Thursday, April 11, 2024
HomeBuildHow To Build A Roof Over Your Deck

How To Build A Roof Over Your Deck

Two Videos Cover How To Build Patio Roof Attached To House

How To Frame A Roof Over A Deck | Outdoor Kitchen Part 2

The quick take:

Design the new patio roof to fit in visually as well as functionally. Work from the view, back instead of from the house, out.

  • Calculate the sightline clearance height, about 6 feet, 2 inches, in this case.
  • Determine the beam size: 8 inches in this case.
  • Choose a roof pitch and roof structure

Then integrate the new roof with the old by stripping the old roofing and flashing the new layover roof into the existing roofing underlayment.

Why A Deck Roof

  • A roof over a deck or patio adds a huge value to the usefulness of your new deck or patio, instantly turning it into an outdoor living area
  • Much cooler under the roof than in the open, increasing the enjoyment of your deck ten fold.
  • Install curtains under the header of the roof for privacy, shade, or as a wind breaker, all reasons that will increase the value of your deck or patio.
  • Lights installed in the ceiling creating area lighting that allows the playing of games, cards, puzzles, reading or casual conversation well into the evening.
  • Screen in the sides for a comfortable outdoor area without those annoying, pesky bugs. Sit outside well into the evening without a single bug bite.
  • Install a gas or wood burning fireplace to increase the ambiance and allowing a romantic evening area that continues well into the colder months.
  • Install that flat screen TV to enjoy your football or baseball game.

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Building A Roof Over A House Deck: A Simple Step

Whether you can build a roof over a deck is a question a lot of people ask, alongside can a deck support a roof?

The short answer is yes, you can build a roof over your deck. Whether your deck can support a roof, however, is a different question. Although most decks can support a roof, some cant. Building a roof over a weak deck is dangerous and may contravene local building codes.

Lets dive right in to determine whats allowed and whats not and, more importantly, how to build a roof on a deck where its allowed.

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Video : Construction Process When Tying A New Patio Roof Into An Existing Roof

The rough cut edges of the posts and beam were eased with a power planer and all of the material was prestained.

Because the posts are rough-sawn, custom post bases had to be fabricated. The post bases consist of a bottom plate and two vertical fins. The plate is bolted to the concrete with 5/8 inch expansion bolts.

The posts were cut to length, fastened to the post bases with lag bolts, and plumbed into position.

The horizontal beam was chamfered along the top at the bearing point of the rafters so that the rafters did not need a bird’s mouth cut.

The beam was temporarily braced in place and the two outer rafters placed into position to show how much of the existing roofing needed to be removed.

The eave was removed, truss tails cut off, and the exact bearing point of the rafters determined.

A continuous 2×6 ledger is placed between the two outer rafters, and the subsequent rafters were notched to sit atop the 2×6 ledger.

The ledgers were then fastened to the 2×6 with an 8 inch structural screw through the top of the rafter down into the 2×6 ledger.

Blocking between the rafters gives the wall below a clean termination point. The blocking is held low, to hide the roof/wall intersection and to provide a 1 inch air space at the top for a ventilation channel.

At the beam end, the rafters are fastened with a 10 inch structural screw through the top of the rafter into the beam.

Temporary bracing on the post/beam connections was then replaced with custom connection plates.

Size Matter With Deck Roofs Permits

When covering your porch or deck, there are three typical roof designs ...

The size of your deck roof will impact which permits will need to be applied for.

It is greater than 10 m2 .

ty of Calgary

Anything decks roof larger than 10 m2 will require a permit in Calgary. The same limit is in place in Toronto for deck roofs. So, if you keep it small, no need to apply for a permit, the same with decks. If a deck is less than 24 from the ground, no permit is required.

If the deck roof is not attached to the house, it becomes an outbuilding still requiring a permit but limited in scope and requirements. One caviar, the roof must be 1.0 m from the house. That puts a little damper on a deck roof put still is a simple permit process if designed correctly.

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Access To The Rooftop Deck Over An Attached Garage

This could be rather easy or a bit complicated. It really depends on the floor plan of the 2nd floor of your house.

OPTION 1

It would be just fantastic if a common area such as a living room, a dining room or even a hallway adjoins the Rooftop that you are planning to build.

In this case you could have a simple door or more grandiose French Windows as the way to access the Deck.

PROS: Easy Access, Easy Construction, Quick move back into the house if the weather changes.

CONS: Your guests will need to go through your house before they can get to the Deck.

