I’m building a 12′ x 15′ summer house with a hip roof. The rafters will be painted white and exposed, so I don’t want to have standard metal connectors showing. I will use rafter ridge straps connecting the common rafters that are perpendicular to the ridge board (going over the ridge board) and rafter ties near the bottom of the common rafters.

I have not been able to find examples/information concerning similar reinforcements for a hip roof’s hip sections (the ends of the roof along the long dimension). For example, is it advisable/OK to use a rafter ridge strap from the common rafter at the end of the ridge board, across the length of the ridge board, to the common rafter at the other end of the ridge board? My ridge board is only 3′ long, so it seems possible, but I have not seen an example or recommendation of this technique.

Similar question about using a rafter tie connecting the common rafter at the end of the ridge board to the common rafter at the other end of the ridge board? I’d prefer not to “clutter” my exposed roof with such a long board. I don’t want to use a standard hip/ridge metal connector because they aren’t attractive.

I’ve looked at many hip roof framing pics and they all have the hip ends without any tie rafters even when the hip sides do. Thanks for any help, examples or advice.