Roof Ridge Board Joint

To begin the cuts overlap the ridge material with the crowns pointing in the same direction.

Roof ridge board joint.

If roof sheathing is cut and removed to achieve an air slot continuity and diaphragm action are affected. The rafters bear most of the weight of the roof. The ridge board holds them in place. 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.

Ridge board the engineering principles of the ridge board are a bit more complicated. A ridge board or beam runs through the tops of rafters or trusses from end to end along a gable roof tying those framing members together. The ridge board runs the length of the building and provides support for the tops of the rafters helping the whole roof structure work together as a system. A ridge board is a non structural member that serves as a prop for opposing rafters to rest against and connect to.

Part of a roof s frame a ridge board runs horizontally along the peak of a sloped roof. 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. The ridge board must be set as perfectly as possible so take your time and use careful measurements. Its only job is to provide a connection point for the roof joists on each side of the roof.

Ridge boards can only be used in roofs with slopes from 3 in 12 up to 12 in 12. This video shows how to make roof rafters with a rafter square and or a speed squ. Note holes should not remove more than half of the sheathing section note. To extend the material to the correct length i splice ridge boards with a v shaped joint as shown in the drawing.

Essentially the spine of a conventional stick framed roof the ridge board is sandwiched between the meeting ends of the roof rafters. My crew and i call this technique penciling the ridges after the big pencil shaped piece of wood that results when the cuts are made.