All more people strive to make their secret dream come true - to get out of multi-storey urban buildings in own house. Acquired suburban area is quickly turning into a construction site. And, in accordance with the natural mentality of most Russian men, work on the construction of a new home is very often carried out on our own. Moreover, many of the amateur craftsmen do not have much experience in this area at all, they learn literally on the go, looking for useful and reliable information in available sources, including on the pages Internet resources dedicated to construction. We hope that our portal will provide them with serious assistance in this matter.
So, after the walls of the house have been raised on a reliable foundation, it is necessary, without delaying this, to move on to creating a roof and laying the roof covering. There can be many options here. And one of the most commonly used is gable design roofs. It is not as complicated in calculations and installation as some others, that is, even a novice builder should be able to handle it. Therefore, the topic of this publication is the construction of the roof of a private house with your own hands using the example of a gable rafter system With metal tile roofing covering.
It should be noted right away that the article does not provide a ready-made “recipe”. The goal is to demonstrate the principles of calculating a gable roof and the sequence of its construction. And a master with the appropriate savvy must already adapt the recommendations received to his own specific construction conditions,
The basic design principle of a gable roof is probably clear from its name. The roof of such a roof forms two planes converging along the ridge line and resting on long walls houses (along the eaves lines). At the end sides, the roof is limited by vertical gable walls. As a rule, both along the eaves and along the gable, the roofing covering is slightly extended outside, outside the building in plan, so that overhangs are formed that protect the walls from direct exposure to precipitation.
Most often, slopes have a symmetrical shape. Sometimes they resort to asymmetry, when the slopes are located at different angles to the horizon and, accordingly, differ in their length. But these are isolated cases, and will not be considered within the scope of this publication.
The height of the roof at the ridge, that is, the steepness of the slopes, can be different - it all depends on the planned use of the attic space, the architectural ideas of the owners, and the type of roofing used.
Gable roofs have proven their high reliability. And the relative simplicity of the design is what makes them so popular among private developers.
The external similarity of gable roofs does not at all mean the uniformity of the design of their rafter systems. It is precisely in this matter that there can be significant differences, depending both on the size of the building and on its design features.
Based on the principle of their structure, gable roof truss systems can be divided into two groups:
- If the rafters rest on the external walls of the building and are connected to each other at the ridge node, then such a system is called hanging.
To give additional rigidity to this structure, the rafter legs of each pair are reinforced with horizontal ties (clasps). Can also be used vertical racks supported on floor beams, or diagonally installed struts.
- In the case where the design of the house requires the presence of a permanent wall inside the building, a layered rafter system is often used. The name speaks for itself - the rafter legs “lean” onto the racks, which, in turn, rest on a bed laid along the upper end of the capital internal walls. Moreover, this wall can be located either in the center or offset from it. and for large buildings two can be used as supports interior walls. Several examples of layered systems are shown in the illustration below.
- However, a kind of “hybrid” of both systems is often used. The rafters in these cases, even without the presence of an internal partition, also receive support from the central post in the ridge unit, which, in turn, rests on powerful floor beams or on horizontal ties between the rafter legs.
In any of the systems, especially in cases where the rafter legs are of considerable length, additional elements gain. This is necessary to eliminate the possibility of the beam sagging or even breaking under the influence of loads. And the loads here will be considerable. First of all, this is static, due to the weight of the rafter system itself, sheathing, roofing and its insulation, if provided for by the project. Plus, there are large variable loads, among which wind and snow come first. Therefore, they strive to provide for rafter legs required amount support points to prevent possible deformation.
Some of their reinforcement elements are shown in the design diagrams of the rafter system:
The illustration above shows an example of a layered rafter system:
1 - Mauerlat. Usually this is a beam rigidly fixed at the upper end external walls building. It serves as a support and basis for securing the lower part of the rafter legs.
2 - Lying down. Beam fixed to internal partition buildings.
3 - Stand (another name is headstock). Vertical support running from the bed to the ridge girder.
