Want to build a roof for your home? We recommend you start by having a timber frame built to hold everything up. Discover the different wood roof framing components you\u2019ll need in this article, so you\u2019re ready to nail the job from the get-go!<\/p>\n
Our prefabricated wood structure experts<\/a> discuss the different roof frame components to help you better understand how they are made!<\/p>\n A roof frame is an assembly of wood, metal or concrete components that forms the structure of a roof. It is used to support the roof of a building while sculpting it into your desired shape.<\/p>\n Although the purpose of wood frames has remained much the same over time, roof structures have evolved considerably since they were first used in construction. Some components have disappeared while others have been introduced, all with the goal of saving resources and increasing durability.<\/p>\n The\u00a0rafter<\/a>\u00a0is one of the components of a\u00a0roof truss<\/a>. It consists of a long piece of wood that is inclined and oriented in the direction of the roof slope. It often acts as both a rafter and a crossbeam, which means that it serves both as a support and as a point of attachment for the roof covering.<\/p>\n The roof truss is an assembly of wood parts (rafters, truss strut, scissor truss etc.) that forms a triangle structure. Roof trusses vary in type and size<\/a> to create different roof shapes. The roof trusses form the structural frame of the roof.<\/p>\n The truss web is a straight or rounded piece of wood that is part of the sloped frame (or scissor truss<\/a> structure). It connects two other pieces of framing together and serves to support and strengthen the structure of the frame.\u00a0 It also stiffens corner connections and helps to hold the parts together.<\/p>\n The purlin cleat is a small piece of wood, attached to the crossbeam. It sustains the perpendicular purlin beam<\/a> that supports the rafters. Sometimes a cubic cleat is also added between the purlin beam and the purlin cleat.<\/p>\n Purlins are pieces of wood that are often placed on the trusses or alternatively directly on the load-bearing wall. They are used to support the rafters and other beams. There are different types of purlin:<\/p>\n The basic elements of a wood frame<\/a> include the roof truss, the purlins, the purlin cleat, the truss web, and the rafter. However, depending on the structure and strength of the latter, the framework may have other strings to its bow.<\/p>\n Here is what the structural network of your roof’s frame is made up of.<\/p>\n The tie beam is a horizontal piece of wood that maintains the distance between the rafters by preventing the trusses from spreading apart. It is therefore fixed to the lower end of the trusses to generate tension. It is also known as the triangle base.<\/p>\n The king post is a vertical piece of wood that connects the tie beam or straining beam to the top of the roof truss. Note that some types of trusses have only raking shores (see below) and no king post.<\/p>\n The top chord is a piece of framing made from metal or wood. It forms the roof slopes. Within a traditional roof frame, the top chord supports the horizontal purlins which themselves support the rafters.<\/p>\n Having given you a slight overview of some of the essential elements of a wood roof frame, let\u2019s now take a look at the secondary network components!<\/p>\n The strut is a piece of wood placed in an angled position between the king post and the rafter. Within a roof truss, its function is to transfer some of the weight supported by the rafter to the king post.<\/p>\n The truss strut is found in some types of roof trusses. It is an inclined piece of wood that provides additional support to the truss.<\/p>\n These are anchoring interfaces used to secure buildings against falls from heights. They can be installed on metal and wooden frames.<\/p>\n A frame often has a peak, consisting of two components: the ridge beam and the under ridge.<\/p>\n The ridge beam connects the trusses to each other under the roof ridge and is the true centrepiece of the roof structure. It is made of a piece of wood placed horizontally on which the rafters are supported.<\/p>\n As its name may suggest, the under ridge is located below the ridge. It is made of a horizontal piece of wood.<\/p>\n These parts are usually placed on the rafters so that the roofing materials can be laid on top.<\/p>\n Although there are various techniques for joining structural components without connectors, most contractors will use some type of\u00a0connector and fastener<\/a>\u00a0to join the various pieces of wood that make up the structure. Among these, metal plate connectors are frequently used in the construction of prefabricated roof trusses.-<\/p>\n The brace is an assembly of wood parts designed to provide stability to the structure mainly by preventing the trusses from spreading apart under the influence of horizontal forces. The ridge beam, under ridge and purlins are all part of the brace.<\/p>\n The straining beam is very similar to the tie beam described above but shorter in length. It is also placed horizontally between the rafters, but in the upper part of the trusses. A frame can have several straining beams to control downward thrust by resisting\u00a0compression<\/a>.<\/p>\n The raking shore is a piece of wood placed at an angle between the king post and the rafter. Its function in a roof truss is to transfer part of the weight supported by the rafter to the king post.<\/p>\n The wall plate is a piece of wood that is placed horizontally at the top of a wall, perpendicular to the trusses. It is used to support the thrust of the trusses.<\/p>\n We hope that this list has helped you learn about the different roof frame components. It doesn\u2019t include every single little detail, but all the essential information is there.<\/p>\n If you have a construction project in the pipelines, UsiHome can provide you with not only structural components such as prefabricated roof trusses, but also\u00a0floor joists<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0prefabricated walls<\/a>. We have everything you need to build a wood frame for your roof.<\/p>\nWhat are the components of a timber roof frame?<\/h2>\n
Rafter<\/h3>\n
Roof truss<\/h3>\n
Truss web<\/h3>\n
Purlin Cleat<\/h3>\n
Purlin<\/h3>\n
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Main structural components<\/h2>\n
Tie beam<\/h3>\n
King post<\/h3>\n
Top chord<\/h3>\n
Secondary frame components<\/h2>\n
Strut<\/h3>\n
Truss strut<\/h3>\n
Anchor posts<\/h3>\n
The peak<\/h2>\n
Ridge beam<\/h3>\n
Under ridge<\/h3>\n
Additional timber frame elements<\/h2>\n
Battens or laths<\/h3>\n
Connectors and fasteners<\/h3>\n
Brace<\/h3>\n
Straining beam<\/h3>\n
Raking shore<\/h3>\n
Wall plate<\/h3>\n
UsiHome: your timber frame construction experts in Quebec<\/h2>\n