Roof Joists Or Rafters

Roof rafters don t need to be parallel to ceiling joists when rafter ties are used.

Roof joists or rafters. Building with them is known as stick framing. Rafters are the building components that run diagonally from the wall plate to the apex of a roof structure. This means that each rafter is built on the job site using dimensional lumber. Rafters form the foundation for attachment of the roof boards onto which the final roof covering is fixed.

In traditional timber they are nominally 2 inches thick and typically 8 to 10 inches wide. Similarly ceiling joists are the planks of wood that create the flat surface of your attic floor or top story ceiling. A pair of rafters is called a couple. Ceiling joists can be on both low sloped roofs and high sloped roofs and help to prevent racking and spreading of your rafters or walls which could lead to sagging.

Rafters are roof beams that slope from the ridge beam to the top of the wall and have been used since older times. The rafter tie is attached to the top of the rafters such as the topmost point in a cable or hipped roof. From the quality point of view both rafters as well as trusses are equally good. There is no difference in the quality of roofing provided by both.

In home construction rafters are normally made of wood. Rafters are the traditional means of framing a roof. They are important load bearing structural elements that hold up both the weight of the ceiling materials for the floor below as well as the weight of any objects or people that may be housed within. A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members that extend from the ridge or hip to the wall plate downslope perimeter or eave and that are designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads.