Gable Roof Ridge Beam

The typical gable roof diagram above shows the r length measured from the outside wall to the middle of the ridge beam the rafter section diagram below typical of a shed or patio cover roof shows the r length measured from the outside wall to the outside face of the ridge beam either one is acceptable depending on which type of roof you are building but if you are using the.

Gable roof ridge beam.

Ridge beams are required by code if the roof slope is less than 3 in 12 irc section r802 3. Leave ridge beam for shed construction page. The ridge board runs the length of the building and provides support for the tops of the rafters helping the whole roof structure work together as a system. 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.

Putting it together is relatively straight forward if you have basic carpentry skills and use precise measurements. The rafters aren t trying to push the walls out. The roof load is carried on the ridge and on the walls and there is no need for collar ties or ceiling joists to resist lateral thrust. In a roof with a ridge board there is lateral thrust.

A gable roof is a simple symmetrical triangular roof. I can t ever recall seeing a saltbox shed built with a ridge beam or even a gambrel roof shed for that matter. In a roof with a structural ridge beam there is not lateral thrust i e.