Gable Roof Ceiling Joist Layout

If you are framing a cathedral ceiling there are a couple ways to deal with the need for rafter ties.

Gable roof ceiling joist layout.

Gable roof plate top layout. Truss design spacing engineered roof trusses are carefully designed structural assemblies that include roof rafters which in truss designs are called top chords and ceiling joists which are called bottom chords in one pre fabricated unit. If you want a simple roof go for a gable. Joists tie into the roof rafters and some times need to be trimmed a bit to follow the slope of the roof.

Let s consider a basic gable wood roof framing design. Learn a little more about how to frame and build a home or structure constructed out of wood lumber or even engineered lumber. A structural ridge is the standard alternative to ceiling joists. Rafter ties or ceiling joists acting as rafter ties are required by code unless the house is designed so that the walls or a structural ridge beam carries the full load of the roof.

The angles are basic and even the ceiling framing is a snap because it generally runs parallel to the rafters. This is to let the common rafter fit in between later. Use a 2 6 for the first ceiling joist laying it flat on the end wall. The image below shows a cross section of our simple 12 x 13 house from the joist span tablessection of this tutorial.

In this design the tops of the rafters attach to a load bearing ridge beam that runs along the length of the roof. Laying out your ceiling joist and figuring out whether you will but them over a wall or lap them. Remember to mark and cut your ceiling joists with their crown up. Otherwise they ll stick up above the slope of the roof.

When constructing a gable roof the ceiling joists are laid out slightly differently. Along the top center of the house there is a beam to which are attached the rafters. Ceiling joist layout and gable roofs conventional house framing. Depending on the building design finished ceiling surfaces may be affixed to a ceiling joist at the bottom of the roof triangle giving a flat ceiling between the opposing building walls or the ceiling may be affixed partly to the under side of rafters and partly to the under side of rafter ties giving a cape cod type ceiling design.

If you are using 2 8 joists and 2 6 rafters for example the joist ends need to be clipped as shown in the drawing above. This is a short description of three methods for installing ceiling joists beneath a hip roof where rafters near the wall line don t provide much room to work. Trusses also include reinforcing members between the top and bottom chords to add strength to the truss. This video applies to gable.