How Do I Cut Roof Raqfters

In this video you will learn all about common rafters.

How do i cut roof raqfters. Birdsmouth joints cut into roofing rafters and mounted in place on top of the wall plate. The ridge end of the rafter and often the eve end will need to be cut to the angle of the roof slope. When it comes to how to cut roof rafters the process can feel a bit overwhelming at first. One thing that i can t stress enough be sure that your measurements are rock solid before you mark or cut anything.

If is wasn t for this joint a rafter or roofing joist would only balance on top of the wall plate making fixing difficult not to mention the fact that there wouldn t be any solid connection between the roof and the supporting walls below. 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. The roof rafters provide integral structural support to the roof. The first step in building the roof rafters is to cut one rafter board to length with the ends angled properly and then to mark and cut the birds mouth and seat on the rafter.

Visit the roof framing page for more information on cutting roof rafters and visit the roof pitch calculator for determining rafter lengths based on rise and run. Hopefully after reading this guide you see how easy it is to cut rafters once you get the hang of it. If you look at the rafter span chart you ll notice that 2x4s can be used for rafters on spans up to 11. The ridge cut also called the plumb cut at the top of the rafter the birdsmouth cut.

Rise and run means that a 6 12 pitch roof has 6 of rise vertical for each foot of run horizontal. Before you cut your boards you ll need to measure the width of your building and calculate the exact length of each rafter. Rafter span tables use these tables to determine lengths sizes and spacing of rafters based on a variety of factors such as species load grade spacing and pitch. When you cut the rafters you ll need to make 3 separate cuts.