Shed roofing has become popular because of its inherent cost-effectiveness and simplicity. In addition, the rafters of a shed roof with a slope hold firmly on the house if they rest on walls of different heights and have less wind load. This gives the structure a peculiar aesthetics and increases the service life.
This version of roofs is widely used in the construction of cottages. To do this, you need to orient the slope of the shed roof to the windward side, then you get maximum protection from natural influences.
Practicality, lower price and a minimum of materials attract builders and their customers to do-it-yourself shed roof device.
Experts say that the installation of a shed roof truss system is simple, that non-professional people can carry out its installation.
Of course, safety precautions for working at height still need to be observed. This requires strong ladders and life belts.
The shed roof scheme allows more rational use of the volume of the room, since there is practically no attic, and there are no rooms with uncomfortable attics.
Very often shed roofs are used in the construction of garages, various outbuildings and sheds.
To refresh the design and in order to save money, the installation of a shed roof is also used in residential buildings. Sometimes this is due to the requirements for construction in a given area, in order to minimize the discharge of snow and water onto the roadway.
It is customary to cut several options for shed roofs:
- ventilated;
- not ventilated.
Second do-it-yourself shed roof option used in the construction of terraces. For this option, the slope is 3-6%. Even flower beds, shrubs, pools, etc. are located on the terraces. However, this requires more care in the winter.
In other cases, ventilated pitched roofs are used. The slope is generally within the range of 5% to 20%. The void between the hydro and thermal insulation layers increases the life of the building due to ventilation.
At the same time, holes are made on the sides, which allows you to ventilate the roof, regardless of the direction of the wind.
There are also combined roofs in which thermal insulation simultaneously sets the angle of inclination.
Thus, they form a small angle of inclination of a shed roof, however, having saved on the structure, we lose in operation: in a snowy winter, we have to constantly clean the accumulated snow.
For dachas, the installation of a shed roof allows you to build a house more cheaply, saving on materials and the cost of work.
Shed roof rafters
The shed roof truss system is the skeleton of the roof.
The task of the system is to evenly distribute the weight of the roof, the wind load and the load from precipitation on the support.
The design calculation of a shed roof should take into account the indicated loads with a margin. Recently, the maximum thickness of daily precipitation growth has increased, and strong winds have become more frequent.
Moreover, due to the low windage, flat roofs can withstand a greater load, compared to other options.
Inclined shed roof - the design depends on:
- from the plan of the walls chosen for the support,
- attic floors and intermediate walls,
- the external form of the building,
- maximum span distance.
Rafters are divided according to the type of attachment to the supports into:
- hanging,
- oblique,
- sliding.

Sliding rafters rest on a log in a ridge (Mauerlat), and are connected to the walls by means of the so-called "sliders". These types of rafters have a place in log houses.
This is necessary to compensate for the relatively large shrinkage of the frame, so as not to break the structure at the joints.
The leading element of the inclined rafters is their "legs", which rest at an angle on the outer walls. From above, they are connected together and rest on a beam, which is supported by uprights and struts.
The struts, in turn, are supported by partitions or external load-bearing walls.The basic distance between the individual truss systems is selected from 60 to 140 cm, depending on the thickness of the tree and the roofing material.
The thickness of the tree depends on the total area, and therefore the load on the roof. This includes not only the weight of the roofing material, but also the weight of the snow expected in winter.
A crate is laid on the rafter legs for attaching the roofing "pie".
The structure rests on walls of different heights. True, such a drawing of a shed roof is used more often for outbuildings than for residential buildings.
Advice. Don't forget to turn the slope to windward.
Look carefully at the drawing of the shed roof. It turns out that the most difficult structure to build is hanging rafters.
If there is nothing to lean on for the rafters between the extreme supports, hanging rafters are used. Each truss is assembled in the same plane with its crate on the ground, and then the assembled truss rises assembled to the top of the building and is installed on supports.
In this case, it is necessary not only to raise the structure, but also to move it to both supports. This is the most time-consuming operation, especially for large spans.
Attic boards are then nailed to the screeds, which simplifies the further work of the builders.
For load-bearing elements of the roof, coniferous wood is more often used, but reinforced concrete and metal are also used. For rafters, the section of boards 50 by 150 mm is considered optimal, and the crate is assembled from bars 50 by 50 mm.
Advice. Do not forget about the relationship of the complexity of the roof with the cost of construction and operation.
Shed roof schemes

