Learn the roof
Pitch, rafters, birdsmouths, and the mistakes that eat lumber. Written for people who frame for a living, useful for anyone with a saw.
Roof Pitch Explained
What rise over run really means, common pitches with degree equivalents, and three ways to measure the pitch of an existing roof.
10 Roof Framing Mistakes That Cost You Time and Lumber
The layout and cutting errors that ruin rafters, and the habits that prevent every one of them.
How to Read the Rafter Tables on a Framing Square
The six rows stamped on the square, decoded, with a worked example from pitch to measuring line.
Marking Birdsmouth Cuts: A Step-by-Step Guide
Seat cuts and heel cuts that land the same on every rafter, without overcutting the tail.
Shed Roof Framing: How to Frame a Single-Slope Roof
The simplest roof there is, framed right: pitch selection, rafter layout, and spacing.
Essential Framing Tools: What Belongs in a Framer's Kit
The core kit, category by category, and what makes a tool worth its place in the pouch.
Looking for layout technique instead? Browse the carpentry guides →
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