🔍 /

Hip Roof Metal Tile Calculator

Calculate metal tile roofing for complex hip roofs. Features geometric primitive analysis, waste factor estimation for valleys/hips, and module-length locking.

User Rating 0.0 ★★★★★
Total Usage 0 times
Category Roofing
Is this tool helpful?

Your feedback helps us improve.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

About

Hip roofs present a significant challenge for metal tile roofing compared to simple gables. The triangular facets require cutting sheets at angles, leading to high material wastage. Unlike asphalt shingles where cut-offs can often be reused, metal tiles have a specific direction and profile (step), meaning an off-cut from a valley often cannot be flipped to fit a hip.

This tool divides the roof into geometric primitives (triangles for hip ends, trapezoids for main slopes) and applies a Module Quantization logic. Metal tiles come in fixed step lengths (typically 350mm or 14in). Sheets must be ordered in multiples of this module to ensure the "step" aligns with the fascia. This calculator estimates the true effective area and applies a complexity-based waste factor to give a realistic order volume.

hip roof metal tile roof geometry roof waste calculator construction math

Formulas

For a standard hip roof, we calculate the slant height (s) from the run (r) and pitch (p):

s = √r2 + (r × p)2

The area of the triangular hip ends (Atri) and trapezoidal sides (Atrap):

Atri = base × s2
Atrap = (Ridge + Eave)2 × s

Total Material (M) includes the waste factor (k):

M = (Atotal) × (1 + k)

Reference Data

FeatureGeometryWaste Factor (Est)Cut ComplexityFormula Basis
Simple GableRectangle3 - 5%LowArea only
Hip Roof (4 sides)2 Tri + 2 Trap12 - 15%HighTrigonometry
Pyramid Hip4 Triangles15 - 18%HighSlant Height
Valley IntersectionRe-entrant Angle+5% per valleyVery HighLinear intersect
Dormer Add-onMixed20% localHighSurface Area
Circular/TurretConical25 - 40%ExtremeSector Area
Ridge CapLinearN/ALowRidge + Hips
Hip CapLinearN/ALowSlant Edge

Frequently Asked Questions

On a hip roof, every sheet meeting the hip ridge must be cut at a diagonal. Because metal tiles have a specific "up" and "down" profile, the leftover triangle from the cut usually cannot be used on the opposite side of the roof, effectively doubling the waste for that row.
Metal tile sheets are stamped with steps to look like individual tiles. The distance between these steps is the module (usually 350mm). You cannot cut a sheet in the middle of a step without ruining the aesthetic and water seal. All lengths must be multiples of this module.
You could, but it would overestimate the waste. Asphalt shingles are non-directional (mostly) and smaller, so their waste on hips is much lower (around 10%). This tool is tuned specifically for large format metal sheets.
This tool approximates hip length based on geometry. Generally, for a standard pitch, the hip rafter is about 1.5 times the run of the common rafter. Accurate measurement requires the Pythagorean theorem using the corner run and rise.