

The advantage though is that gambrel roofs create a very spacious interior with plenty of headroom above the ceiling joists, which can be utilized as a storage loft. A gambrel roof is slightly more difficult to frame than other roof styles simply because it contains many more parts. It has two short, shallow roof planes that angle down from the peak, and then it breaks sharply to two steeper slopes that extend down to the tops of the walls. This design is often called a barn roof and is easily recognized by its distinctive double-sloping profile. Tip: When framing the roof of a shed, be sure to set each rafter directly over a wall stud, which will transfer the roof load down to the foundation. Second, position the peak of the roof one-third of the way back from the front wall. When framing a saltbox roof it’s important to follow two simple guidelines to maintain the roof’s proper proportions: First, run the rafters at 45º to create a 12-in-12 roof slope. This unique design shifts the roof peak off-center so that it’s closer to the front wall, thus creating the distinctive saltbox roof. Saltbox Roof Saltbox roof designĪ saltbox roof is similar to a gable roof except that one roof plane is slightly longer than the other. Tip: Gable shed roofs look best with a roof slope of either 11-in-12 (40º) or 12-in-12 (45º). The rafters fit together tightly at the peak and are secured with plywood gusset plates. When framing a roof with site-built trusses, you don’t need a ridge board. The ridge board is often cut from a 1×6 or 1×8. Most storage sheds are framed with 2×4 or 2×6 rafters, spaced 16 in. A ridge board, if used, runs horizontally between the pairs of rafters where they meet at the peak.Ĭheck your shed plans for the exact size and spacing of the lumber used to frame the roof. Gable roofs are formed by pairs of common rafters that run at an angle from the tops of the walls up to the roof peak. It’s easily identified by its familiar A-shaped profile that has two sloping planes of equal length. A steeply pitched roof comes down lower into the doorway than a slightly less-steep roof, and that could Gable Roof Gable roof designĪ gable roof is by far the most common style of shed roof. Tip: When deciding on the slope of a shed roof, take into account the position of the doors. Shed roofs normally have a relatively shallow slope, usually between 4-in-12 (18º) and 8-in-12 (33º). In those situations, a horizontal ledger board is fastened to the existing wall to support the upper ends of the rafters. This style roof can be used on a freestanding outbuilding but is particularly well suited for sheds that are built up against another structure, such as a house, garage, stable, or barn. Lean-to Roof Shed roof slopeĪ shed roof has a single sloping plane, making it the simplest of all roof frames to build. It is important to properly insulate this roof as it can get very hot or cold with the different seasons. It is easier and faster for a roofer to build this roof style which equals fewer labor costs. While it was previously only used for sheds, it has become more popular to use on houses. Depending on the design of the building, the slope can vary in how steep it is. What is a Shed Style RoofĪ shed style roof, also known as a skillion or lean-to roof, is a roof that slopes down in one direction.

Building and installing trusses is quicker and easier than piecemeal framing, but you’ll need help lifting the trusses into place. Once assembled, the trusses are lifted and fastened to the tops of the walls. A roof truss is a prefabricated section of the roof frame that consists of a pair of angled rafters and one horizontal bottom chord, which forms the ceiling joist. The second option is to build the roof frame on the ground to form individual roof trusses. Then lift each truss into place and screw it to the walls. Speed the job of framing the roof by prefabricating the roof trusses on the ground. However, you’ll spend a lot of time climbing up and down ladders, which can be exhausting. The advantage of this approach is that a single person can easily lift and nail the boards in place.
#Building shed roofs install#
The traditional method is to cut and install all the parts-rafters, ridge board, collar ties, and ceiling joists-one board at a time.

There are two basic ways to frame a shed roof. But with a little understanding of roof styles, terminology and construction, roof framing is well within the capabilities of any weekend carpenter. For most do-it-yourselfers, framing the roof is the most challenging part of building a shed.
