How Thick Should Roof Sheathing Be

Never attach roof sheathing with staples.

How thick should roof sheathing be.

The typical thickness range for sheathing is 3 8 to 3 4 inch. Roof sheathing comes in grid marked 4 by 8 foot sheets and should be installed perpendicular to the frame. With this thickness any deflection under dead loads only the weight of materials only should prove to be imperceptible. 8d ring shank nails should be used instead.

You need to find a sheathing with a span rating of at least 32 16 which means either 15 32 or 1 2 thick osb. This minimum will only work if the rafters are set 16 inches apart at most and if the roof doesn t have too much load. Roof sheathing thickness unlike with plywood siding the plywood sheet to be used for sheathing should be at least 3 8 inch thick. The most common scenario is a home that has rafters set approximately 16 inches apart.

Sheathing should be a minimum of 19 32 inch thick. The typical thickness of roof sheathing is about 7 16 inch which is just under 1 2 inch. In this case plywood should be a minimum of 3 8 inch thick. The answer depends mostly on how far apart the rafters are and the roof loads which vary based on the pitch of your roof.

That s considered to be the minimum. That will suffice on a roof with rafters set 16 inches apart with minimal roof loads. An exception to this standard however may occur if you intend to install slate concrete or tile shingles on your roof. Loads will vary with the pitch of the roof.

Most roofs will be sheathed in plywood at least 3 8 inch thick. Roof sheathing standard roof sheathing which consists of 4 by 8 sheets of plywood or oriented strand board or osb is 1 2 inch thick and attaches directly to the roof rafters or the roof trusses. Wind gusts can then blow these poorly fastened shingles off your roof. Creating a solid substrate.