How to frame a roof. (Lowes, hurricane, building, square)

[Coldjensens]

Another something I have never done, except using trusses. I am building a fort for my son. I am all set - up to building the roof. Since the walls of the fort are only 6' high, I need to build a roof without cross beams. I made a roof for our chicken coop with no mitreing at all, just run 2x4s to meet each other and gusset each side with plywood and then notch out the bottom of the 2x4s to lock onto the sides. I am not sure that will work for the fort. It will have significant snow and wind loads. Looking at other forts, it seems common to just have mitered rafters meet a 1x3 ridgepole. I have no idea how to figue out the angle to cut the rafters.

The plan is to make the roof 2' high and 8' wide. Is that enough of an angle or is it too flat?

Anyone know a good book or source with drawings that will show me how to make a roof like this.

[harry chickpea]

For your neck of the woods, that is a little flat, but if it is in a windy spot it could be fine.

I could go into detail on how to figure those cuts, but an easy way to do it is just saw a 1/2" section off the 1x3, slap it on some graph paper, trace around it, then remove it and trace the 2x4 coming in at the proper angle. Same with the bird mouths.

You can significantly increase the load strength if you use a collar about 4' long on each rafter set, but with a total 8' span, it should be fine anyway. However, the collar will also help keep the load vertical, and not trying to spread the side walls.

Edited to add: BTW, look in a big box store for the metal fasteners used in decking. You may find something that will make the job easier and stronger.

[accufitgolf]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

For your neck of the woods, that is a little flat, but if it is in a windy spot it could be fine.

I could go into detail on how to figure those cuts, but an easy way to do it is just saw a 1/2" section off the 1x3, slap it on some graph paper, trace around it, then remove it and trace the 2x4 coming in at the proper angle. Same with the bird mouths.

You can significantly increase the load strength if you use a collar about 4' long on each rafter set, but with a total 8' span, it should be fine anyway. However, the collar will also help keep the load vertical, and not trying to spread the side walls.

Edited to add: BTW, look in a big box store for the metal fasteners used in decking. You may find something that will make the job easier and stronger.

Yes to the metal roof truss brackets. I used some that mounted to the top sill and the roof trusses were then set in them. No cross beams in the roof. I used screws, not nails. Lowes item #90575

[akck]

I've used these for the roof above my entryway:

Amazon.com: FWH2 Rigid Tie Connector: Everything Else

Amazon.com: Simpson Strong Tie H3 Hurricane Tie: Home Improvement

As to the angle of the cuts, check this site out for angles:

Rise in Run - Pitch and Angle Calculator

Assuming a 4' run to the centerline (ridge beam in the center of a 8' building), and a 2' rise, the angle is 26.6 degrees.

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Another something I have never done, except using trusses. I am building a fort for my son. I am all set - up to building the roof. Since the walls of the fort are only 6' high, I need to build a roof without cross beams. I made a roof for our chicken coop with no mitreing at all, just run 2x4s to meet each other and gusset each side with plywood and then notch out the bottom of the 2x4s to lock onto the sides. I am not sure that will work for the fort. It will have significant snow and wind loads. Looking at other forts, it seems common to just have mitered rafters meet a 1x3 ridgepole. I have no idea how to figue out the angle to cut the rafters.

The plan is to make the roof 2' high and 8' wide. Is that enough of an angle or is it too flat?

Anyone know a good book or source with drawings that will show me how to make a roof like this.

Google sketchup says that the miter angle will be 65.7 or 24.3 degrees and it also says that your ridge beam should be a 1x4. I didn't correct for the bird's mouth deflection though...

[K'ledgeBldr]

Y'all sure know how to make a man nervous!
Almost everything you'd need to know about framing a roof is in the pocket guide that comes with a speed square. I've gone through a few of them- and with a rep' coming by rather often, I always hit him up for a few extras- so I have a fresh one, and to give to my framers when I'm feeling nice.

It's even in PDF-
http://www.stanleytools.com/xhtml/li...uickSquare.pdf

It ain't rocket science, nor is it complicated- especially gable end roofs. Hip roofs definitely require some fore-thought but are as easy once you figure the compound cuts.

[accufitgolf]

For the two storage sheds I built, I just winged the roof rafters. I used the brackets I showed earlier and a birds mouth cut. I made one rafter and then used it as a patten to cut the rest. I joined them at the peak with a metal joining plate.

Afterall, it was only a storage shed.

Hope this helps.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr

Y'all sure know how to make a man nervous!
Almost everything you'd need to know about framing a roof is in the pocket guide that comes with a speed square. I've gone through a few of them- and with a rep' coming by rather often, I always hit him up for a few extras- so I have a fresh one, and to give to my framers when I'm feeling nice.

It's even in PDF-
http://www.stanleytools.com/xhtml/li...uickSquare.pdf

It ain't rocket science, nor is it complicated- especially gable end roofs. Hip roofs definitely require some fore-thought but are as easy once you figure the compound cuts.

Definitely not going to try a hip roof.

Thank You.

I thought I was all set, but then I realized flipping through this:

1. My Speedy Squares do not have an adjustable arm nor a protractor cut out. Guess I may need to buy a different one.

2, I got cheated. My speedy squares did not come with any instructions, let alone a book.

2. Anything that requires six or more pages of definitions is not simple.

3. I want to buy some of those metal connectors.

4. The span actually needs to be 18' by 10' so there will be an overhang. (Walls are 8' x 16'). Maybe 9x17 is enough 6" is enough overhang isnt it?

5. I will have to cut all the pieces and then assemble the roof in place. I will never be able to lift a pre-assembled structure up 15 or so feet. Even with some help I do not have enough ladders and ladders ouwld be dangerous.

6. Now I know why builders always want to use trusses. They are much much easier, and what does the builder care if they are dangerous in a fire.

7. Building walls is a lot mroe fun than building a roof.

8. The roof I put on the chicken coop was a whole lot easier.

[texdav]

Why not just do a search.I recall seeing many site that showed roof types;require pitch for different loads and types of roofingtwith pitch requiremnts.

[harry chickpea]

Coldjensens, save your back and be safe. What will make the job a LOT easier is renting a couple sections of scaffolding for a week. If you do the collar tie idea and the metal joinery, you can make each A shaped rafter set on the ground. You then lift one up onto the scaffold, then, standing on the scaffold, rest the ends on the side walls. Once you have done that, use a scab to position the rafter set vertical against the gable end. The fun part then becomes seeing how accurate your cuts and measurements were. If they are accurate, the ridge beam will just drop into the slot you have left for it.

Here is an example with an open roof (greenhouse frame) In this case, the entire sidewall and rafter frame was a single unit titled up into position. See how the scaffold was used?