Monday, March 18, 2024
HomeReaders ChoiceHow Big Is My Roof

How Big Is My Roof

Sizing Roof Rafters Example 2

Flat roof to pitched roof how to with Rag n Bone Brown

Now lets try another example, but this time a span will be given and you must select the correct size lumber to be used given the following scenario:

Question: When the ceiling is not attached to the rafters and where Hem-fir #3 roof rafters are to be spaced 12 inches on center supporting a snow load of 30 psf and a dead load of 20 psf, what is the minimum allowable rafter size when required to span 14-0 in length?

First step, lets collect all the given information within the question:

  • Ceiling not attached to rafters and a snow load of 30 psf: Use Table R802.4.1
  • Roof Rafter Spacing: 12 inches
  • Species and Grade: Hem-fir #3
  • Roof Rafter Span: 14-0

Now lets find the minimum allowable rafter size given the above scenario:

Therefore given the above example, the minimum allowable rafter size for Hem-fir #3 lumber spanning 14-0 is a 2×10 since it can span 14-5. A 2×8 member for example cannot be used since it can only span 11-9.

To Learn more about the design and construction of wood roof framing, be sure to check out Section R802 of the 2018 International Residential Code .

Fun Tip: To learn how to easily size ceiling joists, be sure to check out this POST.

Hopefully given the above examples you can find it easier to size wood roof rafters per the Tables within the International Residential Code.

In conclusion, lets take a quick second to answer some common frequently asked questions related to roof rafters.

Why Roofing Square Is Measured This Way

In addition to being a larger unit of measurement, a square is used so that theres a standardized measurement no matter the layout or shape of the roof. In other words, it doesnt matter how you get to it, as long as it leads to 100 square feet. For example

  • 10 ft x 10 ft = 100 square ft, which equals 1 roofing square.
  • 5 ft x 20 ft = 100 square ft, which equals 1 roofing square.

All of these would require one square of material to cover.

Determining Your Fading Car Paint Repair Options

There are two types of paint jobs on cars, trucks, and SUVs sold today a single-stage paint job and paint plus clear coating. If you have a low end or entry-level vehicle, its quite possible that you have the single-stage paint.

Most newer vehicles use urethane-based paints lacquers and enamels are reserved for custom paint jobs nowadays.

So if youve determined that the paint on your vehicle is faded, youll have to identify the type of paint or if a clear coat is on the surface. If you have a clear coat, there are some steps below that you can follow to improve the shine and depth of the paint. If you dont have a clear coat dont waste your time have the car repainted professionally or trade it in.

Here is how you can tell if you have a clear coat.

Recommended Reading: Adding Eaves To Gable End

You May Like: How To Put A Roof On A Flat Pergola

Calculating Your Roof Area: Gable Roof

Youll first need to measure the length of your roof. This is the length of your roofs ridge from end to end. Next, youll need to measure your roofs slope height. This is the length from the eaves up to the ridge, NOT the distance between your roof deck and the apex .

If you dont know these measurements, you can often find them on the building plans from when you bought the property. If you dont have these, get in touch with your local council, who should be able to provide your propertys building plans.

To calculate your roof area, simply multiply your roof length by your roof slope height, and multiply this by two. This should give you the total area of your roof, not accounting for a chimney or other sections of your roof not covered by tiles.

x 2 = Roof Area

How Many Nails Required

What does a Big Roof + Lots of Sun equal? #LotsofSavingsâ  â  # ...

After you are done calculating the total square footage, you need to determine the number of nails you will need.

Usually 4 nails are used per shingle. As mentioned earlier, shingles come in three tabs, which means you would need around 1,120 nails/sq.

If you live in a high windy area, then you will need 6 nails per shingle, which brings the count to 1,680 nails/sq.

This calculation is based on 280 shingle squares, according to the gable roof measurement. For the right nailing pattern, refer to the instructions that comes with the shingles.

And this is how you measure your roof area and the number of shingles and nails needed. If you are looking for more informatory articles such as this, then visit Epic Home Ideas.

You May Like: How Much It Cost To Change Roof

Do You Need Roof Repair Replacement Or New Installation In The Dallas Fort Worth Area

If so, TX Roofing Solutions is the first choice for residents in the Dallas, Texas, area.

Providing free, no-obligation roof inspections, our company can handle any service request you may have. Whether youre in Euless, Arlington, Flower Mound, Keller, Coppell, Grapevine or a surrounding area, were happy to provide you with honest, reputable roofing services.

Dont Forget To Add In The Waste Factor

The last thing to take into consideration is the waste factor. This accounts for material that gets overlapped in hips and valleys, as well as material that gets cut off around flashings, penetrations, and gable ends.

If its a relatively simple gable roof, most roofing contractors typically add 10-15% to the total square footage to account for waste factor. If its a more complicated hip roof, the waste factor can be higher.

