ridge beam support post question for Don P.

[Ralph]

   I am currently builiding a 12x16 backyard cottage based on John's little house plans. The post and girder foundation is finished as described: 4 4x6 posts @ approx. 60" spacing supporting doubled 2x10 pt #1 girders sandwiching 3/4"pt plywood. girders are at 10 foot to outside edges. There is also three posts down the center line to carry a double 2x8 girder as a floor stiffener. the center end posts are flush with the front and back walls. these 6x6 posts are notched front and rear and support 2 2x8 pt floor joists.these 6x6 posts sit on 16" concrete punch pads 10' thick with # 1/2" rebar. Top of footings are 32-36" below grade. The rest of floor joists are spaced at 16" on center. floor joists are covered with 25/32 advanteck subfloor.Walls will be 2x6 at 24"spacing.roof rafters will be 2x8 at 24" spacing hung on a 1 7/8 x 11 3/4 lvl. roof pitch will be 9 in 12. my question is how to support this tall narrow ridge beam?  Can I simply extend longer 2x6 studs through the top plates of a standard 8 foot gable wall and glue and nail 1/2 plywood sheathing over this area to tie everything together? None of the framing books I have read seem to discuss this issue in a building this small. In am trying to avoid balloon framing the gable walls mainly to lack of experience with this tecnique and limited labor pool!  Project locatedin central Maryland.
                                           Thank you in advance for any suggestions, Ralph.

[Don_P]

Hi Ralph,
You'll need to balloon frame the gable ends to avoid having a weak hinge in the gable walls. If the overhangs are less than about 16" you can set a rafter to the inside of the gable walls and run the studs up the outside of that, nailing them to the rafter. The top edge of the rafter can be notched every 2' for a 2x4 to lay in flatways. It extends in to the next rafter in and is nailed to it. The lookouts extend out to the fly rafter, supporting the gable overhang. If the overhang is larger or if you are in heavy snow then the lookouts should really be on edge and bearing on a proper, plated, rake wall.

I'm assuming you have checked the ridgebeam size. I like to run a built up column under the ridgebeam. In this case I would probably run one 2x6 under the ridge, pad one face of it with 1/4" ply and then run a 2x6 up each side to the top of the LVL forming a 3 ply "yoke" that captures the ridge.

[Ralph]

        Don P. Thank you for the timely response! The ridge beam as described was recommended by local lumberyard.Does this seem adequate to you? A second option was two 9 1/2" lvls nailed together.The problem being that the plumb cut on the 2x8 rafters would be deeper/longer than the face of the beam. rafters will hang on face of beam in simpsonLSSU28 hangers.  The 2x6 studs that you suggest going from the floor to the side of set back rafter ; will these be notched around rafter or remain full 5 1/2" deep? won't the top of the gable wall interfere with the Simpson bracket on the outside of the first/end rafter. I guess the bracket could be buried behind the wall? If the 2x6 support post(yoke) is properly braced is this adequate to hold the ridge beam of around 100 pounds while the remaining gable studs are installed. the ridge beam will extend past gable wall 12-16" to support upper end of fly rafter. gable wall will have 36' door to left of center support and 24" wide window to right.Thanks again for your time and interest! ralph

[Don_P]

I'll defer to the lumberyard software. I would go with the deeper lvl to give rafter plumb cut support. You don't need a hanger on the gable rafter as it is supported by the studs. They can be notched around the rafter or can be full 5-1/2. If the studs are not notched the rafter sits inside and becomes the last ceiling nailer. Yes the yoke will support the roof during construction as long as it is well braced both ways. I often come back and finish the gable after I'm dry.