There are few basic rules to ensure proper Roof frames. First and foremost one needs to decide on the rafter patterns. The height of the ridge board will be determined by the manner in which the roof rises and also slopes.

Depending on those calculations the frame structure needs to be determined. Designing an effective roof frame is an art. The following aspects should be kept in mind before installing a roof frame at your home:

Designing the Rafters

As mentioned before, chalking out the rafter plan is really essential for the overall roof frame. The measuring should start from calculating the pitch and the length of the required rafter. Also the spacing needed between the lumber size and the rafter needs to be pre-determined.

There are many parts of a rafter. Starting from ceiling joints to birds-mouth cut and plumb cut to ridge board, various aspects are needed to be determined before installing the framing.

It is usually the span of the framing rafters which determine the overall width of the house. On the other hand the horizontal distance will determine the length the rafter needs to cover in order to meet the one from the other side.

Choose the Perfect Style of Frame

Depending on the building regulations and design the nature of framing should be determined. In the current scenario there are two types of roof systems popular in the market-Stick Frame and Truss Frame.

Stick frames are the ones which are created by the dimension lumbers. On the other hand the truss frames are more custom-made. That means that they are constructed via wood forms which are pre-built.

Determining the Length of the Lumbers

This is yet another critical factor ensuring proper roof framing. The lumber length should be calculated on the basis of the horizontal length of the rafter. A roofing calculator can come handy in such cases.

However, in order to construct the ridge board, one must require a lumber size which is greater than the length of the rafter. Lumbers, chosen for the purpose of roof framing, must be straight, long and light.

The lumbers should be marked carefully and should be cut at perfect angles. The outside edge of the building should also be marked on the rafter. In such cases a plumb line becomes very essential.

By using a framing square one can quite easily mark the building edge and then using the plumb line for indicating the outside edge of the building.

Creating the Perfect Birds-Mouth

Birds-mouths are important cuts on the rafters. These cuts help the rafters to rest outside of the building area. For that reason the birds-mouth cuts should be at least four inches wide. Otherwise the rafters cannot rest on them properly.

Ensure Safety

The framing should be higher off the ground than normal. Various forms of scaffolding and building safety methods should be adhered to whilst designing the frame.

Before assembling the roof one must design the entire thing on the ground. In this way, one can finish the work quickly without much complication and rework.