In fact, we once worked with a company that had a job with a shocking 41% waste factor. It was so shocking, in fact, that they didnt believe it when the EagleView report came in with the numbers. But this was no ordinary roof and there were things that jumped off the page when looking at the report:

  • Structure Complexity: Complex
  • Areas per Pitch: Nearly 83% of the roof, or 2,364 square feet, had a pitch of 3/12
  • Waste Calculation: Suggested waste percentage of 41%, or 33.66 squares

The suggested waste factor of 41% grabbed the attention of the salesperson in charge of submitting a bid. They balked at such a high number, knowing it would result in a higher bid and a lesser chance of winning the job.

A tough decision had to be made: either to go with the 41%, or to use their judgement to lower the number. After much deliberation, the salesperson decided to underbid the job based on a lower waste factor. After all, theres no way the waste could actually be as high as 40%, right?

9.4869 roofing squares x .10 = .94869

9.4869 + .94869 = 10.43559

Recommended Reading: Is A Metal Roof Worth It

Is It A Smart Move

Should you paint your roof shingles? The answer to this question depends on your goals. If you have a relatively new roof but dislike the color, a fresh coat of paint makes sense, as long as you choose the right type of paint and properly prepare the surface. If you have an aging roof, on the other hand, you should reconsider.

More often than not, a fresh paint job will rejuvenate the look of an aging roof for only a short time. In a matter of months or a couple of years, you are likely to experience problems that will force you to have a new roof installed. With this in mind, it generally makes sense to go ahead and replace your roof instead of trying to paint over it. In the long run, you will end up saving money, especially since new roofs tend to last up to 30 years with proper installation.

Need a new roof for your home? A to Z is ready to help. Hoping for budget-friendly repairs for weather- or age-related damage? We can do that too. At A to Z, weve spent decades earning a widespread reputation as one of the states leading roofing contractors. How? By providing skilled workmanship and honest customer service. Contact us to learn more and get a free estimate on your next roofing project.

How Many Rolls Of Felt Will You Need

How To Use Steel On Flat Roofs – Projects Construction Of Reinforced Concrete Roof Complete

Roofing felt is sold by the roll. The average roll of 15-pound roofing felt covers about 400 ft2, or 4 squares, while the average roll of 30-pound roofing felt covers about 200 ft2, or 2 squares.

Rolls of felt are 36 wide x 144 long for 15# and 72 long for 30#. Consider other underlayment options as needed, such as rubber or tar products.

Don’t Miss: A And J Roofing Contractors Inc

Tips For Calculating Roof Area So Youll Know How Many Bundles Per Square Youll Need For Roof Area Coverage

So you need a new roof, whether its to adorn your newly built home or to replace your existing roof. Like most North Americans, youve wisely decided to go with asphalt shingles due, in large part, to their vast range of styles and color blends. Like most of your neighbors, you plan to have the shingles installed by a professional roof contractor who will handle all the material calculations however, the information below will help you understand how to estimate the amount of shingles and accessory materials you need for your roof.

Calculating how many shingles you need for your roof is very similar to calculating how much carpet you need for your floors or how much wallpaper you need for your walls simply determine the area of the roof and divide by the area covered by each package of shingles.

Sounds simple, right? The only hard part is getting the actual measurements, and there are various ways to do this. Most likely, the roofer will physically get on the roof and, using a good old-fashioned tape measure, measure the areas of all the various roof sections and total them together. Of course, if the house is a new construction, these values will be readily available from the architectural drawings.

Recommended Reading: Shingling A Shed Roof

The Definitive Guide To Gutter Sizing

Five-inch K-style gutters or 6-inch half-rounds, the most common residential sizes, are able to handle the rainfall on most houses in most parts of the country. But houses with big, steep roofs or those located in climates prone to heavy downpours may need wider gutters and extra downspouts to keep rainwater from overflowing.

To figure out what size gutters you need, first youll need to calculate the square footage of the gutters drainage area. For a simple gable-end roof, you would only need to make two calculations, one for each slope. Hip roofs and intersecting roofs have multiple facets, and for those youll need to add up the area of each surface within a drainage area to get the total square footage.

Read Also: What Is The Best Roof Cleaner

How To Remove Snow From Your Roof

Once youve determined that the snow load capacity has been reached, you should remove snow with caution. Make sure to secure ladders if you use them and have a plan for where the snow will go once its removed. Piling snow against your house isnt a good idea from a moisture management perspective, so you should keep snow drifts clear of your foundation wall as much as you can. Also, stay clear of icicles and packed snow that can cause injuries as they fall.

If you have a one- or two-story home, you might be able to remove some snow with a roof rake. These are specially designed to be gentle on your shingles, but if you dont have a roof rake, you can carefully use a snow shovel or a push broom and a ladder to remove snow. Whatever tool you decide to use, you should leave a bit of snow on the roof, partially to avoid damaging your shingles, and partially to keep some insulation between your roof and the elements. If you cant clear the whole roof, do the best you can. Relieving some of the weight will help, even if you cant do it all.

