The rise refers to the height of each truss, measured from the bottom of the roof segments to the top-most point or peak of the roof. Basically, each truss will be made of two rafters, making the width of the house the length of the run, times two. This measurement refers to the total length of each segment of the rafter. X Research source Rafters are carefully constructed geometrical structures that require careful planning to pull off. If you're going to cut your own rafters, or hire out a contractor to do it, the most important step in the process is measuring them correctly and calculating the size of the rafters that will be necessary for the home that you're building. Understand the different measurements you’ll need. Clerestory trusses are a-symmetrical, with one joist extending beyond the rest of the rafter to allow for a windowed-wall along the roof.Scissored trusses are recessed slightly in the center of the rafter, allowing for a vaulted ceiling indoors.

You can also have them constructed with 'room in attic' cut-aways to allow for livable space among the rafters. You can get these manufactured off-site or you can construct them yourself. Fink trusses are the most basic, consisting of a basic rafter, joists and jack supports.There are dozens of truss designs, but some of the most common for home building are discussed below. Partially, these will depend on the style of roof you've selected, but you'll also have some wiggle-room depending on the design elements of the house. The framing style of the roof refers to the actual components of each roofing truss and the design of the structural foundation of that roof. These roofs slope on all sides, creating a dynamic effect for the home, but requiring a large number of rafters be constructed of variable sizes to account for the slope.Ĭhoose the design of the roofing trusses. By including an extra joint in each rafter, a mansard roof slopes in such a way as to allow for living space in the area of the roof. A gable is an extended section of roof that extends from one wall, perpendicular to the roof. A-frames are tall, symmetrical frames, requiring only one type of rafter to be constructed. The way that you construct the roof and plan for its construction will depend most of all on how you want it to look. There are many different roof styles, some relatively straight-forward and others more complex, depending on the shape of the home and other practical concerns. X Research source If you want to frame a roof, you've got two important choices to make in terms of design before you get started: what kind of roof style you want, and what kind of truss you want to construct the roof from.

Rafter framing