How To Cut Roof Rafters For Shed Roof

Creating a birdsmouth cut is the classic way to prepare a rafter for a hand cut gable or shed roof.

How to cut roof rafters for shed roof.

Because a roof requires many rafters to frame it speeds things along if you use the first rafter as a pattern or template for the other rafters. For standard shed roof rafter spacing see rafter span chart. There is no standard spacing it depends on what size of rafters you want to use and the span of your shed. First cut your rafter boards to size using a circular saw to make sure they fit your roof.

On a shed roof rafter run is the distance from a ledger on the main building to the outside of an addition wall or porch carrying beam. Then assemble your rafter halves into trusses using plywood gusset plates and attach the end rafters to your shed frame. To cut roof rafters start by fixing the stair gauges on your framing square to the dimensions of your pitch. We need to adjust the total run 73 inches in our example by subtracting 1 1 2 inches the full thickness of the ledger adjusted run 71 1 2 inches.

Once you ve marked the lines use your pencil to draw the diagonal length on the rafter. In this video you will learn all about common rafters. Make a birdsmouth notch at the end of each rafter to help it fit into place. Next set the framing square on top of the rafter beam and use a pencil to trace the outside edge of the framing square s tongue.

The first step in building the roof rafters is to cut one rafter board to length with the ends angled properly and then to mark and cut the birds mouth and seat on the rafter. How to measure or figure rafter length and mark and cut them accurately.