Would you like a hipped roof to decorate your home? I will tell you how such a roof differs from other structures, and whether it is worth paying money for it. I will pay special attention to the features of the device of the truss system.
Design features
The hipped roof consists of four or more triangular slopes, which converge at one point in the upper part. The number of slopes is determined by the shape of the perimeter of the bearing walls.
For example, if the perimeter is made in the form of a simple square or rectangle, 4 slopes are used. If the perimeter of the bearing walls has a more complex configuration, the roof will be multifaceted and the number of slopes will be more than four.
The slopes can be of the same size or different sizes, the main thing is that they are symmetrical and their upper parts are connected at one point.
| Illustrations | Scope of hipped roofs |
 | Roofing system at home. Since tent structures are characterized by many advantages, the pyramid scheme is readily used in the construction of country houses and summer cottages. |
 | Assembly of garden arbors and other yard covered structures. Due to the fact that the assembly instructions are simple, the tent scheme is widely used in the construction of arbors and awnings. |
Advantages:
- Application versatility. Only a hipped roof is equally successfully installed on a house with a rectangular perimeter and on buildings with a perimeter of load-bearing walls in the form of a circle;
- Easy assembly. Despite the unusual appearance of the structure, it is no more difficult to build than a conventional gable roof. Therefore, if you wish, you can handle the construction yourself;
- Intense snowfall. Even with a slope of 20 °, the snow from the hipped roof will go down intensively. This means that you do not have to clear the snow with your own hands to reduce the mechanical load on the slopes;
- Better roof aerodynamics than other roof structures. This advantage is especially true in areas with high wind load. The wind blows over the tent from all sides without exerting excessive mechanical load, which is largely due to the absence of vertically located gables;
- Exterior attractive roof design. The hipped roof, both pyramidal and trapezoidal, looks the same from all sides and this distinguishes it favorably from other more traditional structures.
Flaws:
- Limited attic space. If a full-fledged attic can be arranged under a sloping roof, then the rafter system of the tent makes the attic unsuitable for arranging a living space. So if you need extra living space, think about it before building a hipped roof;
- The absence of a gable and, as a result, the high price of glazing. If you still decide to arrange a living space inside the tent, keep in mind that due to the lack of a gable, the glazing will have to be installed directly in the thickness of the roofing cake, and this is not easy and expensive.
The main elements in the truss system
| Illustrations | Name of the element and its purpose |
 | ridge knot. In conventional roofs, the function of the ridge knot is performed by a longitudinal beam. In the case of a tent on a vertical stand, the ends of the rafters are brought together by means of fixing hardware.
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 | B-pillar (headstock). This is the element on which the ridge assembly will be located, so the rack in the hipped roof structure is the most loaded element. In light structures, for example, when constructing gazebos, the central post may be completely absent, since the rafters transfer the load directly to the Mauerlat.In the roofing system of the house, the load is large, so the central rack is required. |
 | Mauerlat. This is a beam that is laid out on load-bearing walls and takes on the load from the rafters.
For a rafter system with a gable, two Mauerlats are used. Since the tent is a four or more pitched system, the Mauerlat is laid along the perimeter of the load-bearing walls. The ends of the bars are connected to each other in half a tree or in a paw. |
 | Rafter rafters (rafter legs). These are beams that are installed along the edges of the slope. That is, in each triangular slope there are two rafter legs, which are attached at one end to the ridge knot, and at the other end to the Mauerlat. |
 | Central rafters. This is a beam that is installed between two slanted rafter legs and the upper edge is attached to the ridge knot, and the lower one to the Mauerlat.
That is, if the slope is an equilateral triangle, then the line of the central rafters will be a bisector. The function of this element is to reduce the load on the ramp. |
 | Narozhniki. These are beams that are installed in the gap between the central and inclined rafters. In standard tents, sprigs are located parallel to the central rafters.
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 | Puffs (crossbars). The crossbar fastens the rafters and central rafters in the upper part, providing the slope with additional rigidity. Crossbars are installed on all four slopes and are combined at the ends with each other. |
 | Ties. These are horizontal beams that connect the lower edges of opposite rafters. To make the structure as rigid as possible, the ties pass through the bed and are fixed on it.
Screeds are installed in only one direction, as a result, the rafters are connected on two opposite slopes. |
 | Racks. These are vertical beams (struts), which are fixed at one end to the rafters, and at the other - to the screeds. Spacers can be installed vertically and diagonally. |
 | Sill. This is a bar installed parallel to two Mauerlats. If there is only one bed, then it is installed exactly in the center.
Often the bed is laid on the inner wall. The central beam rests on this beam, which forms a tent and screeds are attached to it. |
Recommendations for the calculation and arrangement of the truss system:
- If the length of the rafters does not exceed 3 m, a step of 1-1.3 m is maintained between them. If the length of the beams exceeds 3 m, the step between the rafters increases to 1.5 m.
- Regardless of the length of the rafters included in the drawings, it is not recommended to choose a step greater than 1.5 m.
- The angle of inclination of the slopes of a tent covered with ceramic tiles is 30°, covered with slate - from 20 to 60°.
- The angle of the slopes covered with bituminous tiles or rolled materials is from 10 to 30 °.
- For resistance to snow load, the best option is the height of the truss system, equal to half the length of the house.
- The size of the roof overhang should ideally be a tenth of the length of the load-bearing wall along which the Mauerlat is laid.
- For the manufacture of Mauerlat and bedding, hardwood timber with a section of 250 × 150 mm is used.
- For the manufacture of rafters and racks, a beam or board with a width of at least 100 mm is used.
- All connections in the truss system are made by means of perforated metal plates, threaded studs with nuts and large self-tapping screws.
Roofing pie construction
There is not much difference between a regular roof pie and a hipped roof pie. You must decide whether the roof will be warm or cold:
- If the design is warm, insulation and vapor barrier are laid in the gap between the rafters, a crate is stuffed from above and below and roofing material is laid;
- If the structure is cold, thermal insulation is laid out on the floor, while the slopes remain uninsulated.
Summing up
Now you know what a hipped roof is, what are its design features and on what basis it is built. Additional materials can be found by watching the video in this article. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments.
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