4 - Ridge run. A beam or board connecting the central posts and serving as the basis for securing the upper ends of the rafter legs.
5 - Rafter legs.
6 – Struts. These are additional reinforcement elements with which you can reduce the free span of the rafter leg, that is, create additional support points for it.
7 - Lathing, which must match the selected roofing.
In systems hanging type reinforcement is carried out by installing horizontal ties (pos. 7), which rigidly connect the opposite rafter legs, and thereby reduce the bursting load acting on the walls of the building. There may be several such delays. For example, one is installed at the bottom, closer to the level of the Mauerlat or even almost flush with it. And the second is closer to the ridge unit (it is often also called a crossbar).
If the rafters are long, it may be necessary to use vertical posts (item 3) or diagonal struts (item 6), and often both of these elements in combination. They can be supported by floor beams (item 9), as shown in the illustration.
It should be correctly understood that the diagrams shown are not dogma at all. There are other designs of rafter systems. For example, it is often used to fasten the lower part of the rafter legs not to the Mauerlat, but to the floor beams placed outside the walls of the house. Thus, the required eaves overhang is immediately established.
In the roofs of large houses, more can be used. complex circuits. For example, the rafters are connected by additional longitudinal girders, which, in turn, rest on vertical posts or struts. But to take on the creation of such complex systems, without having well-established experience in this area, is hardly reasonable. Therefore, we will limit ourselves to considering the construction of gable roofs that are quite simple in design.
Carrying out calculations of gable roof parameters
The construction of a rafter system and the arrangement of a roof based on it should always begin with the necessary calculations. What tasks are set in this case?
- First of all, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the height of the ridge and the steepness of the roof slopes.
- After this, it will be possible to accurately calculate the length of the rafter legs, both “net” and full, that is, taking into account the planned eaves overhangs.
- The length of the rafters and the expected pitch from the installation will make it possible to determine the cross-section of the material suitable for their manufacture, taking into account the expected loads on the roof. Or, conversely, based on the available material, select the optimal step and place additional support points - by installing the reinforcement elements mentioned above.
The listed parameters will allow you to draw up a diagram and drawing of the rafter system as accurately as possible, and correctly position all its elements. Using the existing diagram it will be much easier to calculate how much and what material will be needed for installation.
- You will need to find out the total area of the roof slopes. This is necessary to purchase roofing material, hydro- and vapor barrier membranes, and insulation if thermal insulation of the roof is planned. In addition, the area parameter is also important for determining the amount of material for arranging the sheathing for the selected roofing covering.
To make it clearer when explaining the calculation procedure, the main quantities are shown schematically in the illustration below:
D- the width of the house (the size of its gable wall);
VC- the height of the roof at the ridge above the plane of the mauerlat or floor beams, depending on what the lower ends of the rafter legs will be attached to;
A- the angle of steepness of the roof slopes;
WITH- working length of the rafter leg, from the ridge to the mauerlat;
ΔС- lengthening the rafter leg to form the planned eaves overhang;
Sh- step of installation of rafter legs.
Let's begin by considering the issues listed above in order.
The ratio of the steepness of the slopes and the height of the roof ridge
These two quantities are closely interrelated. AND Totheir calculation You can approach it from different angles, taking one or another criterion as the initial one.
- For example, the owners see their house with a high roof, somewhat reminiscent of the Gothic style of architecture. It is clear that with this approach the height of the roof at the ridge increases sharply and, accordingly, the steepness of the slopes. True, we should not forget that such roofs experience maximum wind loads, due to its pronounced “windage”. But the snow will practically not linger on such slopes. So it’s worth initially taking these two factors into account. Perhaps, for an area sheltered from the winds, but with a predominance of snowy winters, this option will generally be the most acceptable.
But let’s not forget that the longer the rafter legs, the more difficult the system itself will be to install, which will require a lot of reinforcing parts.
- Another consideration for making the roof higher is often the desire to have a functional attic space, even to the point of equipping it as a full-fledged living room.
