Ridge Beam Construction Roofs

A structural ridge beam is a horizontal beam placed at the peak or ridge of a roof and is designed to carry much of the live and dead loads or weight of the roof structure by itself.

Ridge beam construction roofs. Floor beam span tables of residential structural design we will now look at roof rafter and beam design. Ridge beam sizing is based on the span of the beam between supports and the amount of roof load supported by the beam. Come to think of it the only style shed i can see that would be easy to use a ridge beam is the gable style shed. The difference between them is that a ridge beam is a structural member that bears half of the live and dead loads of the rafters on either side of it but a ridge board is not structural.

Let s consider a basic gable wood roof framing design. Timber steel framing manual single span ridge beam. Ridge boards and beams. The top end of each rafter is cut at an angle so that it meets flush with one broadside of the ridge board and the ridge is sandwiched between the rafters.

The image below shows a cross section of our simple 12 x 13 house from the joist span tables section of this tutorial. Ridge boards can only be used in roofs with slopes from 3 in 12 up to 12 in 12. The top ends of the rafters often meet at a ridge beam but may butt directly to another rafter to form a pair of rafters called a couple. Rafter to ridge beam connection framing roof ceiling construction structural ridge beam absolute deflection in a ridge beam structural ridge beam tricks of the trade.

The ridge beam is typically a larger member like a 4 x 12 and carries the gravity load of the roof joists just as the bearing wall or header does at the envelope. A ridge board is a non structural member that serves as a prop for opposing rafters to rest against and connect to. The loads on the ridge beam are carried by vertical posts at the beam ends down through the building structural walls to the building foundation. Here we have a wood framed gable roof.

Continuing on from part 3. In traditional house framing also called stick framing a basic roof frame consists of opposing pairs of sloping rafters that meet at their top ends at a ridge board or ridge beam. Leave ridge beam for shed construction page. Yes either a ridge board or a ridge beam is necessary and required by the building code where roof rafters meet at the the center of their span.

Beam spans for roofs 2yamaha. A classic example of the exposed ridge beam structure can be seen on our magnolia residence which is currently in construction.