Timber Roof Framing

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 Roof types
Generally two types:
Flat roofs
Pitched roofs
 Flat roof
A flat roof as a pitch of 10 or less to
horizontal.
 Pitched roof
The term pitched roof includes any roof whose
angle of slope to the horizontal lies between
10 and 70
 Roof Framing
Roof types
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
 Roof members
Ridge board This is the spine of a roof
The purpose of the ridge board is to
provide a means of fixing the top of
pairs of rafters.
The top of rafters is cut on the splay so
that pairs of rafters fit closely to
opposite sides of the ridge board.
Usually 32 mm thick.
The depth of the ridge board is
determined by the depth of the splay
cut ends of rafters.
The ridge board is usually some 50mm
deeper than required as bearing for
rafter ends, to provide fixing of
battens.
Common rafters
The main load bearing members of a
roof.
Runs from top plate to ridgeboard
Rafters have a tendency to thrust out
the walls on which they rest, and this
must be resisted by the walls and
ceiling joists.

Ceiling joists
These fulfill the dual function of
acting as ties to the feet of pairs of
rafters and providing support for
the ceiling boards.
Wallplate
A continuous timber wall plate is
bedded in mortar on walls as a
means of providing support and
fixing for the foot of rafters.
A birdsmouth cut is made in the
top of rafter to fit closely round
the wall plate.
The birdsmouth cut should not be
greater than one-third of the depth
of a rafter to limit loss of strength
in rafters that often extend beyong
the wall face as a projecting eaves
 Hip rafter Similar to
ridge but forming the
spine of an external angle.
Runs from corner of top
plates to 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)
Valley rafter As hip
rafters but forming an
internal angle
 Purlins these acts as beams, reducing the span of the
rafters and enabling an economic section to be used.

Struts these are compression members that transfer

the load of a purlin to a suitable load bearing support
within the span of the roof.

Binders these are beams used to give support to

ceiling joists and counteract excessive deflections.

Hangers vertical members used to give support to the

binders
 Collars these are extra ties
to give additional strength,
and are placed at purlin
level.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB6JtoDzrZs

Roof Framing
Roof Geometry Definitions
Span Measurement from
outside of wall to outside of
opposite wall
Run One half of span (for
symmetric roofs)
Rise The total vertical
distance that the roof projects
above the top plate
Slope refers to the amount
of rise a roof has compared to
the horizontal measurement of
the roof.
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
 Roof Framing
Overhang The section
of the rafter extending
past the edge of the wall
Projection The
horizontal distance that
the overhang covers
Rafter tail cuts Cuts
made to form the
overhang
Birdsmouth Cuts made
to sit on the top plate
Ridge cut Cut made to
attach to the ridgeboard
 Roof Framing
Rafters vs. Trusses
Rafters used frequently
for remodeling, for
cathedral ceilings, for
shed roof additions, for
full 2nd floor storage, and
spans up to 24
Trusses used in most
new construction, for
spans 24-60, and most
commonly for lower
sloped roofs
 Roof Framing
Sizing Rafters Rafter size
depends on spacing, species, load,
and span.
Sizing of rafters typically based
on snow load.
The specific loads come from the
International building code
 Roof Framing
Determining rafter
lengths There are two
distances needed for
rafter layout
Ridge cut to birdsmouth
Ridge cut to tail cut
Determining rafter
length can be done
using calculator,
builders calculator,
or look-up tables
 Roof Framing
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
functions. The square
includes info for
common rafters, hips,
valleys and jacks.
Roof Framing
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 Roof Framing
Hips and Valley rafters
can also be calculated
and laid out using the
rafter square, with some
important differences;
The ridge, birdsmouth,
and tail need cheek cuts,
or some modification or
the top surface needs to
be beveled
 Roof Framing
The Hip (or Valley)
rafter forms a
diagonal on the roof,
and the length of that
diagonal is 17 for
each 12 of run of the
common rafters.
 Roof Framing
The ridge cut is
modified to fit into the
space between the
common rafters
 Roof Framing
The Birds mouth must be
dropped, or the top of the
rafter beveled to account for
the centerline being lower
than the edges of the rafter
 Roof Framing
The tail cuts will be
beveled for solid nailing
at the outside corner.
For Hip rafters this is an
outside corner, and for
valley rafters this is an
inside corner.
 Roof Framing
Jack rafters have a cheek
cut where they meet the
hip or valley. Each one
is shorter than the last by
a common difference.
 Roof Framing
The concept of
common difference
will also be applied
when cutting gable end
studs.
Roof Framing
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Dormers Most
dormers are either shed
or gable dormers. They
are framed with
common rafters.
Roof Framing
Where shed or gable
dormers meet the main
roof, the rafters must be
cut to create either a
valley or break.
 Roof Framing
Gable end overhangs
Both rafter and truss
roofs commonly use
gable end overhangs.
However the overhangs
are framed differently
for trusses than for
rafters.
 Question
1) A 22'-wide building has a gable roof that rises 8" for every 12"
of run.

a) What's the common rafter total run?

b) How high is the peak?
c) What's the unit rise?
d) What's the unit run?

2) A regular gable roof with a 4 in 12 pitch has a span of 17'.

a) What's the total run?

b) What's the unit run?
c) What's the unit rise?
d) What's the total rise?
Thank you!!!