For attic room, of course, a broken rafter system is preferable. But if a gable roof is still planned, then a lot of space is consumed by the corner zones along the line connecting the rafters with the mauerlat. We have to increase the steepness of the slopes (see above).
True, there may be an acceptable solution here too. For example, the Mauerlat is not located at the ceiling level, as in the “classic” version, but on the side walls, which are deliberately raised above the ceiling to a certain height. Then, with a great steepness of the slopes, and without particularly complicating the design of the system, Magnon can achieve very spacious attic spaces.
By the way, this is exactly the option that will be considered below, when the story turns to the installation of the rafter system.
- It happens that the owners of the future home, on the contrary, decide to minimum angles roof steepness. This may be caused by materials-saving structures, lack of need for usable space in the attic, or local conditions - for example, a very windy, but not particularly snowy area.
True, with this approach we must not forget that any roofing has certain lower limits for the steepness of the slopes. For example, if you plan to lay piece tiles, then it is necessary to ensure a slope angle of at least 20, and for some models even 30 degrees. So if the plans already include this or that roofing covering, you should correlate its characteristics with the height and steepness of the roof.
So, how is the calculation carried out? Our constant value is the width of the house along the gable wall ( D). Using the well-known trigonometric formula, it is easy to find the height ( VC), starting from the planned steepness of the slopes (angle A).
Sun = 0.5 × L × tg a
It is clear that to calculate a symmetrical gable roof, half the width of the building is taken, that is 0.5 ×D.
One more nuance. When calculating using this ratio, the height difference is taken as the difference in the heights of the ridge point and the plane of the mauerlat. That is, it does not always mean an excess over attic floor- this should be kept in mind.
The mentioned formula is included in the proposed calculator.
Calculator for the ratio of the steepness of the slopes of a gable roof and the height of its ridge
Many owners strive to build a country cottage with their own hands and at a certain point they wonder how to make the roof of the house themselves, that is, with their own hands.
The main structural element of a roof is its frame, and as a rule, it is made of wood.
For these purposes it is best to use hardwoods tree or pine.
In addition, even at the design stage of the building, you should decide on the type of roof.
The most common option is a gable roof shape, less often you can find a hipped roof, as in the photo below.
For a private house, brick or wooden, it is better to equip a gable roof with your own hands, which is shown in the photo below, since its construction and installation can be done by yourself without outside help.
Do-it-yourself roof installation should be done taking into account the extension to the house, if any.
In addition, it should be remembered that making and installing a roof with your own hands is quite labor-intensive work that must be done correctly and in a certain sequence.
Do-it-yourself roof construction begins with its design, selection of shape and selection required material. This is described in more detail in the video below.
Arrangement of the Mauerlat
Before making a roof for a private house (including a wooden one), it is necessary to correctly install and secure the Mauerlat properly.
The Mauerlat is a specific base that will take on part of the load from the roof structure.
Its installation is necessary when it is planned to build not only a gable, but also hipped roof. It is on this basis that the entire roof will subsequently be built with your own hands.
The Mauerlat device involves the use wooden beams, the cross-section of which should be 15x15 centimeters.
The installation of these beams is carried out parallel to the future roof ridge, as shown in the photo.
The ability of the finished roof to resist loads will largely depend on the reliability of fastening the Mauerlat to the walls.
Its construction should begin at the stage of wall construction. To do this, thick wire must be laid between the bricks closer to the top of the masonry in increments of one meter.
This wire must be firmly fixed inside brickwork in its middle.
The hanging ends must be of sufficient length so that in the future they can easily be tied around the laid timber.
After the installation and construction of the house with your own hands is completely completed, all visible parts of the wire for attaching the Mauerlat must be hidden under a layer of plaster.
When installing the Mauerlat with your own hands, you need to make a minimal deviation directly from the edge of the wall. It must be at least ten centimeters.
To further prevent rotting of the wooden beams of the Mauerlat, they should be insulated from the inside using a special material laid in several layers.
Roofing felt can also be used for these purposes. The Mauerlat under a gable roof should be placed along the entire perimeter of the walls, while monitoring not only its secure fastening, but also its evenness.
