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Hip roof shed framing uses four rafter types: common rafters along the long walls, a king common in the middle of each short wall, four hip rafters from the ridge ends to the corners, and jack rafters that fill in between hips and walls. Set the ridge on commons and king commons first, then the hips, then the jacks.

The 3DSHEDPLANS hip roof shed plans draw every one of these parts in 3D for each size, with lengths in the material list.

The parts of a hip roof shed frame

Member Where it runs Cuts Notes
Ridge board Level along the long direction, centered Square ends Width minus depth, plus the ridge thickness
Common rafter Long wall top plate up to the ridge Plumb cut, birdsmouth seat, tail Same as a gable rafter
King common Middle of each short wall up to the ridge end Same as a common Pins the ridge end in place
Hip rafter Each corner up to a ridge end, at 45 degrees in plan Shallower plumb cut, double 45 degree cheek cut, dropped seat Usually one size deeper than the commons
Jack rafter Wall plate up to a hip Common plumb cut and seat, 45 degree side cut Cut in left and right pairs, each pair shorter toward the corner

How long is the ridge on a hip roof shed?

When all four slopes share one pitch, each hip sits at 45 degrees in plan and each end of the roof uses half the shed’s depth. The ridge is the width minus the depth, plus the thickness of the ridge board.

On a shed 12 ft wide and 10 ft deep, that is 144 minus 120 plus 1 1/2 inches, or 25 1/2 inches. On a square shed there is no ridge at all: the four hips meet at one point, cheek cut to fit against each other and the king commons.

Worked example: a 10 ft deep hip roof at 6/12

This example assumes a shed 12 ft wide and 10 ft deep, a 6/12 pitch, an 8 inch eave overhang measured level from the wall, 2×4 commons and jacks at 16 inches on center, and a 2×6 ridge and 2×6 hips. Your plan’s pitch, overhang and lumber may differ, so use its numbers.

Item Math Result
Common run Half the depth, 60″, minus half the ridge, 3/4″ 59 1/4″
Rise above the plate line 59 1/4″ x 6/12 about 29 5/8″
Top of ridge above the wall top Rise plus the common’s height above the plate about 32 1/4″
Common rafter, top edge, tail to ridge (59 1/4″ + 8″) x 1.118 about 75 3/16″
Hip run in plan Common run x 1.414, plus the overhang x 1.414 about 95 1/8″
Hip rafter, top edge, tail to ridge end Hip run x 1.061 about 100 7/8″
Jack length change per 16″ step 16″ x 1.118 about 17 7/8″
Jacks, long point incl. tail Centers 16″, 32″ and 48″ from the outside plate corner about 26 1/2″, 44 3/8″, 62 1/4″
Stock to buy Lengths above plus the plumb cut 8 ft 2×4 commons and jacks, 10 ft 2×6 hips

The 1.118 is rafter length per inch of run at 6/12. The hip rises 6 inches per 17 of run, so its factor is 1.061 and it is flatter: about 19.5 degrees against 26.6 for the commons.

What we checked: the cut math follows the hip layout method in Fine Homebuilding’s hip roof framing guide, and the 3DSHEDPLANS plan generator gives the same numbers. Check them yourself on a framing square’s rafter table: a 6/12 reads 13.42 per foot of run for commons and 18.00 for hips. The hip length runs along its center line to the point of the cheek cuts.

Hip rafter cuts: the 17 inch run, cheek cuts and the drop

Plumb cut. Set a framing square with stair gauges at 6 on the tongue and 17 on the blade for a 6/12 roof, or use the hip scale on a speed square. Every plumb line on the hip uses that setting, not the 6 and 12 of the commons.

Cheek cuts at the ridge. Where the hip meets the end of the ridge and the two commons beside it, it gets a double cheek cut: two 45 degree bevels that form a point. Mark the length point (the 100 7/8 inches above) on the top edge’s center line. From that plumb line measure 3/4 inch back, level and not along the edge, and draw a 6/17 plumb line on each face there. Set the saw to 45 degrees and cut each line, beveling toward the center, so the two cuts meet in a point.

Dropping the hip. The top corners of a hip stick up above the roof plane, because the board is square but the roof planes slope away from its center line. Fix it by cutting the birdsmouth seat deeper, called dropping the hip. The drop is half the hip’s thickness times its slope: on a 6/12 roof with a 1 1/2 inch thick hip, that is 3/4 x 6/17, or about 1/4 inch. The other fix, beveling the top edges (backing), takes a careful rip on a long board, so most shed builders drop instead.

Hip seat. Do not copy the common’s birdsmouth onto the deeper hip, or its top edge ends up about 2 inches high. Take the commons’ height above the plate (top edge to plate line, measured plumb), about 2 11/16 inches in the example, and subtract the drop: about 2 3/8 inches. Mark the hip’s heel plumb at 6/17 at that height and cut the level seat, which runs out the bottom of the hip; only about 5 inches of it bears on the plate corner.

Tail. The hip tail runs out at the corner at 45 degrees, about 11 5/16 inches of level run for an 8 inch overhang. Give its end a double 45 degree cheek cut at 6/17, like the top, so both mitered fascia boards seat on it. Because the 2×6 hip is deeper than the 2×4 commons, rip about 2 inches off the underside of the tail so the soffit line stays flat.