Consider the main properties and advantages of pitched roofs.
- The most economical type of roofs. In treeless areas, wood is more expensive. And the design of the single-roller allows you to reduce wood consumption up to three times.
- Such roofs have a small angle, respectively, less windage. This allows you to maximize the use of the volume of the room, there is practically no attic, so the so-called.
- Often such roofs are used in outbuildings, where the slope is provided simply by different wall heights.
- In residential areas, there is sometimes a requirement that the discharge of snow and water from roofs on one side (for example, the roadway) is prohibited. In such cases, just use a pitched roof.
In addition, curbs are often placed on such roofs to prevent wind blowing. The border is built only on the waste side. The rest of the parties are under his protection. The curb itself is protected with tiles or galvanized iron so that the wall does not get damp.
Depending on the material of the roof, the minimum angle of inclination of the roof changes:
- if roll materials are used, even only 5 degrees is possible;
- for metal tiles you need at least 30 degrees.
- if the climate is humid, there is a lot of precipitation, then 45 degrees will not hurt.
The most popular pitched roof is the ventilated design.
The air layer with constant circulation increases the service life, since the wind always helps to dry the structure, and there is no dew.
Roof material depends on the type of room. If these are utility rooms, you can use the coating with slate, tiles, and roofing material. But when using metal and other heavy coatings, it is necessary to further strengthen the structure.
Contact the experts for advice when you make the calculation of the rafters of a shed roof.This will help to avoid further problems with frequent repairs after a stormy weather.
The roof is constantly working to protect your buildings, all year round, in heat and cold, in drought and in the rainy season.
For this reason, after strength, carefully consider attaching the shed roof rafters to the supports on the walls of the building.
On the one hand, they must ensure a strong attachment of the roof to the house under wind loads, and on the other hand, they must not prevent the thermal expansion of the rafter elements when heated by scorching heat or cooled by frost. For this, so-called sliding fasteners are used.
Do-it-yourself shed roof

Due to the simplicity of the design, a pitched roof is easy to make yourself.
- Start your project by calculating the angle of inclination, as the most important indicator in the design. A large angle increases the reliability of the structure. This becomes clear if we take into account the decrease in the pressure force of atmospheric precipitation at steep angles of inclination.
In Russian conditions, snowfall is the main determining condition. True, if you want to make a habitable space on the roof, such as a tennis court, a swimming pool or just a summer recreation area, then in winter you will often have to pick up shovels for cleaning in order to remove snow from the roof. All these ideas require a small angle of inclination of the roof, almost imperceptible. You can not clean the snow, then get ready to do roof repairs.
- The second important point is the choice of material for the roof. If corrugated board is selected, the angle should be more than 20 degrees. Otherwise, the snow weight will push through the roof, or, again, a shovel in hand to change activities.
The metal tile does require an angle of at least 25 degrees in order to reduce the load on the rafters and the crate.
- After determining the required angle, calculate the roof rise on the rear side. This is how high the back wall should be.
- The frequency of rafters depends on the weight and material of the roof. When you put the rafters, the installation of the transverse roof structures begins. Similarly, the frequency of the lathing is determined by the material of the roof.
- The frame of the rafters should be built from dry and sanded wood. Treatment with protective agents against rot and bugs is necessary. Modern means at the same time provide fire protection. To minimize work at height, for obvious reasons, the parts are processed first, and then the rafters are assembled. You may need additional processing at the joints.
After checking for a complete assembly by inspection and reeling, we proceed to the roofing:
- First lay a layer of waterproofing. It protects wooden parts and significantly increases the life of the rafters.
- They begin to fasten the elements of the roof from the bottom of the rafters, gradually moving higher. The upper elements are reinforced not in a joint, but with an overlap.
- Joints, especially along the rise line, must be sealed with special care.
That's actually all. Special skills and abilities were not required. Are you convinced that you can do everything yourself?
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