Construction of floor beams
After the Mauerlat is properly equipped, floor beams are installed, which are one of the main elements of the roof of a private house.
The installation of floor beams is carried out in a certain sequence, as shown in the video below. First, the outer beams are installed.
It should be remembered that their removal will be determined by the future cornice, the recommended length of which is no more than fifty centimeters.
In order to choose the right timber for the construction of the roof beams of a private house, a special calculation should be made.
You should monitor the places where they connect to the Mauerlat, and if necessary, clean it a little or, conversely, place small pieces of plywood.
The pitch of the floor beams is selected taking into account the pre-calculated pitch of the rafters. The process of attaching beams is shown in the photo.
After you have installed all the long beams yourself, you need to correctly install the short floor beams. For them, the step can be taken with a value of one meter.
When constructing floor beams, do not forget about the cornice, as well as the reliable fastening of the beams, in order to subsequently prevent the roof of the house from sagging.
The beams are fastened to the Mauerlat using nails. In addition, they can be fastened using special rafter angles or self-tapping screws.
After the installation of all beams is completely completed, it is necessary to lay ordinary floorboards on top of them, but do not fasten them.
This is done for the convenience of subsequent work on the construction of the roof of the house.
Installation of timber under the ridge
Any gable roof a private house involves the construction of a ridge. After the installation of the floor beams has been completed, you should proceed to the construction of timber under it.
To arrange the structure, you will need boards measuring 50x150 millimeters, from which the racks will be assembled.
They should be placed in the middle part of the future frame strictly level, and then carefully secured using temporary spacers.
Work begins by installing the outermost racks, after which a cord is pulled between them, which will allow all other racks to be correctly installed.
Once the entire truss structure has been built, all intermediate racks can be completely dismantled.
This will allow you to create another living space on the top floor of the house directly under the roof.
When choosing the height of the ridge posts, you should take into account what shape of the roof is initially planned. Experts advise taking its height equal to the height of the first floor of the house.
After the outer and intermediate posts have been checked for evenness and carefully secured, the ridge beam itself is laid on top of them.
You don’t need to carefully attach it to the entire structure; just screw in a couple of screws.
Any gable roof requires the installation of a ridge beam, so this stage of work is mandatory when building this part of the house.
One of the most important stages When constructing the roof of a private house, the installation of an extension of rafters is necessary.
First you need to make a template; this can be done by attaching the board from the inside to the end of the ridge beam and to the floor beam in the place where the cornice will be installed.
However, this is not always possible, and in some areas of the roof extension frame it will be necessary to install rafters of different sizes.
Installation of the rafter extension in place should be carried out simultaneously from two roof slopes. This is done in order to minimize the lateral load on the ridge beam.
If the length of the slope of the roof under construction is greater than the length of the rafter board that is at hand, then it will have to be spliced from the inside of the structure.
It is better if the joint, which is made from the inside, is located at the bottom of the slope, and it must be reinforced with an additional stand. Attaching the rafters to the mauerlat is shown in the photo below.
The rafter board is attached to the ridge beam using several nails.
In turn, its fastening to the floor beam can be done either using nails or by fixing special fastening plates with self-tapping screws.
After all the rafter boards have been installed over the entire area of the frame, begin installing the racks.
If in the future it is planned to build an attic under the frame as an extension, then it is these racks that will become the frame of the walls.
In parallel with the racks, the roof beams of the house are also installed. The arrangement of the rafters on the roof of the house is described in more detail in the video posted below.
Construction of pediment and cornice
The pediment and cornice are the parts of the structure from which the gable roof of a private house is formed.
The pediment is an important element of the roof extension and its arrangement must be carried out in accordance with all the rules. You should begin installing the pediment by installing additional racks.
In order to install the roof gable as level as possible, you should stretch a cord between the bottom of the extension rafters.
After the frame for the pediment has been assembled, an opening for the window should be created. The size and configuration of this window can be arbitrary.