Jack rafters: same pitch, one extra cut

A jack rafter is a common rafter that runs into a hip instead of the ridge, with the same plumb angle, birdsmouth and tail. The only difference is a 45 degree side cut at the top, beveled one way for jacks on the left of a hip and the other way on the right.

Lay the jacks out from each corner at 16 inches on center on the double top plate; they need not land on studs. Each step away from the corner adds the same length, the common difference (17 7/8 inches on our 6/12 example). Cut one pair, fit it, then cut the rest. On a shed 10 ft deep, each hip carries three jacks per side, so 24 jacks for the roof.

Hip roof shed framing order, step by step

  1. Square and level the walls. Measure both plate diagonals; they should match within about 1/4 inch, or the hips miss the corners. Brace the walls plumb, and lap the top plates at every corner, since the hips push the corners outward. Add any corner ties your plan shows.
  2. Mark the layout on the plates. On the long walls, mark a pair of commons centered at each end of the ridge, then 16 inch spacing between them. Mark the king commons at the center of each short wall and the jacks from each corner.
  3. Set the ridge. Hold it at height (about 32 1/4 inches from the wall top to the ridge top in the example) on temporary posts or with a helper, then nail the commons in pairs from the long walls. Nail a rafter tie across each pair at the plates as you go, since commons push outward on the long walls.
  4. Add the king commons. One at each short wall, nailed to the end of the ridge, so the ridge cannot slide. Check the ridge is still level and centered.
  5. Fit the four hips. Each lands in the corner of the plates at the bottom and against the ridge end and the commons at the top. Check its top edge lines up with the commons on both sides before nailing it off.
  6. Fill in the jacks in pairs. Nail one on each side of a hip, opposite each other, so the hip stays straight. Sight the hip after every few pairs.
  7. Add the connectors and blocking your plan calls for. Metal rafter-to-plate ties hold the roof down in wind; what your area calls for varies, so check your local permit office.
  8. Sheath from the bottom up. Snap a chalk line on each sheet from point to point on the hip’s center line; on a 6/12 roof it is about 48 degrees to the eave, not 45. With no gable ends to vent, plan intake vents in the soffit and exhaust vents high on the roof, such as a ridge vent or box vents, before sheathing. Our shed roof guide covers drip edge, underlayment and shingles, including the hip cap at each hip line.

Rafter size depends on span, spacing, species, grade and your snow and wind load; see the American Wood Council span calculator and check your local permit office for loads. The USDA Wood Handbook explains why depth matters most for stiffness, which is why the hip goes one size deeper.

Common mistakes on a hip roof shed

  • Using the 12 setting on the hip. A hip cut at the common angle comes out too steep, the wrong length and stands above the roof. The hip always uses 17.
  • Skipping the drop. The sheathing rocks on the hip’s corners and leaves a hump at each hip line under the shingles.
  • Cutting all the jacks before test-fitting one pair. A small layout error repeats in every jack.
  • Nailing all the jacks on one side first. That pushes the hip into a bow.

Work from a stable ladder or scaffold, never from open rafters, with a helper holding the ridge and each hip.

Tools: a framing square with stair gauges or a speed square with a hip scale, a circular saw that bevels to 45 degrees, a chalk line, a story stick, clamps, and a framing nailer or 16d nails. A string line shows whether the tails are straight.

Is a hip roof worth the extra framing?

A hip roof takes more cuts than a gable, but every wall sits under an eave. The Building America Solution Center notes that hip roofs tend to perform better in high winds than gable roofs. Our gable vs lean-to vs hip roof shed guide compares all three.

Plans that fit

Every 3DSHEDPLANS hip roof plan is a $19.99 PDF with a material list, 40+ steps and 3D images. The first number is the depth.

Compare all six hip sizes on the hip roof shed plans page, or browse every roof style on the shed plans page.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the ridge on a hip roof shed?

When all four slopes share one pitch, the ridge is the shed's width minus its depth, plus the ridge board's thickness. A shed 12 ft wide and 10 ft deep gets a ridge of about 2 ft. On a square shed the ridge disappears and the four hips meet at a point.

What size lumber is a hip rafter?

Builders usually make the hip one size deeper than the commons, such as a 2×6 hip with 2×4 commons, so the full plumb cut of each jack bears on the hip. Size the commons from your plan or a rafter span table, since snow load and span decide it.

What angle do you cut jack rafters on a hip roof?

A jack has the same plumb angle and seat cut as a common rafter. Where it meets the hip it also gets a side cut, made with the saw bevel set to 45 degrees. Jacks come in left and right pairs, one for each side of a hip.

What is the 17 inch rule for hip rafters?

Seen from above, a hip runs at 45 degrees to the walls, so for every 12 inches a common rafter runs, the hip runs 16.97 inches, about 17. Set the hip's plumb angle as the rise over 17, for example 6 over 17 on a 6/12 roof.

Do I need a permit to build a hip roof shed?

It depends on your town, the shed size and its height. A hip roof can change the height measurement, so check your local permit office before you buy lumber.

Shed building guides