Of course! Roofs with two different pitches are common, especially when a shed is added to a house. The roof butts can be used for both roofs because they’ll be pitched the same direction as the lower roof.
What is a common pitch for a hip roof?
– The Best Five
- Gabled or Gable Roof. The gable roof makes the most common triangular pitched roof you’ll ever find on most homes in the United States.
- Hip Roof. Hipped or hip roofs are among the most common and popular types of roof styles. ...
- Jerkinhead Roof. ...
- Mansard Roof. ...
- The Gambrel Roof. ...
What roof pitch should I Choose?
Standard roof pitches typically ranging between 1:12 and 5:12. Any roof pitch higher than a 5:12 requires custom engineering which might increase the cost of your building. Additionally, when you have a higher Roof Pitch, the roof is seen so you might need to order a colored roof, which add to your building cost as well.
How to frame a hip roof onto another hip roof?
Part 3 of 3: Finishing the Hip Roof
- Nail the jack rafters to the hip rafters and secure them to the walls. ...
- Determine the number of plywood sheets you’ll need. Begin by measuring the width and height of each of the 4 sides of the roof.
- Nail the plywood sheathing to the rafters. ...
- Attach asphalt shingles or other desired roofing material. ...
What are hip roofs used for?
- What are Hip Roofs?
- Quick History of Hip Roofs
- Advantages of Hip Roofs
- Drawbacks
- 5 Hip Roof Styles 1. Simple Hip Roof 2. Half Hip or Jerkinhead 3. Dutch Gable Hip 4. Cross Hip Roof 5. Pyramid Hip Roof
- How to Build a Hip Roof in 8 Easy Steps
- What is the Lifespan of a Hip Roof?

How do you frame a hip roof with two different pitches?
11:2320:53A Tale of Two Pitches Part Two - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis looks compared to framing at a 45 degree angle or matching roof pitches. So that's one of theMoreThis looks compared to framing at a 45 degree angle or matching roof pitches. So that's one of the unusual. Things that shows up in this off angle hip framing.
Can a roof have 2 different pitches?
According to MyRooff, a dual-pitch roof is a gable roof with two sloping sides that meet together at the top, forming a central ridge. Each side extends far enough to cover an entire structure. The ridge is the highest point on a roof, and you'll hear professionals occasionally refer to it as a peak.
Can I mix and match roof pitch?
3. Unless you're absolutely sure of the effect you're after, avoid combining different roof pitches. More often than not, varied pitches look disorganized or, worse, like a construction error. Stick to a uniform pitch, and rely on the size and arrangement of roof masses for effect.
How do you join two roof pitches?
Position the flashing between the two roof pitches. Slide the right edge of the flashing under the highest roof pitch. Place the 2-by-4-inch piece of lumber along the center of the flashing. Gently bend the flashing using the edge of the lumber until both sides of the flashing match the slope of the two roof pitches.
What is a dual pitched roof?
A pitched roof is a roof of a building that has a slope or angle to it. Generally pitched roofs are dual pitched, meaning that they have two sides, but pitched roofs can also be mono-pitched, sloping in one direction only.
Does a hip rafter have to be 45 degrees?
Hip rafters are fastened at a 45-degree angle to the ridge board down to the building's four exterior corners. It is also used to nail the jack rafters' tops. Jack rafters are attached to the hips and slope down to the outside walls.
Can you mix roof styles?
You can mix gables and hip roof styles. It works best with contrasts in siding, stone or other features. Keep in mind that when you change roof pitch it also affects length of overhangs and alignment of fascia. These features will also stand out and may throw off the intended look of your home.
What is a cross hipped roof?
A cross-hipped roof is a popular variation of a hip roof, which gently slopes on all four sides. For a cross, the two hip roofs are laid out in an "L," installed perpendicular to each other. These roofs are great for areas with strong winds and provide shade under the eaves all the way around the house.
How do you assemble two hip roofs?
1:473:29Offset Room Addition With Hip Roof – Building Design Ideas For Home ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere's another way you would do it you'd. Basically have a valley here and then you would just fillMoreHere's another way you would do it you'd. Basically have a valley here and then you would just fill this area in and again I have the composition shingles whatever shingles you'd be using.
How do you connect two roofs with different heights?
By: Ryan M. There are many reasons to consider joining two roofs with different heights....Here are three easy steps in installing the gutters on a two-roof property with uneven heights.Step One: Decide on the Gutter. ... Step Two: Mark the Gutter And Roof Spacing. ... Step Three: Cut Through Both Roofs At The Same Time.
Are hip roofs more expensive?