After the frame for the pediment is completely assembled, it must be carefully checked for horizontal and vertical evenness.
It is recommended to arrange the pediment of the roof extension of the house as carefully as possible, since it is this part of the house that people first pay attention to.
After the gable of the roof extension has been completely assembled, its cornice should be properly arranged. The cornice of this building is located along the entire perimeter of the house and, as it were, covers the facade of the walls.
The cornice is hemmed with special boards, while the front board must be secured at the ends from the inside of the floor beams.
In its lower part, the cornice is hemmed with two belts so that it is convenient to secure the soffit when performing exterior finishing.
When the cornice and gable of the roof extension of the house are being installed, holders for the drainage system should be installed on the rafters from inside the structure.
At the final stage, it is better to sew the cornice from the inside with siding.
Sheathing and roof insulation
One of the final stages of building the roof of a house is its sheathing; in addition, it must be insulated from the inside.
First, you need to unfasten the layer on the rafters waterproofing material, and its surface should subsequently be from the inside of the roof.
After this, you can begin to install the sheathing itself. Its installation should be carried out based on what kind of roofing material is intended to be laid as a roof covering.
As a rule, each roofing material is supplied detailed instructions, which describes all the requirements for the sheathing.
At the final stage of the work, the front overhang is made and the casting of the upper frame of the house is installed.
To do this, it is necessary to attach a special wind board to the protruding ends of the finished sheathing.
After this, the so-called pediment overhang fillets are secured from the inside using self-tapping screws at a distance of one meter from each other.
Two belts are attached to them, which will later be covered with siding. After this, it will be necessary to assemble the triangular fillies, which are mounted on the pediment extensions.
Two belts are also attached to them. All that remains is to sew up the finished frame with the chosen one roofing material and install drains.
If you carry out the work in accordance with the technology and according to all the rules, then the question should not arise of how to equip the roof of a house without outside help.
In any case, the work of constructing a roof requires attention and composure from its performers. Any mistake during roof installation can lead to serious consequences in the future.
In this article I will try to describe in detail how a gable roof is built. This form is practically the simplest, suitable for a private house, and its construction, from the point of view of monetary costs, is more profitable compared to other more complex roof configurations.
- in the second case, the rafters rest on the floor beams of the floor below. A gable roof made according to this option will be described here.
Let's take a brick box house as an example. Its dimensions are 8x8 meters, height 3 meters. The construction of any roof with your own hands begins with the installation of maeurlat (Fig. 1). Methods for attaching it to the walls were described in the article, which you can read
We install the Mauerlat flush with inner surface walls It should be bricked up on the outside so that it is not visible. In this case, the upper surface of the Mauerlat should be 2-3 cm higher than the top surface of the facing brick, so that the entire load from the roof is transferred only to the Mauerlat. No need to load.
Next we install the floor beams. We do this in the sequence shown in Fig. 2. First of all, we install the beams indicated by the numbers 1,2,3,4. Their extension determines the width of the cornice. We usually take it from 40 to 50 cm at the request of the customer. As beams we use a beam, the cross-section of which is determined by making a simple calculation described in detail. In our case, it will be a beam of 100x200 mm.
After securing the outer floor beams, we pull the string along the upper plane and set the remaining beams, if necessary, tightening the Mauerlat under them, or, on the contrary, placing thin plywood (you just often order timber with a height of 200 mm, and they deliver it from 190 to 210 mm, this is what we have on our sawmills equipment). We select their pitch taking into account the pitch of future rafters. When using 50x150 mm floorboards as rafters, take a step of 60-70 cm (it is better to take 60 cm, since roofing insulation has this width).
Having installed all the long beams, we install the short ones (Fig. 2). Their step is enough to take about 1 meter. This diagram is slightly different from what we are used to seeing in similar pictures. We came to it after the gable ebb on one of our first roofs sagged, although the ebb fillers were quite securely fastened. In this scheme, the possibility of sagging is completely eliminated.
