Roof Framing

F
u
l
l
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
m
e
I
Roof Framing
n
s
p
e
c
t
i
o
n
s
A Quick Primer
The National Association of Certified
Home Inspectors
www.NACHI.org
Copyright 2006 The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
Roof types
e

H
Gable Most common, built with common rafters

o

m
Hip Provides overhang on all four sides

e

I
Gambrel Provides more space on second floor

n

s
p
Mansard Combination of Hip and Gambrel

e
c
t
Shed- Frequently used to attach one structure to another

i

o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
Definitions
H

o
m
Common rafter Runs

e
from top plate to

I
n
ridgeboard of a gable
s
p
roof
e
c
t
Hip rafter Runs from

o

n
corner of top plates to

s
ridgeboard on a hip roof

Jack rafter any rafter
which does not run the
full length from plate to
ridge ( e.g. Hip jack,
Valley jack)
F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
Roof Geometry Definitions

o
m
Span Measurement from

e
outside of wall to outside of

I
opposite wall
n
s
Run One half of span (for

p

e
symmetric roofs)
c
t
Rise The total vertical

i

o
distance that the roof projects

n
s
above the top plate

Slope The rise divided by
the run, always given in terms
of 12 of run (e.g. 3 on 12
written 3/12)
Pitch The rise over the span

F
u
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Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
Overhang The section

H
of the rafter extending

o
m
past the edge of the wall

e
I
Projection The
n

s
horizontal distance that

p
the overhang covers

c
t
i
o
Rafter tail cuts Cuts

n
s
made to form the

overhang
Birdsmouth Cuts made
to sit on the top plate
Ridge cut Cut made to
attach to the ridgeboard
F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
Rafters vs. Trusses

m
Rafters used frequently

I
for remodeling, for

n
s
cathedral ceilings, for

p
shed roof additions, for

c
t
full 2nd floor storage, and

i
o
spans up to 24
s
Trusses used in most

new construction, for
spans 24-60, and most
commonly for lower
sloped roofs

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
Sizing Rafters Rafter

o
m
size (like span tables for

e
floor joists) depends on

I
n
s
spacing, species, load,

p
e
c
and span. Sizing of

t
i
o
rafters typically based

n
s
on snow load in
Northeast. The specific
loads come from the
International building
code
F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
Determining rafter
m
lengths There are two

e
I
distances needed for

n
s
p
rafter layout
e
c
Ridge cut to birdsmouth

t

i
o
Ridge cut to tail cut

s
Determining rafter
length can be done
using calculator,
builders calculator,
or look-up tables
F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
To calculate the rafter

H
o
length, the rafter

m
square contains tables

I
n
that are inscribed in the

s
p
square. The carpenter

e
c
t
can use this information

i
o
to avoid the need to

s
work with trigonometric

functions. The square
includes info for
common rafters, hips,
valleys and jacks.
F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
For example:
m
e
I
n
s
p
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
m
e
I
n
s
p
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
Hips and Valley rafters

m
can also be calculated

I
n
and laid out using the

s
p
rafter square, with some

e
c
t
important differences;
i
o
n
s
The unit run is 17, not 12

The ridge, birdsmouth,
and tail need cheek cuts,
or some modification or
the top surface needs to
be beveled
F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
The Hip (or Valley)

m
rafter forms a
I
n
diagonal on the roof,

s
p
and the length of that

e
c
t
diagonal is 17 for
i
o
each 12 of run of the

s
common rafters.

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
The ridge cut is

m
modified to fit into the

I
n
space between the

s
p
common rafters
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
The Birds mouth must be

m
dropped, or the top of the

e
I
rafter beveled to account for

n
s
the centerline being lower

p
than the edges of the rafter

c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
The tail cuts will be

m
beveled for solid nailing

I
n
at the outside corner.

s
p
For Hip rafters this is an

e
c
t
outside corner, and for

i
o
valley rafters this is an

s
inside corner.

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
m
e
I
n
s
p
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
m
e
I
n
s
p
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
Jack rafters have a

H

o
m
cheek cut where they

e
meet the hip or valley.

