How To Attach Roof Joists To Wall

If you decide on a shallow pitch porch roof use 2 by 6 foot rafters.

How to attach roof joists to wall.

There are basically 2 different ways to attach a roof joist to the top wall plate. Using a block of wood as a ruler mark the ends for cutting. The bracket is a better idea for the fact that is prevents any type of warping or rollover of the joist when it is under heavy load. If it is impossible to attach the ledger to a floor joist then fasten the ledger to wall studs which are generally located on 16 inch or sometimes 24 inch centers and doubled up around doors windows and other openings.

The joist can be toe nailed into the top plate or a joist bracket can be used. Use screws to secure the rafter to the sill plate. Measure and mark the location of the roof trusses. To cut sloping rafters for a house attached patio roof lay a rafter board so it rests on its edge on both the ledger and the beam parallel to the ledger.

Some building codes around the country require the use of a hurricane tie also shown above to add extra reinforcement for holding down roof trusses in the event of very strong winds. Secure it with a joist hanger using the hammer and nails. Toenail a truss into the top of the wall plate by nailing through the sides of the bottom chord at a 30 degree angle. Repeat this step to attach the remaining trusses.

Then force the rafter s tip snugly against the house wall. As with rafter style roofs toenailing is one of the most common ways of attaching a truss style roof to a wall plate. Another great way of attaching the truss end to the top wall plate is to use a simpson fastener shown in the picture above which you can find at your local lumber store. The porch roof may match the pitch of your home or have a more shallow roof pitch.

Temporarily nail or brace the ledger in place positioned and leveled at the desired height. Set the roof truss on each mark.