When I built my backyard guest cottage, I used long spikes to affix the rafters to the ridge beam, and plywood gussets to tie the opposing rafters together. The rafters, some of which had nasty twists in them, also needed to be blocked at the top and bottom to keep them straight. Always looking for a way to save a little time, I prefabricated some combination gusset/blocks out of 2x and 1/2-in. plywood scraps (see drawing). The length of the blocks equals the distance between the rafters, minus an inch to allow for two thicknesses of plywood. I used my pneumatic nailer to assemble the parts and nail them home. The system proved to be quick and sturdy. And instead of the typical steel-strap detail over the tops of the rafters, this method left the tops of the rafters clear for attaching the roof sheathing.
Ron Milner, Grass Valley, CA
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