How Can I Build A Simple Roof Truss

Large Rectangle Pitched Roof 1800 x 2400mm

The easiest way to build a simple roof truss is as follows:

  • Measure your roof to determine how big a truss you need.
  • Select the type of roof truss.
  • Design your roof truss and make a detailed sketch with the dimensions and angles marked.
  • Cut your wood truss pieces to size using a jigsaw.
  • Fit together pieces in the desired shape.
  • Combine truss components using adhesive and plates.
  • Recommended Reading: How Expensive Is A Metal Roof

    Factors That Determine The Cost Of A Roofing Square

    Roof pricing is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

    • Your homes geographic location
    • Your roofs size
    • Roofing material
    • Material quality
    • Current market for roofing materials
    • Length of warranty after the replacement
    • The contractors experience level and certifications
    • How quickly you need the roof replaced

    How To Accurately Measure A Roof From The Ground

    What Im about to share with you is one of the best kept secrets for measuring residential roofing jobs without your feet leaving the ground. If you are not the owner of a residential roofing company then you most likely havent heard of this before. This was taught to me, several years ago, by one of my roofing subcontractors. It is a super-simple way to quickly and safely measure the size of just about any style of asphalt shingle roof. Did I mention that it is highly accurate, as well?

    The first technique is referred to as the Shingle Count Method, which is used for estimating the measurements of all rectangular-shaped sections of a roof.

    To sum it up, each individual tab on a 3-tab shingle measures approximately 12 wide by 6 high. I typically begin by counting the # of shingles from left to right, which gives me the total width of the section . And then I will count the # of rows of shingles between the gutter and the peak of the roof and then divide the number by 2, which gives me the height measurement. Then I simply multiply the two numbers together and the result is the total square feet of this particular section. I would then, of course, proceed to do the same thing for each of the remaining sections.

    For Hip Roofs, I measure the length of the house and then I measure the width. I then multiply these 2 numbers together and I take that number and multiply it by 1.35.

    I hope you find this info to be as time-saving and helpful as I have.

    Don’t Miss: How Much New Roof 1500 Square Feet

    How Many Solar Panels Do I Need

    Choosing the right solar system size for you depends on a few things where your house is located, how much electricity your home uses per year and the local price of electricity from your utility. Before you order, Tesla will show you the system size that is expected to save you the most money based on your inputs. You may decide to choose a different size if you expect your electricity usage to change.

    What Is A Roofing Square How Big Is A Square Of Shingles

    How To Build A Small Roof – Valley Roof Framing

    A common question we get at Roofing Solutions is to define the term roofing square.

    Whats a roofing square? How big? In feet? In yards?

    In the roofing industry, the term square is unique. It does not refer to squared feet. Nor does it refer to squared yards.

    Instead, a square is a term of measurement all its own. One roofing square is equal to 100 square feet.

    So, in a sense, were talking about square feet, but using this unit makes it easier to calculate the footageor required materials and cost of a roofing project.

    Also Check: How To Pick A Roofer

    What Is A Bundle Of Shingles

    A package of roofing shingles is called a bundle.

    How many bundles of shingles per square?

    Laminate or architectural shingles, one of the most common types of roofing shingles, are generally packaged in three bundles per square:

    3 bundles = 1 roofing square

    So in the 2400 square foot gable roof example, you would need 72 bundles of shingles .

    Here are a couple more examples:

    How Far Can A Roof Rafter Span

    The maximum span of a roof rafter is based on the size, spacing and species of wood used along with the design loads applied to the roof system and whether the ceiling is attached to the rafter or not. The prescriptive tables found in Chapter 8 of the International Residential Code can be used to determine the maximum span of a roof rafter.

    Recommended Reading: How To Take Shingles Off A Roof

    Calculate The Slope Of The Roof

    The next piece of information you need is the slope of the roof. Finding the slope is important because so far, weve only figured out how big the roof would be if it were flat across the footprint of the house. Since residential roofs are usually sloped, creating more space on the roof surface than if it were flat, you need to account for the extra square footage.

    Image credit: Roofing Calculator

    As you can see in the image above, finding the slope is based on the geometry of a right triangle. The slope is the longest side of the triangle , and the rise and run make up the other sides, forming a right angle. When finding the slope, the run is always going to be based on 12 inches. So you just need to determine the rise and youll be all set.

    There are a few ways to do this without getting all the way up on the roof. The first is to measure from inside the attic if you have access. Heres how:

    • Gather up a level, a tape measure, and a pencil.
    • Measure 12 inches from one end of the level and make a mark.
    • Place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level, using the bubbles as a guide.
    • Measure vertically from the 12-inch mark on the level straight up to the underside of the rafter. This is the number of inches the roof rises in 12 inches and is called the slope.

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Most Popular