I am designing a house in Costa Rica. I am trying to figure out the roof. They don’t have summer/winter, so snow load is not an issue. They do have wet/dry. My pitch is 10 cm in 1 m, .1m/1m. Dead weight is a steel roof on 5/8 ply, plus rain. My maximum span is 5.02 m.
?
Humidity and mold are the problems. I would probably expose the framing. What would you recommend for rafters/trusses?
I look forward to your reply
Ken Sayers
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Replies
Do you have to concern yourself with wind loads? Is Costa Rica subject to hurricanes/typhoons/tropical storms, or is it too far off the normal track?
It is about 2.5 miles from the beach. The house will face west for ocean views and prevailing breezes. Huricane winds could become an issue as could huricane rain. It is about 300' elevation so "waves" will not be an issue. I intend to use huricane clips and see if Simpson really knows their stuff. I hope to frame/close in the rafters and allow ventilation through the screened clerestories and window/doors down below. While I am not phobic, their insects can be a bit more malevolent than those to which I am accustomed, The kind of window/doors I wish to use may be seen at http://www.nanawallsystems.com/index.htm My only connection to this company will be that of debtor. I will gain nothing from mentioning them. My floorplan and NW "elevation" are attached. I redid the windows in the laundry/sewing and need to update the elevations to reflect that change.
Rather than do a cut, I may build this post & Beam, but that is a whole 'nother set of questions later.
Thank you for your interest/help. ks
ken... last time we were in Coast Rica ('89) the vernacular architecture looked nothing like your design.. lots of open buildings.... exposed rafters.. no screens..
closest thing to my memory would be "american bungalow"
we went East Coast to WEst coast.. i don't remember bugs.. i remember lizards ( mebbe they got the bugs)..
lots of steel roofs.. light framing... large overhangs and pitched roofs.. my recollection would be 6/12 or greater..
me.. i would use local materials and local methods and local design..and probably local labor... great country.. great people
have fun... Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
That's what I was thinking ....
take a look at all the other houses ...
and if they're still standing after all these years ...
copy them.
the local style ... is usually there .... for a reason.
JeffBuck Construction, llc Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
My standard answer to most rafter questions is 2X12's every 2'. The 5/8's plywood will only span 2', not sure what that is in metric. 2X12's should span 15' since you have no snow load. Or were you thinking of using some thing bigger in size like beams?
Will you be buying this stuff locally( local mill) or getting it shipped in? Does it need to be treated because of the humidity or termites?
The recent This Old House is building in Bermuda, where construction uses masonry to address the issues of humidity, bugs and hurricanes.
>> ... uses masonry to address the issues of humidity, bugs and hurricanes.
But probably not roof framing.
Dunno, didn't see that part. But road bridges use concrete and steel, so I'd assume that roof framing could be done with similar technology.
Actually they did. The roof was poured (6" thich) over a 20ga corragated steel material that had lots of temporary support. After the concrete setup the supports were removed and the roof was supported by the walls, also concrete.
The corragation was such a shape that the interior plaster was done directly to the metal, no lumber at all.We are the people our parents warned us about. J. Buffett