In Roof Construction No Ridge Board Is Needed

The ridge board is installed to provide a bearing point where the rafters meet and it also helps with alignment along the ridge.

In roof construction no ridge board is needed.

Collar ties rafter ties tension beams structural ridge beams. A proper beam would have a supporting post at each end. Rise and run means that a 6 12 pitch roof has 6 of rise vertical for each foot of run horizontal. The skylight house by cliff may below allows the roof peak to open up for natural light.

A ridge board is a non structural member that serves as a prop for opposing rafters to rest against and connect to. Ridge boards can only be used in roofs with slopes from 3 in 12 up to 12 in 12. This article describes and illustrates the different types of support that prevents roof sagging and wall bulging at buildings including definitions of collar ties rafter ties and structural ridge beams. Because the ridge board is a smaller member typically only an inch thick sometimes even less it is not a structural member and doesn t carry the gravity load.

Ridge boards shall be at least 1 inch nominal thickness and not less in depth than the cut end of the rafter irc section r802 3. It is true that no ridge board is needed if the pitch is steep and rafters are directly opposed. This can be accomplished with collar ties boards spanning the shed at ceiling height or with large gussets further up the rafter slope. Rmayo randy mayo p e february 5 2012 3 51pm 4 rick.

Ridge board the engineering principles of the ridge board are a bit more complicated. Some of these can support the roof and prevent ridge sagging and wall spreading. The difference between them is that a ridge beam is a structural member that bears half of the live and dead loads of the rafters on either side of it but a ridge board is not structural. Yes either a ridge board or a ridge beam is necessary and required by the building code where roof rafters meet at the the center of their span.

A ridge is not needed in some cases at all when the roof has a proper pitch and the rafters oppose each other. It is true that no ridge board is needed if the pitch is steep and rafters are directly. This is the only time a ridge board is not needed. Our roof rafter calculator tools are handy for calculating the number of rafters needed rafter length calculator lineal feet of rafter board feed in ridge and sub facia and the total board feet in the roof.