Hi All, I’m not a professional but I’m tackling building my own shed. I went down to a local shed place and scoped out how they put them together. I’m building a 10×8 shed. I framed the walls with 2×4’s and made the roof (6-in-10 pitch) out of 2×4’s also. I cut them at the angle necessary and attached them together at the top with a piece of 5/8″ plywood cut to act as a tie, (as I saw the shed manufacturer had done). My first question is, what is the best way to secure these? I sunk a nail on each side of the 2×4 at the top plate and drove one down by the birds mouth cut out but they don’t seem to solid. I used 10d 3″ nails is that alright? Should I brace these before I sheath the roof? I’m using 7/16″ OSB for the walls and roof. I would like to install the wall sheathing with the 8′ end standing, as that would eliminate seeeing a seam across the middle of the inside of the shed. Is that acceptable? I see most sheathing done with the length of the board running horizontal. I’m not sure if that matters but wanted to ask. One last question, what should I sheath first, the walls or the roof? I was thinking the roof would probably be more stable if i sheathed the walls first. I really appreciate any input.
Mickey
P.S. I give you guys credit that do this stuff everyday. It’s hard work. And this is just a darn shed.
Replies
If I understand your queary correctly, you are looking to strengthen the joint where the roof rafters sit atop the wall plate? Your local lumber yard should carry a few products to work in this application. Hurricane clips nail to the face of the wall framing and twist up to attach to the side of the rafter. Not sure of the exact name of the clips in which you actually sit the rafter tail before nailing to top plate.(May be too late for this application)
Regarding sheathing... walls before roof if only to ensure the structure is square and plumb. If you are planning to install siding to shed run sheathing horizontally. For a simple shed, Texture 1-11 is a "finished" sheathing that you can install vertically.
Best of luck to ya!
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Mickey:
I would recommend installing ceiling joists (if you haven't already).
The weight of a roof tends to splay the tops of walls outward. The gusset plates that you installed at the apex (if I understand what you've done), help here, but will not be a substitute for the ceiling joists. The ceiling joists and rafters form a very strong triangle that cannot be racked, etc.
It's easiest to just face nail the joists to the rafters. Lay them on top of the wall, and mark a small "dog ear" notch off the upper edge of each joist so that the corner won't interfere with the roof sheathing. Toe nail the joists to the wall plate, too, using 16d sinkers.
Additionally, you should put blocking between your rafters directly to the exterior side of the ends of the ceiling joists. This will help keep the rafters from twisting. You can put in the blocking after your wall sheathing goes up if you like.
Regarding the sheathing, whichever way you orient the panels, provide blocking at any unsupported edges. And remember to be sure that your walls are square before sheathing them by checking diagonals!
Good luck on your project!
Ragnar
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=24236.10
here's the link on a spiel on hurricane clips . Someplace in there is a link to Simpsons picuters of the various kinds. We used to always run the sheathing vertical before studies showed that horizontal gives nearly the same strength to resist racking. Most of these details won't really matter a hill of beans on a little old shed but the ceiling joist is a good suggestion. If you don't do that, I would use a collar tie partway down from the ridge to make that triangle.
Now if you really want to dig deep, either get a book on framing or search the archives here for words like Collar tie, structural beam, trusses, roof, etc.
Excellence is its own reward!
T- the ceiling joists in addition to increased stability will provide you with more storage space overhead for odds and ends.
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