Hipped roofs are more expensive to frame than gable roofs. Get cost estimates on roofing from local contractors below. Hip roofs are more expensive to build than gable roof because it is a more complex design that requires more building materials including a complex system of trusses or rafters.
How do you join a hip rafter?
0:5033:55How to Cut Hip Rafters - Robin Clevett Masterclass - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPerfect obviously it's a concrete block you don't have to get your angle grinder out but there weMorePerfect obviously it's a concrete block you don't have to get your angle grinder out but there we have it the next thing we do using the same offcut Imber marker shoulder on the two last rafters.
What is the length of the hip triangle?
The length of the run of the hip (per foot run) is the diagonal or SQR (1 + (R1/R2)squared). This simplifies to (SQR (R2^2+R1^2))/R2.
Does a hip jack fit on the 6/12 side?
So if you make the plumb cut on the hip 6/12, it should fit nicely.Here's something really unusual.Look at the drawing. If you had to put in a hip jack on the 6/12 side of the hip, it would have to run from the ridge to the hip ( like a valley jack), not from the plate to the hip, as a normal hip jack would.
What is the unit run of a hip roof?
Unit run of the hip. In a hip roof with equal pitches, the unit run of a hip or valley rafter is 17 inches for every 12 inches of run in the main roof. For example, in an equal hip roof with an 8 / 12 pitch, the pitch of the hip rafter would be 8 / 17.
How far up the ground should you nail a hip rafter?
Before you nail up the hip rafter, be sure to lay out the position of the jack rafters. It’s a lot easier on the ground than 20 feet in the air.
What is the difference between a valley and a hip?
The main difference between the two is that valley rafters sit on inside corners, while hip rafters sit on the outside corners. Each roof will be slightly different.
How high is a fascia overhang?
The overhang is 16 inches (measured horizontally), and the fascia runs at a continuous height around the entire house. Joining these two roofs poses two main challenges: One is getting the two differently pitched planes to meet at the hip (or valley) rafter. The other is to get the fascias to line up.
How far to step off the hip?
Take the run of the main roof (9 feet), and using your square and the pitch of the hip in relationship to the main roof — 8 inches and 15 5/8 inches — step off this distance in the conventional manner.
What Is Roof Pitch?
Pitch is a very common part of roof construction. It often goes by the name of slope too.
When to Join Two Roofs with Different Pitches?
There are some different cases we can find around us that make homeowners finally need to join the roofs that have different pitches. The most suitable example exists when a home expansion is necessary.
How to Join the Roof Pitches?
Now, it is time for you to know about how to join roofs, each with a different pitch. One thing that we want you to understand here is that the steps we want to share in this post may be suitable for some cases only since every house is different and possibly need some special treatments to join the roofs.
Closing
Those are all the information we know about joining two roofs with different pitches. Maybe all the steps that we mentioned above seem easy to do.
Blind Valleys Simplify Framing
To keep the porch roof framing as simple as possible, we installed a structural ridge supported by posts at each end, with the common rafters landing on top of the ridge. After installing the rafters, we still had to extend the porch roof back over the shed roof, creating a valley on either side.
Ridge and Jacks
Where the porch roof extended over the shed roof, we installed a 2x6 ridge that ran from the top of the dropped structural ridge to the apex of the sleepers. To scribe the angle, we placed a length of stock on top of the rafter peaks and leveled it across, using a scrap block to trace the angle.
Creating a Valley at the Eaves
Next we worked on the valley at the lower part of the roof. The bottom of our blind valley was about 30 inches short of the bottom of the porch roof, so we extended the line of the valley down to the edge of the new roof.
What size should a hip rafter be?
The rule of thumb is that hips, purlins and ridge boards are at least 1.5 times the depth of the rafter.
How do you find the pitch of a hip roof?
The angle, or pitch, of a roof is calculated by the number of inches it rises vertically for every 12 inches it extends horizontally. For example, a roof that rises 6 inches for every 12 inches of horizontal run has a 6-in-12 pitch.
What is the angle of a hip rafter?
The hip rafter intersects this 90° angle at a 45° angle and runs diagonally down to the building corner. The king commons at the ends of the ridge are the same length as those at the sides.
What is a standard pitch of a roof?
The most commonly used roof pitches fall in a range between 4/12 and 9/12. Pitches lower than 4/12 have a slight angle, and they are defined as low-slope roofs. Pitches of less than 2/12 are considered flat roofs, even though they may be very slightly angled.
Does a hip roof support itself?