We fasten all beams to the mauerlat with 150 nails; you can also use metal rafter corners and self-tapping screws. In general, the use of various fastening elements for rafter connections, makes work easier. This is especially convenient for an inexperienced person; there is no need to make complex cuts and nicks. We have already talked about this in the article ““.
After installing all the beams, we lay (without fastening) boards on them, maybe floorboards, maybe inch boards. They are needed simply to walk on them calmly. In order not to clutter the drawing, I did not show them on it. The next step is to install the ridge beam.
First of all, we place racks made of 50x150 mm boards level or plumb and fasten them with temporary spacers. In Fig. The 3 spacers are shown on one post only, again to avoid cluttering the drawing. The pitch of the racks is no more than 3 meters. First we place the outer ones, then, pulling the laces between them, we place the intermediate posts. After the entire truss has been erected, the intermediate posts can be removed and you can easily create living rooms on the second floor.
The height of the racks is selected depending on the shape of the roof you want to achieve. I usually advise customers to take it equal to the height of the first floor along the facade (the distance from ground level to the mauerlat). This proportion is also shown in the figures.
Having installed the racks, we place the ridge beam on them and literally fix it with a couple of screws. We use a 50x200 mm board (in principle, 50x150 mm is also possible).
Now we move on to the installation of rafters. First we need to make a template from a 25x150 board. To do this, apply it to the end of the ridge beam and to the beam (Fig. 4) and draw two lines. Having sawed off a board along them, we get a rafter template.
Of course, it is very good when the foot of the house is laid out with high geometric accuracy and the floor beams are also installed. Then we can cut all the rafters at once according to the template and calmly install them. But to be honest, this is quite difficult to achieve, and even more difficult when a new roof is being installed on an old house.
In this case, we first make only the top cut on the rafter according to the template. Then we take the resulting workpiece, apply it to the desired beam and mark the bottom cut, as they say in place. All rafters are installed in this way (Fig. 5). Please note that after installing one rafter, we immediately install the opposite one in order to quickly remove the lateral load on the ridge beam (otherwise it will bend).
When the length of the roof slope is large and a standard 6-meter board is not enough, you can go in two ways. The first (I think it is preferable) is to order longer boards at the sawmill. Of course it will cost more. For example, at the end of autumn 2012, 1 cube of 6-meter boards cost about 5,500 rubles, and 1 cube of 7.5-meter boards cost 7,000. But installing rafters is easier and faster than using the second method.
The second method requires splicing two boards. This can be done by sewing on them a piece of board of the same section 1.5 - 2 meters long. See the figure for how this is done. It is better to make the joint at the bottom, and an additional stand must be installed under it.
We attach the rafter to the ridge beam with two or three nails. For fastening to the floor beam, we Lately We use metal mounting plates and screws and add a couple of nails. Sometimes we use staples. By the way, I have seen many times how people use staples, but they do it incorrectly. The bracket must work in tension. Below in the left photo - how not to do it, on the right - how to do it.
Strengthening roof truss, let's start working on the gables. First, we install additional posts that will serve as the frame of the pediment (Fig. 7). The accuracy of installation is controlled by a string stretched along the bottoms of the rafters. Then we do window hole(Fig. 8). You can make it any size and configuration you want. Please note that in the picture, the post standing in the center of the window (supporting the ridge beam at the beginning) was simply cut. It no longer bears virtually any load. Having finished with the frame, we sheathe the pediment with an inch (for example, 25x150 mm) (Fig. 9).
The next step is to hem the eaves boards around the entire perimeter of the house. The front board (sewn to the ends of the floor beams) is made from a 25x200 mm board. From the bottom to the cornices we sew two belts from a 25x100 board (Fig. 10). They are more than enough to secure when exterior decoration soffit.
Now, if we are going to install a drainage system and use metal holders for gutters, they need to be installed on the footrails right now (under the waterproofing film). Moreover front boards It is also advisable to cover it with siding at this stage. Then it will not be very convenient to do this. I didn't show this in the picture. In addition, we now only use plastic holders gutters that are attached directly to the front board. They are more convenient and can be installed after the roof is assembled.
