I was wondering if anyone has experience building a curved roof (imagine straight 14′ wide gable roof 12:12 pitch with full radius curve at one end). And do you think this could be shingled with architectural high profile shingle? Right now the only option I can think of is to segment the roof around the curve but I was really trying to eliminate the hip ridge lines at the juncture of each segment with the next. I was really looking for the smooth curve of the roof around the radius. If anyone has any experience with this or can point me in the direction of an old article that would be great. I haven’t come across any in the archives but that may be due to the search words I am entering . Thanks to all for your assistance and input.
mitchels
Replies
I think I recall seeing something like this done in our favorite mag. a few years back. Or maybe it was another favorite mag., JLC
I've never done it, but here's what I recall.
ply ribs cut in a radius, fastened perdendicular to the rafters, between each rafter. Creates an armature over which was nailed layers of 1/2" ply, which bent fair to the curve.
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
I've done a curved roof in a similar manner. I started out by drawing and snapping a full sized section of it on the second floor's plywood. The archy had specced two underlying sets of rafters at different pitches. I then drew out the specced radii above the rafters. With them drawn out, I laid out 16 in. centers (Maybe 12 in. ?) along the length of the rafters, and was able to determine the size and top angle of the purlins that would support the deck. Because one of the two radii was quite tight, I ran a double layer of 3/8 in. CDX as sheathing rather than a single layer of 1/2 in.
That all took some time, but the look was cool.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
How do you snap the curved lines? ;)View Image
What are you the only guy with out a curved chalkbox."There are about 550000000 firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every twelve people on the planet. The only question is...........How do we arm the other eleven?" Yuri Orlov<!----><!----><!---->
If you don't know how to do that, you must not even be qualified to ask the question. <G>Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Easy as pie on a windy day.LOL
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" the best investment in life, is a handle on love''
I'd love to see a pictureJake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
Dead flat calm here, no chance. And I left all my chalk in my Amish chalk box, no photos , lest I be shunned.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" the best investment in life, is a handle on love''
I would settle for a picture of a curved roof that fits the description the OP is discussing...;)Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
LOL..I thought the line..DOH!
Me too, if Andy has a finished shot.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" the best investment in life, is a handle on love''
Andy, any pics of that roof? Sounds very cool.
Curve in two axis?
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
If you take a look at the posting pictures thread, you'll see I'm at Zak's mercy. Two axis isn't quite right. A convex curve blends into a concave curve. It was pretty cool nonetheless. I lost my shirt on the job, but it was fun.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Sorry it took me a couple hours to get back to this. On the other hand, I saw a great bluegrass concert tonight.
Nice work Andy. By the way, I know how to spell your name, but the file name thing changed my apostrophes to xs.
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Thanks for posting them Zak. Glad to hear you enjoyed the concert, as well.
For anyone who's confused, the roof and the ceiling are different bits of the same house. They were both pretty cool to do.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Andy, that is pure talent right there. Awesome work.View Image
Coming from you, that's high praise. Thanks.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Now I see. The description of two different rafter pitches threw me off.
Very nice work. Even if you lost your shirt on that one, you got some "psychic income" from the fun. Must be one heck of a house.
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
It was a very cool house. I enjoyed framing it, but underbid it so badly I had to go to work at Fine Woodworking for a year to recover. But, I learned a lot, and worked with two of the best helpers I'd ever had. One's a talented carpenter with an un-matched work ethic and a quiet sense of humor. The other was a recent college grad who'd been to stunt-man school and knew little of carpentry, but learned quickly. Both really good guys who made losing my shirt fun.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
A stuntman could be very handy on a residential construction site.
EDIT: In fact, many days I wish I could send my stunt double in to work for me!
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Edited 3/19/2006 11:10 am ET by dieselpig
He was very useful. We'd have Justin store all the ladders on the second floor at the end of the day, then he'd slither down. Come moring, he'd shinny back up. Occasionally, we'd get a backflip out of him. He could stand by the rear wheel of my F-250, and jump into the bed without using his hands other than for balance. Amazing stuff.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
I used to be able to do that until the day my shoes were a quater inch too long.That was rough on my shins, my nose, and my chin, not to mention my ego. haven't tried it since
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I've never been able to do that. I can usually move heavy things, though.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Your roof looked like it made for a great interior when it was done. Any way that you could "relay post" a finished picture?When I read and reread the original post I come away with the impression that he wants the roof to externally end in a half cone. That's why the question about the architectural shingles. I suspect the wall below is round too.
M: Got your ques., but I'll post here.
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
Edited 3/19/2006 4:48 pm ET by philarenewal
thanks, I think I understand now. From what I can determine, the framing will be a bit tricky but like you said, the smaller the increments of rafter spacing, the less noticable the segmented roof. And let the roof plys hopefully take out any "ridges" at the seams, so to speak. I'm wondering how the shingles can be cut to work around the curve and if this would look decent in the end. I k now a metal roof can be cut to work around a curve. I'm continuing my research and hope this is possible. I may need to bite the bullet and accept a segmented curve of sorts in as little segments as we can get. thanks again for your input.
mitchels
No problem. But thank Andy -- I'm pretty sure it was something he wrote that gave me the idea. The pictures put it over the top -- Eureka!
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
Great! Post pictures when you're done.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
By the way, and I don't know if this will help your situation, but the ribs in that dome ceiling were just doubled up 3/4 plywood. The radius was large enough that I could cut them out with a circ saw whose blade was set just barely deep enough to cut all the way through. Smoked a couple of blades, but way faster than a jigsaw.
And yes, that dome got plastered. I have no finished pics because I left that job after completing the framing.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
We recently did a curved "half cone" roof of the back of a house similar to what you are talking about here. Regarding the shingles. If you cut apart regular architectural shingles to help them be applied to the curved roof, you are seriously hindering the shingle's ability to resist uplift.
I looked into it and many shingle manufacturers will not warranty thier product if you cut them up to act as individual shingles. That's not to say it cant be done. I would put ice and water over the entire thing. If you try to install the shingles without cutting, depending on the radius, you will have a seriously incorrect looking roof. I would reccomend finding a very talented roofer, or I can guarantee you won't like the result.