Roof Joists Or Rafters

In traditional timber they are nominally 2 inches thick and typically 8 to 10 inches wide.

Roof joists or rafters.

Rafters are the building components that run diagonally from the wall plate to the apex of a roof structure. Similarly ceiling joists are the planks of wood that create the flat surface of your attic floor or top story ceiling. Roof rafters are lengthy planks that support the roof sheathing. A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members that extend from the ridge or hip to the wall plate downslope perimeter or eave and that are designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads.

Rafter ties help tie the roof rafters together structurally eliminating the need for ceiling joists. There is no difference in the quality of roofing provided by both. Rafters form the foundation for attachment of the roof boards onto which the final roof covering is fixed. Building with them is known as stick framing.

Ceiling joists can be on both low sloped roofs and high sloped roofs and help to prevent racking and spreading of your rafters or walls which could lead to sagging. This means that each rafter is built on the job site using dimensional lumber. The rafter tie is attached to the top of the rafters such as the topmost point in a cable or hipped roof. Roof rafters don t need to be parallel to ceiling joists when rafter ties are used.

Rafters are the traditional means of framing a roof. Every piece is measured cut and fastened together to form the rafter. A pair of rafters is called a couple. They are important load bearing structural elements that hold up both the weight of the ceiling materials for the floor below as well as the weight of any objects or people that may be housed within.