4/12 roof pitch in degrees
A 4/12 roof pitch is 18.4349°. That is a 33.33% grade, a slope ratio of 1 : 3, and a rafter factor of 1.054093, and the angle is irrational so it carries the ≈.
Change the pitch
18.4349°≈
Multiply your run by 1.054093 for the rafter length. The cuts and the birdsmouth are in the app.
Rafter length at 4/12, by span
Run is half the span on a symmetrical gable. Length is along the rafter, before any birdsmouth, ridge or tail is taken off.
| Building span | Run | Rafter length | Decimal feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 10 ft | 10' 6-1/2" | 10.541 ft |
| 24 ft | 12 ft | 12' 7-13/16" | 12.649 ft |
| 28 ft | 14 ft | 14' 9-1/16" | 14.757 ft |
| 32 ft | 16 ft | 16' 10-3/8" | 16.865 ft |
| 36 ft | 18 ft | 18' 11-11/16" | 18.974 ft |
Every row is the run multiplied by 1.054093, the rafter factor for 4/12. The same figure for every pitch is on the full roof pitch chart.
What 4/12 means on the roof
Four in twelve is where the low-slope rule stops. At 4/12 and above the IRC lets asphalt shingles go down over a single underlayment, which is why so many sheds, porches and garages are drawn at exactly this pitch and not one twelfth less.
The working is the arctangent of the rise over the run: atan(4 ÷ 12) = 18.4349°. The rafter factor is the hypotenuse of the same triangle over its base, √(12² + 4²) ÷ 12, which is why multiplying any run by 1.054093 gives the rafter. That figure is the roof pitch multiplier, and it is the same number whatever the size of the roof.
Shingle slope limits quoted here are from the IRC, the United States model code. Your state, province or county may amend them, and several do.