How To Frame Roof Rafters

While most home builders will outsource the construction of roofing trusses the rafter supports of the roof itself learning to frame a roof yourself is one of the true arts of carpentry and a basic primer is covered below.

How to frame roof rafters.

Before you cut your boards you ll need to measure the width of your building and calculate the exact length of each rafter. Today we are tackling a big beginner lesson which is common rafter layout and cutting. This example is for a roof with an 8 12 pitch. Rafter layout with a framing square.

If your project had a rafter length of 8 or less a safe and strong method is to use 2x8 framed 16 on center. This will the first point of the rafter measurement line using the results of your rafter length calculation measure from this point along the rafter measurement. It is always better to have a large rafter rather than be concerned with a sagging roof. The roof rafters provide integral structural support to the roof.

More specifically it is a beam that goes from the peak of your roof down to the eve. Framing a roof is the last step in framing new construction. It rests on top of your wall framing and when done properly serves to keep your shed walls in place while supporting a roof. The fourth step in the how to build a shed series this tutorial teaches you the necessary steps to building roof rafters.

From cutting the rafter parts out to building a jig and assembling the rafters. Rise and run means that a 6 12 pitch roof has 6 of rise vertical for each foot of run horizontal. Structures such as sheds or barns can be frames with rafters every 24 again make sure to consult local codes. Position the square with both the 8 inch on the outside edge of the tongue and the 12 inch on the blade on the upper edge of the board.

Common rafters are the most common type of rafter in construction. Roof framing rafter layout. If you add an eaves overhang dimension then the amount the rafter sticks passed the wall will be added to the rafter length. Includes result for hip valley factor slope factor and the roof slope in degrees.

A rafter is the frame of your roof. Gusset to attach two rafters together. If you re framing a gable roof on a new house or building a shed or even a doghouse with a gable roof you ll need to cut a number of roof rafters. Our roof rafter calculator tools are handy for calculating the number of rafters needed rafter length calculator lineal feet of rafter board feed in ridge and sub facia and the total board feet in the roof.

Calculate the length of a rafter from the roof slope ratio of inches per foot and a building width measurement. From one end of the rafter material using a speed square or framing square mark an x in 12 angle on the rafter and cut it measure down y height from the long point of the rafter cut and make a mark.