Ridge Beam Question

[ellbaker]

I am playing around with a couple of designs for a cabin.  As I understand the current code, the only way to have a cathedral ceiling is to have a ridge beam.  One reference I found states that the support post in the gable wall must be continuous to the foundation.   Does this mean the it must be continuous with no openings in the center of the wall (with headers of course)?  If so, then I cannot place a fireplace in the center of the gable wall

Thanks!

[johnky]

It depends on the dimensions of your cathedral.  The 20x30 plans sold on this site do not require a ridge beam, only a ridge board and simple rafters with collar ties. 

You can also use engineered roof trusses to span a large opening instead of a ridge beam.

Even if you do decide on a ridge beam, you can still have a fireplace in the center of the end wall.  There are a couple of ways to carry the load of that gable wall down to the ground.  You could make the chimney structurally big enough to carry the load, like a big stone chimney, or you can carry the load with lumber framing around the chimney.

hope that helps.

[ellbaker]

The 20x30 plans sold on this site do not require a ridge beam, only a ridge board and simple rafters with collar ties. 

I thought the 2006 version of the code states that collar ties are now required at every rafter.

[PEG688]

I am playing around with a couple of designs for a cabin.  As I understand the current code, the only way to have a cathedral ceiling is to have a ridge beam.  One reference I found states that the support post in the gable wall must be continuous to the foundation.   Does this mean the it must be continuous with no openings in the center of the wall (with headers of course)?  If so, then I cannot place a fireplace in the center of the gable wall

Thanks!

You'd have to bring the post on that gable down into a header , a stout one, then transfer the loads down thru the trimmers ,((( probably doubled up trimmer, if your header needs to be 8' or longer))) , and king studs to direct bearing, meaning either the foundation or posts that go to piers IF you use a post and pier foundation.    But either way a path to direct bearing should do it , and stay within the prescriptive code, DonP I'm sure can answer that.


G/L PEG

[Don_P]

By code rafter ties are required in the lower third of roof height on every rafter set if the house is designed prescriptively, as opposed to designed by an engineer. Collar ties are required in the upper third at least every 4'. Those are two different things. If this cannot be done a ridgebeam can be used, it must have a continuous load path down to adequate footings. Like PEG said the load path can go to a header and adequate posts on each end of the header. Bearing on a chimney is trickier but can be done. You can also use scissor trusses.

[davidj]

Our cabin is a 20x30 with a cathedral ceiling and ridge beam.  We built to 120psf snow load, and have a post 10' from one end (where the loft meets the great room).  At the "back" gable, the load is carried by 6x6 DF.  At the front, we have a door and window in the center (lined up one above the other).  We used 4x6 trimmers all the way up to the top window header, which is a 5 1/8 x 12 glulam spanning 34".  The door header is on hangers and doesn't carry a significant load.  Here's a picture:



The interior post is also over the bedroom door, which again uses 4x6 trimmers and a 5 1/8 x 12 glulam header (not quite visible in the picture).

[Davegmc]

Davidj: I'm very interested in your cabin. Did you have to make the entire 20' bedroom wall a bearing wall with the same foundation as the perimeter (for the ridge support)? Is your loft basically 10x20? Doesn't look like there are knee walls. How much loft width has 7' of ceiling? Got full stairs? Are your exterior walls framed with 10' studs? For that snow load, what are your footing depth and width? Is the foundation and footing done in the same pour? Got more pictures?

Thanks!
Dave 

[MountainDon]

davidj's project may be found HERE