I’m building a home that is 40’X40′ in the Southeast. I had planned on a hip roof on all sides. My boss (wife) has decided she wants opposing gables on two sides. Since we plan large open spaces below the attic, I designed the ceiling joists to run in a direction that turns out to be parallel with the ridge of this new gable roof. Therefore, the ceiling joists will not act as rafter ties as I would prefer. She wants this orientation of the roof and does not want a support post in the hallway.
If I stiffen up the ridge beam and support it well, will the attic room decking be enough to hold the inward pressure on the walls from this gabled section? Know what I mean?
Replies
"Know what I mean?"
No
Does your wife knoiw that the laws of gravity don't really care what she wants?
Given unlimited reserves of cash, it is possible to ignore the laws of gravity. Anything is possible, but...
"she wants opposing gables on two sides"
are these two sides opposite or perpendicular to one another?
"large open spaces"
how large?
" not want a support post in the hallway."
It might be hard to walk around a post in the middle of a three foot wide hallway. Maybe she's got something there!
"If I stiffen up the ridge beam and support it well, will the attic room decking be enough to hold the inward pressure on the walls from this gabled section? "
How stiff? Four good drinks and a centerfold?
Won't you get tired standing there supporting it well?
What do you mean by inward pressure? Wind load?
Sorry to be facetious but there is a world of information missing and this is a complicated engineering scenario. You need someone with expertise invoved. It is not a DIY solution. The pro can speak professionally to your wife's dedmands without worrying about her reaction to not getting what she wants. Is cost any concern?
I don't do much with trusses but it seems to me that a visit to a truss plant or their representative would be a good choice.
Excellence is its own reward!
Hire an engineer to spec a ridge beam posted in your gables....however at 40' I wouldn't want to be the guy who has to set that ridge. Pretty general....yeah...but as Piff stated there's loads of information missing. As a framer who usually only has to dead with the backlash of homeowner ideas I absolutely LOVE the age old battle of the determined female's vision vs the laws of gravity. It's such a wonderful thing to watch unfold.
depending on her desired floor layout, the ridge beam could be short segments and supported on posts - but maybe that's where the hallway is
I further imaginew that she wants a window right where the end posts would be.
Where's Boss? He sometimes doesn't get here on weekends..
Excellence is its own reward!