OPTION 2

Another option would be to build a staircase, along one of the wall, inside or outside the garage, leading to the rooftop deck over the garage,

Building A Roof Over A Houses Deck: A Simple Step

For an outdoor living area in a private house, the idea to build a roof over your deck is a very useful way to make the yard attractive and much more comfier. What can be a better way to create a shade to protect you from exhausting summer heat? But along with this reason for installing the roof, it has got many other functional uses:

  • Gives you additional square footage for living area that can serve you up to three seasons
  • Keeping the bugs away on condition if combined with some anti-insect screens at the sides
  • Makes the zone more cozy and increases the aesthetics of the place
  • It makes your property uniquely stand out with design and planning which boosts its value on the market if you someday decide to sell the house.

Anyway, if you are already searching for the tips on how to build a roof over a deck, then youve, perhaps, thought about those advantages. But how to make this idea come true if you are just a beginner but, on the other hand, are reluctant to hire an expert roofer?

Dont worry because our guide will lead you through this process in the step-by-step guide. Yet, the first thing you should check out is whether your roof structure is able to support additional weight of the deck. For this, dont neglect your safety considerations and research the loading limit for roofs in your area. If you checked it and the location allows you to build an extra roof, start with the following steps.

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Benefits Of Building A Roof Over A Deck

  • Protection from the Element One of the top reasons for building a roof over a deck is for protection from the elements. Whether its the blazing sun, pouring rain or bad weather altogether, you can cover the deck area and still enjoy sitting outside and enjoying nature on a sunny or rainy day.
  • Unending Cookouts With a roof over a deck, you can enjoy barbecuing or grilling outdoors almost anytime you want. Even when the weather gets colder, youll still be able to grill burgers, chicken, ribs, brats or veggies and enjoy the taste of grilled food. Cooking time might be a tad longer, but its worth it to cook outside throughout the year.
  • Virtual Clothes Dryer If you hate using your dryer and watching your electric or gas meter spin, drying clothing under a covered deck roof is an excellent solution for hot or rainy days. You save on your energy bills when you dry clothes outside.
  • Cultivate your Plants When you want to start seedlings or just give your plants a taste of sheltered sun for growth, a covered deck is of significant benefit. While you enjoy the outdoors, your plants get tender loving care and daily sun, whether spring or summer.
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    Can I Build A Deck On My Rooftop

    DIY Patio Roof Build

    Can your roof structure support the additional weight? A building code official may be able to help you here. Or not. At a minimum, they will likely know what the loading requirements are in your area. You may also need a master builder or structural engineer to determine the loading capacity of your roof. They can determine whether your existing roof can support the extra weight of a deck. Never build a rooftop deck without checking this first.

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    The Procedure Of How To Build A Metal Roof Over A Deck

    Having a deck in your house can make your house special. Not only can you get some spaces to unwind, but decks can also be that space where you can hang out together with your family and friends during your day off or after-work hours.

    Its pretty common to see decks without roofing, and thats cheaper to have decks that way. If you want a more affordable option of roofing, consider having a metal roof over your deck. Heres how to build a metal roof over a deck.

    Should I Put A Roof Over My Deck

    A roof over a deck is a great option for people who want to use their deck rain or shine. Or, for those who live in very sunny and hot areas, it makes outdoor living more bearable by providing permanent shade.

    While a roof over a deck may not be ideal for all geographies or homes, having a covered space on the exterior of your house is practical for a variety of reasons:

    Pros

    • Potentially requires digging new footings for roof

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    How To Build Roof Over Deck

    A deck can transform your house, add extra living space outside, and boost the overall value of your home. The downside is that a deck isnt a permanent living space it is weather-dependent. Recently Ive seen some neighbors try to solve this problem with a roof. Ive considered it myself, but I wasnt sure exactly how to build a roof over a deck.

    To build a roof over a deck, you need to connect the new roof framing to the existing home. The easiest way is to use posts and beam construction with rafters connecting the beam to the home. Other ways involve removing a portion of the existing roof, adding trusses, and other framing options.

    In this article well cover all your options when it comes to adding a roof to your deck. While a deck roof entirely depends on how your current deck sits with your house, well also give a general overview of DIY deck room construction.

    Quick Navigation

    Bearing Location Of The Roof Over A Deck

    Building A Roof Over Deck

    For a concrete pad, you may be able to attach post brackets anywhere on the pad to support a small roof but not so with a deck. Installing a post on decking between joists will cause the weight of the roof to punch the post right through the decking. Causing the roof and deck to collapse. I dont know how many thousands of squash blocks I have installed in my career, but I assure you that whenever you have a focussed load, you need support directly under it. Either in the manner of additional beams or blocks to transfer the load. Decking alone cannot support the weight of a roof.