I
n
s
Each one is shorter than

p
the last by a common

c
t
i
o
difference.
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
The concept of
o

m
common difference
e
I
will also be applied

n
s
p
when cutting gable end

e
c
studs.
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
m
e
I
n
s
p
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
Dormers Most
H
o
dormers are either shed

m
or gable dormers. They

I
n
are framed with

s
p
common rafters.
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
Where shed or gable

H
o
dormers meet the main

m
roof, the rafters must be

I
n
cut to create either a

s
p
valley or break.
e
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
Gable end overhangs

m
Both rafter and truss

I
n
roofs commonly use

s
p
gable end overhangs.

e
c
t
However the overhangs

i
o
are framed differently

s
for trusses than for

rafters.

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
The vast majority of

H
o
new construction uses

m
trusses for the roof

I
n
framing. Each truss is

s
p
designed for the

c
t
individual
o
n
s
characteristics of the
job, and delivered to the
site ready to be erected.
It is very rare that
anyone site builds a
truss today.
F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
There are a number of

o
m
important points in building

e
a truss roof:
I
n
s
p
Proper handling
e
c
Proper lifting and setting

t

i
o
Proper temporary bracing

s
Proper permanent bracing

These are explained in notes
will be found on the paper
that comes with the trusses

F
u
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Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
Proper Handling
m
Trusses are made of

I
n
small dimension lumber

s
p
connected by metal
e
c
t
plates. Side loading,

i
o
heat, shock loading can

s
damage metal plates and

greatly weaken truss.

F
u
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Roof Framing
C
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r
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l
e
H
Proper lifting and

o
m
setting A truss
e
erection plan will show

I
n
s
the location of each

p
e
c
numbered truss.
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
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Roof Framing
C
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l
e
H
o
Proper temporary
m
bracing The most

I
n
common cause of truss

s
p
collapse is insufficient
e
c
t
or improper temporary
i
o
bracing. Temporary
s
bracing stays in place

until the roof is sheathed
and the permanent
bracing is installed.

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
c
l
e
H
o
The result of not

m
bracing trusses.
I
n
47 MPH wind speed for

s

p
a period of 1 minute.
c
t
i
o
n
s

F
u
l
Roof Framing
C
i
r
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l
e
Permanent Bracing
H
o
This is usually shown

m
on the truss erection

e
I
diagram. Compression
n
s
p
members will buckle

e
c
easily (and truss will not

t
i
o
develop its design

n
s
strength) if not properly

braced. This can be
done with continuous
lateral or individual T
bracing

Roof Framing

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F

Copyright 2006 The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Gable Most common, built with common rafters

Hip Provides overhang on all four sides

Gambrel Provides more space on second floor

Mansard Combination of Hip and Gambrel

Shed- Frequently used to attach one structure to another

Copyright 2006 The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Common rafter Runs

from top plate to

Hip rafter Runs from

corner of top plates to

ridgeboard on a hip roof

Roof Geometry Definitions

Span Measurement from

outside of wall to outside of

Run One half of span (for

Rise The total vertical

distance that the roof projects

above the top plate

Copyright 2006 The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Overhang The section

of the rafter extending

past the edge of the wall

horizontal distance that

the overhang covers

Rafter tail cuts Cuts

made to form the

Rafters vs. Trusses

Rafters used frequently

for remodeling, for

cathedral ceilings, for

shed roof additions, for

full 2nd floor storage, and

Trusses used in most

Copyright 2006 The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Sizing Rafters Rafter

size (like span tables for

floor joists) depends on

spacing, species, load,

and span. Sizing of

rafters typically based

lengths There are two

distances needed for

Ridge cut to birdsmouth

Ridge cut to tail cut

To calculate the rafter

length, the rafter

square contains tables

that are inscribed in the

square. The carpenter

can use this information

to avoid the need to

work with trigonometric

Copyright 2006 The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2006 The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Hips and Valley rafters

can also be calculated

and laid out using the

rafter square, with some

The unit run is 17, not 12

The Hip (or Valley)

diagonal on the roof,

and the length of that