Ok, I'm planning the rebuild after the fire. I was planning a 26x30 universal two story, using 26' I-joists between the floors. I was really hoping I could put a couple of kids up in the attic, but with a 8:12 pitch, there really isn't much ceiling height even with the width of 26'. In that attic, the peak is at 8' and goes down from there. It would work for the little kids but they are getting big quickly.
My next thought was a platform framed 3' wall and stick frame the attic on top of that. Of course with out rafter ties, the roof pushes this platform framed 3' wall out.
So, now I'm thinking a 5' wall, platform framed with a 6:12 pitch roof with rafter ties at the lower 1/3 mark. That would give me a nice wide room with a 7' ceiling. I haven't laid all this out yet, but if I needed to go to a 5.5' wall to get a 7' ceiling then no big deal.
Of course I would size my rafters accordingly.
Also, I need to go back and read my framing book, but doing it this way (with rafter ties in the lower 1/3 of the rafter) mean I don't have to have a ridge beam. Correct?
thanks
Austin
Yup, that's correct. Read the footnotes on the rafter and heeljoint tables to get correct nailing of the ceiling joist/tie to rafter.
Great! Thanks for the help Don. I still don't know what I'm going to do. I'm trying to take advantage of the space up in the attic of the universal two story, but I just made a drawing of the front of the house (door centered on long wall) and with a 5' wall up in the attic, the front of the house looks like a big slab. Not sure I did it. I'm going to have to google some three stories and see if I can get some ideas.
If I can't figure it out, I can use it for a bedroom for two kids. I could put a 1/2 bath up there pretty easy too.
thanks
Austin
Breaking up the big slab of a wall with a shed, hipped or gabled porch or some detail might work.
I had the same thought. The old pattern language term "cascade of roofs" comes to mind. You might even consider cutting down the footprint of the tall house and incorporating some of that lost space in a single story "addition" with a shed or gable roof to soften the tall wall.
So glad to hear you already planning a re-build !
I have 6ft side walls on my build in the upper section - due to room changes I now don't have the two windows planned for this side of the house
we'll be adding faux window shutters either side of the upper feature roof and a large rusty shield under the upper roof to break up the empty walls.
6 ft side walls and a 9/12 internal angled roof gives so much room that we moved the family room upstairs - it would have been wasted as bedrooms
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/580200_659130370782299_1057006349_n.jpg)
The loft will be just for a futon bed for our daughter while she's young and storage in the sides- phone satleite TV connection boards etc
The 6ft walls and the angled roof gives me a huge space- we'll be adding a few king trusses just add a feature
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1010685_659130280782308_1868479030_n.jpg)