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    How We Settled On A Regular Roof With A Ridge Extension

    The final answer was to build a regular roof, with a ridge extending onto the garage roof. With a width of 12′ and a pitch of 4/12 that meant the ridge would have to be 2′ higher than the eaves of the garage: half the 12′ deck width is 6′, which means a 2′ rise. It also meant that the ridge of the deck roof would extend onto the garage some 6′, which was fine. Exact measurements were taken , giving an exact height for the ridge, and construction was finally able to begin.

    Speed Square

    A speed square is an almost indispensable tool when cutting rafters. Inexpensive and long lasting, a speed square quickly and accurately lays out the common angles needed to cut rafters for various pitches of roof. Make sure there is one in your tool kit before roof construction ever begins.

    A Bold Deck Roof To Show Off Your Personality

    If you love red or want to create an eye-catching deck, you can choose this deck roof idea. The red umbrella-like roof looks unique and bold.

    This deck roof offers you with enough shade during the day. However, it may not protect you well from rain. Therefore, you must choose your deck furniture carefully if you live in areas with lots of rain.

    All those deck roof ideas are attractive. Some of them require more maintenance than other deck roof.

    Therefore, you must also consider the maintenance of the roof along with the price and quality. As a result, you will get the best of your deck roof.

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    How To Build A Roof Over An Existing Deck: Step By Step

    In this guide, well go over how to build a deck roof over your deck. This step-by-step overview will cover the installation of a slanted deck roof. Gable and hip roofs will vary, particularly in how you connect their framing to your existing roof, but the construction of posts and beams will be similar to the slanted roof.

    Cut And Install Rafters

    build gable roof over deck / porch

    Cutting lumber and nailing it together is straightforward, but things change when constructing rafters. All the deck lumber, and the boards used to make the ridge and other framework for the roof, are cut at 90º angles, but the cuts on the rafters need to be made at the slope of the roof in this case a 4/12 pitch or about 18º. The use of a speed square, a special square for roof work, will make the task much easier and they are not expensive.

    The upper end of each rafter needed to be cut at 18º then so that it will fit square against the ridge. The lower end, sitting on what would be the top plate of a normal wall, needs to have a birds mouth cut into it to fit properly. The video below gives a good demonstration of cutting a birds mouth into the lower end of a rafter, and the photos show how it is fit and nailed into place.

    Rafters were made out of 2X4 lumber the span is only about 7,’ and a 2X4 will carry the wind and snow loads fine at that length. Rafters were fastened on 2′ centers, with one extra on each side of the roof located exactly above the front header as a nailing surface for sheathing to cover the front. Rafters were left long, in order that they could be matched exactly with the existing garage roof and cut to length after being installed . A 2X4 fascia was nailed across the ends of the rafters for a finished look on the eave of the new roof.

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    Can You Build A Roof Over An Existing Deck

    Can I put a roof over my deck? In most cases, yes! If youre looking to add a roof to your deck, you can do this by installing additional supports.

    How much does it cost to build a cover over a deck?

    In general, you should expect to spend around $1,000 to $4,000 depending on size and other factors. You can hire a professional deck building contractor to handle the project or save around $1,000 by taking a DIY approach.

    Also Check: How Do You Get Rid Of Squirrels In Your Roof

    Learn More About Installing Metal Roofing Over Shingles

    If youre interested in learning more about replacing your shingle roof with metal roof panels, were here to help.

  • Use the Find a Contractor feature on our website to find an experienced installer near you to get a quote for your project.
  • Whether youre a contractor already working with our team at McElroy Metal or are interested in using our products for your next project, contact us today to learn more or become part of our national network of distributors and contractors.
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    Easy Steps To Build A Roof Over A Deck

    1.Make a design plan + select the framing for rooftop deck

    The deck space should not only be visually attractive but functional too. Think whether you want it to be used for plantings, micro gardening, or make an exotic pergola. If you plan to create a sitting area underneath, try to design it wisely so that drains, for example, wouldnt spoil this area with the sight of them. If you dont know yet what to start with, be free to call expert designers to make the area an enjoyment for years to come.

    2.Decide on the rooftop deck framing.

    Most private house owners pick wood framing, sleepers, or aluminium joists in this case. Wood framing is a popular option for those who are lucky to live in the dry climate and whose roof is not afraid of handling the weight of the real wood. Otherwise, aluminum joists will save the situation they are lightweight, highly adjustable but might take more spendings than you expected.

    3.Think about clearing and decking for the rooftop deck.

    Some might also like polyvinyl materials which are tough and lighter than wooden decks. Another wighty reason for its crazy popularity is the ability to stop UV rays keeping the area cooler in summer.

    4.Count the number of deck sheets.

    Now, making the sheets fit with the rest of the houses roof is challenging. You need to make sure that the sheets overlap since the contraction of the roof under certain temperatures is highly possible. But once you know you have no gaps, its not the end.

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