it. If you meant the shop forum on here- that is mechanical and I saw no stickies. Link please?


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Maybe there's something here:

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/storage_sheds.php


----------



## KY Doug (Dec 1, 2008)

After I have finished the floor to my sheds, before I put up the walls, I lay out the roof pattern on the floor. Find the center of the building, decide how much rise I want and what pitch looks best for the project. Strike lines, divide the angles in half on the floor, put down guide blocks on the lines and build the trusses or rafters on the floor. Store the trusses/rafters, build the walls. Install trusses/rafters.

Doug


----------



## djberg (Mar 14, 2007)

Willow,

Here's a nice building guide by Monte Burch at Extreme How-to Magazine. It's for an 8' wide gambrel shed, but it has nice drawings and illustrations of how to build the roof structure. It shows how to build gambrel roof trusses on the ground - much easier than trying to frame the roof in place.

http://www.todaysplans.net/use-extremehowto-free-pole-shed-plans.html

Don


----------



## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Whether you have 1 slope (flat roof), 2 slopes, 4 slopes (gambrel), 6 slopes, or more, the angles still all have to add up to 180 degrees. Personally I'd chose lengths that allow for sheathing with as little cutting as possible and use whatever angles that demanded. Yea, I know, I'm lazy.

Hmm, thinking about it I guess you could have roofs with odd number of slopes, like 3, 5, or 7. Not sure why you would want to, but it could be interesting look.

And if you wanted sloping walls too, then think of it as all the angles of all the slopes going around the house would have to add up to 360 degrees. Think of a square box, 90+90+90+90=360 degrees....



> There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile,
> He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.
> He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.
> And they all lived together in a little crooked house


----------



## just_sawing (Jan 15, 2006)

For your 10 foot cut them 3' 7 15/16 inches long. This is the long edge with a 15 degree cut on one side nad 30 degree cut on the other. It is that simple


----------



## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Thanks! Will pass this along to hubby. I think he tends to overthink things -thinking they can't be that easy


----------



## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Hubby said thanks! He will follow the wonderful advice given  I will come back and post a pic when it is done.


----------