Next we proceed to the sheathing. First of all, with the help construction stapler We fix the first strip of waterproofing film on the rafters (Fig. 11). It is more convenient to work if you already have scaffolding installed around the perimeter of the house. In any case, you will have to install them when you are doing the roofing, drainage, and sheathing the eaves with siding.
Having secured the film, we nail the counter-lattice slats (25x50 mm) to the rafters. The need to use a counter-lattice is described in detail here: . Do not forget to leave space for the overlap of the subsequent waterproofing strip.
Then we make the sheathing. Now I will not focus on the rules for its installation. This topic is for a separate article. In addition, any roofing is accompanied by instructions that describe in detail how to make the sheathing specifically for this material (the pictures schematically show the sheathing for metal tiles). I will try to prepare a new article on this topic in the near future.
In this way we cover the entire roof (Fig. 12). After this, all that remains is to make the gable overhang and gable ebb. The sequence here is:
Using self-tapping screws, we attach the wind board of the gable overhang (25x150 mm) from below to the protruding ends of the sheathing (Fig. 13);
We insert and secure with self-tapping screws the fillets of the gable overhang (board 25x150). The distance between them is approximately 1 meter (Fig. 14);
We sew two belts to the fillies from below (board 25x100). There are also enough of them to sheathe later gable overhangs siding (Fig. 15);
From pieces of 50x150 boards of the required length we prepare triangular fillies for the gable ebb according to the figure (Fig. 16). Then, having secured them to the stems, we also nail two belts (25x100) to them.
This completes our roof. What happened in the end and what will happen after completion roofing works and covering the gable and eaves with siding is approximately shown in Figures 17 and 18.
When constructing private houses, the roof is most often made of a gable roof. There are reasons for this. The first is that it is reliable. Copes well with wind and snow loads. Secondly, it is compatible with any roofing covering. The third is relatively inexpensive. The fourth is a simple design that is difficult to spoil. Fifth - she looks attractive. All this, and what's more gable roof built with your own hands without special knowledge determines its popularity.
The assembled gable roof with your own hands is ready for installation of the roofing covering
Step-by-step installation of a gable roof
As you saw above, there are a lot of rafter systems. Accordingly, each assembly has its own characteristics, but in general the order is the same. It is necessary to talk about the general step: pre-drying and processing of wood. This step is required if you bought fresh lumber rather than dried.
Use of raw wood in roof construction natural humidity will lead to problems: the beams will bend, they will dry out, and the geometry will change. All this will lead to the emergence of stress points and at the slightest sign of overload (lots of snow, strong wind or rain) negative processes will begin. Eliminating them is a complex and expensive undertaking. Therefore, either buy dry wood (no more than 20%, ideally kiln drying 8-12%), or buy the material a couple of months in advance and put it in ventilated stacks. Then treat with the necessary impregnations (against fungal attack and to reduce flammability) and only then use it in the installation of the rafter system.
Lumber should be dried in ventilated stacks. To do this, they are laid with short sections of boards. They are placed a meter from the edges and then every meter. Spacers must be installed under the lower one
We will tell you about the main stages of assembly and how to make a gable roof with your own hands in this section.
Mauerlat
The assembly of the gable roof rafter system begins with the installation of the Mauerlat. It must be positioned strictly horizontally, therefore, before installation, the horizontality of the wall to which it is attached is carefully checked, and if necessary, it is leveled cement mortar. You can continue work after the solution has gained 50% strength.
Depending on the system, this is a beam with a cross-section of 150*150 mm or a board with dimensions of 50*150 mm. It is attached to the top row of the wall masonry. If the house is wooden, its role is played by the upper crown. If the walls are made of lightweight building blocks - foam concrete or aerated concrete and others - their rigidity is not enough to redistribute the load. In this case, a reinforced reinforced concrete belt is made on top of the last row of masonry, into which embedded fasteners are embedded - wire or pins. A beam or board is then placed on them.
