Roof rafters

Started by OlJarhead, November 18, 2009, 06:00:21 PM

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georgevacabin

Happy New Year!!!  May the New Year bring everyone Joy and Prosperity   8)

First things first - Thank you all for the awesome feedback!

-  Yep John.  Using the little house plans.  I think I was looking at the 2x4 for the vent blocking.  Or it could just have been too much holiday cheer!

-  Red you are right about the snow.  My temp roof got dumped on but held up pretty good this last go round with the snow.  I will spend the extra $ and go with 2x6 @ 16 o/c.  And thank you for the awesome suggestion and drawing for working with the rafters alone.

So a few more questions as I get ready for this weekend:

1.  Don mentioned overhang.  I plan on using gutters to capture rainwater (like the clipped roof drawing on pg 5 of the plans).  With this setup there is no overhang with the rafters correct?  It appears that the rafter is flush with the wall.

2.  OJH - thanks for your measurements.  How high is your ridge beam from the top plates?  How much headroom does that give you in the loft?  I have 10ft walls and I dropped the loft floor joist so that the bottom of the joists are at 7ft.

3.  MD (and the plans) state that the ridge beam is on size up from the rafter size (2x8 beam for 2x6 rafters).  Is this to create the ridge vent?

Thanks again!


MountainDon

You have the choice of either eve style. Clipped, or flush with the wall or overhanging eves. It's the owner-builders call. I prefer eves as they provide a chance of shading summer sun from windows.

As for gutters and collecting rainwater, that is great. However, be aware that snow sliding off a slick roof like a metal roof can cause problems with the gutters. Back home we had a shingle roof with something like 6:12 pitch and never had a snow and gutter problem. However, I have seen problems with metal roofs as the snow slides so easily. Gutters end up on the ground at times. There are products to help with that; snow birds, I believe they are called.

Just wanted to be sure you were aware of that.

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.


MountainDon

The ridge board is usually one size wider to give a full surface for the angled rafter end cut to sit against.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

georgevacabin

Thanks for the reply MD.  Good points all.  More thinking to do. :-\

The working alone book came today!  Thanks for the tip.  Love the way he explains measuring for rafters.  The light bulb finally went on! (albeit still a little dim  :D)

OlJarhead

Quote from: georgevacabin on January 04, 2010, 03:00:24 PM
Happy New Year!!!  May the New Year bring everyone Joy and Prosperity   8)

First things first - Thank you all for the awesome feedback!



So a few more questions as I get ready for this weekend:

2.  OJH - thanks for your measurements.  How high is your ridge beam from the top plates?  How much headroom does that give you in the loft?  I have 10ft walls and I dropped the loft floor joist so that the bottom of the joists are at 7ft.

Thanks again!



I set my floor joists (2x8) at 7'6" from the floor and laid 3/4" (actually 23/32") T&G OSB on them.  This gave me about 26" of knee wall since my studs are 10' and you've got to add 3 2x6 plates...let's see....10' 4 1/2" from floor to top of knee wall minus 7'6" plus 6 1/4" *chuckle* gives me 2' 4 1/4" of knee wall actually...if I figured it right.  The ridge beam is a 2x6 in my case since I liked the idea of a 1" vent space at the top and the beam sits pretty darn close to NINE FEET off the floor :) :D

I am very impressed with the overall height in the loft actually, and the space...it's HUGE!  If we didn't have kids it would be awesome for the wife and I :D


In this picture you really can't see it but the height to the beam from the top plate of the wall is about 7 feet...I'll need to pull up my drawings to tell for sure but figure this, for a 12x12 pitch you should be (on a 14 foot wall) 7' 7/16" to the center line (assuming 7/16" sheeting on a 14' wide) so the top of your roof should be 7' 7/16" also (making it exactly the same rise and run for the 12x12), take 6 1/2" from that to get the 1" vent groove above the beam but below the top of the rafters at the peak and you get 6' 5 15/16" to the top of the beam as measured from the top of the wall.  Of course, then you need to add the distance from the floor of the loft to the top of the wall and make your stand inside the wall -- this is because you will want to put a rafter on the wall and if there is a beam support in the way you can't.  I set my beam supports inside the walls so I could easily install the outside wall rafter (gabled ends) and also at the edge of the 10' loft and used a 14' ridge beam spliced to a 12 foot ridge beam to give me 26' so I have a 1' overhang on each end :)  I then stole some ideas from JDHen in Arkansas for the 'look outs' and a few other things -- very inspirational.

And viola :)  With John's plans and this site and I'd framed up the roof :) :D  c*


John Raabe

Good work!!

That makes for an impressive loft space. :D
None of us are as smart as all of us.

georgevacabin

#31
Hi Folks,

Just checking back in.  Thanks so much for the tips/help/support.  Ended up not having to go it alone.  My friend - who is very handy with a tool bag - came along.  Neither of us had ever framed a roof before.  I don't know how I would have done it without him and the help from this forum.  And man was it cold!!  A few pics:


Whew!  That's one!  :)




Starting to look like a roof frame!


My friend John testing the ridge beam.


All rafters up and covered with 6mil plastic


Back of cabin


Buttoned up till next time

And you are right OJH - more space in the loft than I imagined!

Thanks again to everyone!


OlJarhead

Quote from: John Raabe on January 11, 2010, 12:11:40 AM
Good work!!

That makes for an impressive loft space. :D

Yes sir!  And thanks to your advice on the walls etc I've gained a few inches in there that I never would have thought of before :D

OlJarhead

That's the best George!  Getting it closed in like that and having help to do it is awesome.  One thing I've found is that the 12x12 pitch allows the snow to fall right off too :)

I might worry a little about the plastic though and the collar ties...no chance you can get back for a quick trip to put a tarp on instead and a few collar ties?  Or did it feel strong as is?