Roof Ridge Beams

Timber steel framing manual single span ridge beam.

Roof ridge beams.

It s often just a nice way to bring the rafters together. You don t need a ridge beam but you do need a way to keep the walls from spreading. Glulam ridge beam span table elcho beams tables golagoon. A structural ridge beam is a horizontal beam placed at the peak or ridge of a roof and is designed to carry much of the live and dead loads or weight of the roof structure by itself.

Rafter to ridge beam connection framing roof ceiling construction structural ridge beam absolute deflection in a ridge beam structural ridge beam tricks of the trade. Now if you have done any looking around this site you ll quickly see that i am not a fan of using a ridge beam in shed construction. Mirrored pairs of rafters meet at a ridge and are connected across the base by a ceiling joist. A classic example of the exposed ridge beam structure can be seen on our magnolia residence which is currently in construction.

The difference between them is that a ridge beam is a structural member that bears half of the live and dead loads of the rafters on either side of it but a ridge board is not structural. Collar tie also collar beam in profile the framing of a conventional pitched roof forms a triangle. A ridge board isn t a beam per se. I always always build trusses.

The inherent strength and integrity of the triangular form makes the roof a sound structure. Ridge boards and beams in traditional house framing also called stick framing a basic roof frame consists of opposing pairs of sloping rafters that meet at their top ends at a ridge board or ridge beam. A ridge beam is a structural member used to support the ends of the rafters at the ridge transferring it s loads to posts or gable end walls. Yes either a ridge board or a ridge beam is necessary and required by the building code where roof rafters meet at the the center of their span.

Here s a picture of a gable style shed using a ridge beam. A proper beam would have a supporting post at each end. The ridge beam is typically a larger member like a 4 x 12 and carries the gravity load of the roof joists just as the bearing wall or header does at the envelope.