A hip roof is self-bracing, requiring less diagonal bracing than a gable roof. Hip roofs are thus much more resistant to wind damage than gable roofs. Hip roofs have no large, flat, or slab-sided ends to catch wind and are inherently much more stable than gable roofs.
How do you calculate hip rafter size?
Divide the span of the roof by two to obtain the run of the roof. The span of the roof is 25 feet, so the run of the roof is 25 / 2 = 12.5 feet. Divide the run of the roof by the cosine of the angle of the roof to obtain the length of a common rafter.
Which roof pitch is best?
Pros. Since a low pitch roof doesn’t require as many shingles, more often than not, a low pitch roof will end up being more cost-efficient during installation. The lower pitch of the roof means greater walkability. Low pitch roofs are safer and easier to access when maintenance and/or repairs are needed.
What is a half hip roof?
2. Half Hip or Jerkinhead. Also referred to as jerkinhead or clipped gables, the half-hipped roofs have two short sides that form eaves. They are usually characterized by their upper points of gable rather than a small hip. One advantage of a half hip roof is the ease of drainage from the gutters. 3. Dutch Gable Hip.
Why are hip roofs so popular?
This is thanks to the four sides of the roof that shelter the house from excessive heat. These eaves keep the house adequately protected from extreme weather, thus making hip roofs one of the most energy-efficient design options.
What is a Dutch gable roof?
A dormer can also be installed in the center of the hip roof for additional living space. This provides a beautiful decorative touch to the hip roof as well as transforming the attic into a functional living space.
How long does a hip roof last?
Hip roofs can last up to 5 decades if not more, provided they are constructed properly. The lifespan of a hip roof depends on the quality of the materials and the maintenance they receive. To make your hip roof last longer, use metal roofing or clay shingles and carry out regular maintenance to prevent water leaks.
Why are vaulted ceilings more durable than gable roofs?
Durable: these types of roofs are more durable and stable than gable roofs because of their four sloping sides.
What type of roofs did Georgian homes have?
Many Georgian-style homes in the mid-Atlantic and Southern regions of the US featured rectangular hip roofs with brick structures. These roofs continued to be a common feature of American homes in the 50s and were mostly seen on ranch-style and the traditional American Foursquare style homes .
What is a pyramid roof?
Pyramid hip roofs feature four equally-sized triangular-shaped sides that join together at the top of the square structure to form a distinct pyramid. This type of hip roof is also referred to as a pavilion roof. All four sides of the structure are equally hipped in one single centralized peak.

Getting Oriented
Lining Up The Fascia
- Look at Figure 2A, which shows the two differently pitched common rafters. It would seem that lining up the fascias and cornices so you have equal overhangs on both pitches would be impossible, since the rafters of the two roofs extend beyond the plate at different angles. But it’s really not that tough. Making the fascia meet.To keep the overhang ...
Finding The Pitch of The Hip
- Once you’ve temporarily supported the ridges with a few common rafters, you can lay out the hip rafter. I do the layout on a sheet of plywood. Using one corner, I start by drawing the angle of the hip and then develop this line into a fullsized plan view of the roof corner. From this drawing I can pull exact measurements for my bevel cuts. Hip angle. Using the framing square’s 12th scale, fin…
Laying Out The Hip
- Working on the plywood drawing, next snap lines to define the soffit overhang, fascia, and wall framingat full scale, as shown in Figure 3C. Locate the centerline of the hip rafter not at the corner of the plates, but at the corner of the two intersecting fascia boards. Extend this centerline back to and beyond the wall plate. You’ll notice the hip rafter doesn’t sit on the corner of the two wall pla…
Backing The Hip
- As with any hip rafter, an unequal hip rafter must have its top edge “backed,” or beveled, to match each of the converging roof planes. The question is how much to cut away. Determine the backing for each roof plane as shown in Figure 7. Place your square on the side of the hip rafter that will face the main roof, using the hip pitch for that roof, 8/155/8. Measure distance “A” along the unit …
Placement of Jack Rafters
- Before you nail up the hip rafter, be sure to lay out the position of the jack rafters. It’s a lot easier on the ground than 20 feet in the air. To determine the run of the jacks, draw in the first two jacks on the fullscale drawing of the hip rafter, as shown in Figure 8. We can then take all our measurements for the first jacks on each roof directly from the drawing, just as we did for the hi…
Valleys
- An unequally pitched valley rafter is laid out in the same way as the unequally pitched hip. The main difference between the two is that valley rafters sit on inside corners, while hip rafters sit on the outside corners. Each roof will be slightly different. Sometimes, instead of backing the hip, I’ll drop it in relation to the jacks. This still gives plenty of support to the sheathing. Also, I often dou…