Roof Framing Without Ridge Beam

Because a ridge beam often carries a significant area of roof load they can exhibit structural distress due to a defect in wood impact on the roof or use of an undersize beam.

Roof framing without ridge beam.

Some of these can support the roof and prevent ridge sagging and wall spreading. You don t need a ridge beam but you do need a way to keep the walls from spreading. In this design the tops of the rafters attach to a load bearing ridge beam that runs along the length of the roof. A ridge board is a non structural member that serves as a prop for opposing rafters to rest against and connect to.

A proper beam would have a supporting post at each end. Determining the ridge beam height. Framing in a ridge beam in shed roof construction is not hard. The ridge beam shown below at the living room of a 1950s modern style ranch house in gainesville has cracked at mid span and is slowly heading towards failure after.

Ridge beam sizing is based on the span of the beam between supports and the amount of roof load supported by the beam. It s often just a nice way to bring the rafters together. A structural ridge is the standard alternative to ceiling joists. Collar ties rafter ties tension beams structural ridge beams.

I always always build trusses. If you know the slope x in 12 you want to use for your roof framing design you can use it along with the run r to determine the height of the ridge beam for example if the slope is 4 in 12 and the run is 12 feet the ridge beam height m will be 4 feet. Ridge beams are required by code if the roof slope is less than 3 in 12 irc section r802 3. Here s a picture of a gable style shed using a ridge beam.

This article describes and illustrates the different types of support that prevents roof sagging and wall bulging at buildings including definitions of collar ties rafter ties and structural ridge beams. The finished ridge beam height z above the top of the wall will be m plus the y height.