There are several ways to connect walls and mauerlat:
- Smooth rolled wire is fixed in the masonry (in the reinforced concrete belt) large diameter(two ends sticking up). Holes are then made in the board in the required places into which the wire is threaded. It then curls and bends.
- Studs with a diameter of at least 12 mm are immured in the wall. Holes are made in the Mauerlat for them, a timber/board is inserted) and tightened with nuts and wide washers.
- Aligning the beam or board with the outer or inner edge walls, take a drill with a diameter of 12 mm and make holes for anchor bolts. They (the same diameter of 12 mm) are hammered in to the very top, then tightened with a wrench.
The distance between the studs (wire) should not be more than 120 cm. A cut-off waterproofing must be installed on the wall (belt) under the Mauerlat. This can be rolled up roofing material or waterproofing material in two layers, or coated with bitumen mastic.
Installation of rafters
There are dozens of types of gable roof truss systems. First of all, you need to choose what yours will look like. Further, in order to make the work easier, a template is made from thin boards for all cuts, notches and other similar parts. To do this, you may need to assemble the first form on the roof, and then make templates using the finished form.
The assembly procedure depends on the type of rafter system. If the rafters are layered, they are installed gradually, assembled from elements directly on the roof. In this case, it is convenient if the ceiling beams are laid and, if possible, the rough flooring of the attic or attic.
In systems with hanging rafters, a truss is assembled on the ground - a ready-made triangle of tie and rafter legs with all the required struts and racks. The required number of farms is assembled immediately. Then they are lifted to the roof, placed vertically there and attached to the Mauerlat.
On the one hand, this is convenient - it’s easier to work on the ground, and with a high assembly speed, the accuracy is high: one truss is not much different from the other, which simplifies the procedure. But lifting prefabricated trusses can be difficult, especially for large buildings. To make this easier, install two inclined boards, one end of which rests on the ground, and the other sticks out slightly above the wall. The trusses are brought closer to this “lift”, one at a time they are installed below, ropes are tied and pulled along the boards onto the roof. If there is no winch or crane, this is the most acceptable method.
Assembling rafters requires certain knowledge: how and in what order to install them, how to mark and make cuts. Watch the video for assembling one of the headstock circuits.
The procedure for assembling the rafter system
That’s it, the gable roof is assembled with your own hands and is ready for installation of roofing material.
The process of installing rafters itself raises enough questions, but there are many ways and it is impossible to tell about them all. Watch one of them in the video. The system was large and was lifted to the roof in parts, and then assembled into a single structure. For big houses it's comfortable.
Features of installing the rafter system of a wooden house
Difference wooden houses is that the log house shrinks, and this leads to a change in the geometry of the rafter system. If the elements are fastened tightly, the roof may fall apart. Therefore, the fastenings are made floating. There are special sliding fasteners, which in this case are used to secure the rafters to the upper crown and to the purlins, if any (see photo).
In order for the rafter to move freely during shrinkage, its long part is fastened strictly parallel to its edge, and placed strictly perpendicular to the support. If necessary, a platform is cut out for it. Mark the fastening so that the hook is in the lowest position or near it. Attached to special screws, which are included (regular ones are not suitable). If installation is carried out on a log, so that rafter leg not slip on it, a semicircular hole is cut out in the lower part on which it will rest.
Such fasteners are sold on any construction market, they are called “slipper”. Watch the video to see how to attach the slider to the beam.
Video on assembly and installation of gable roof rafter system
Building a gable roof with your own hands is not easy: there are a lot of subtleties and nuances, there are different ways fastenings, extensions. Describing them in words is a thankless task. This is the case when it is better to see. Below we offer you a selection of videos that may be useful to you.
Video report on how a gable roof is made
The house owner's story about the stages of construction. There are interesting technical points, which may be useful.
Two types of rafter connections: rigid and sliding
Video about the two most problematic types of connections.
How to determine the angle of rafters
Full video report on the assembly of the rafter system
This film takes just under an hour, but the process is demonstrated from start to finish in great detail. The roof is placed on, but when installed on buildings of another type (except wooden houses) there is no difference.
