Hi guys…
Help! A newbie needs expert help and advice w/ a problem.
I’m building a 16’x24′ workshop at my place. The problem I have is the length of the ridge beam – it’s 26 feet. (24′ + a 1′ overhang each end.) Since there are no 26′ 2×8’s, I know I have to create one – but how? Do I:
A) splice two boards together w/ either mending plates and lotsa nails (or a wood splice) or
B) Make a double ridge beam similar to the way I built the beam under the floor? (using diferent length boards overlapping all joints.)
BTW, I’m using 2×8’s for the beam, 2×6’s for the rafters, 16″OC. Snow loads not an issue down here in Atlanta.
I’ve spent a lot of time wandering around houses under construction and can’t really ever remember seeing a double ridge beam before. And of course, there are no current construction projects nearby that I could go look at. Anyway, I’d greatly apreciate any advice you can offer. Thanks!!
Replies
Go to a lumber yard (Home Depot as a last resort) and order an LVL...it resembles a piece of osb plywood and can be bought in almost any length. Look in the yaller pages under lumber or even truss mfgr. The lumber yard can calculate the correct size, unless you just want a really long 2x8 then you can order whatever size you want.
Do it right, or do it twice.
We typically splice centered on a pair of rafters. But you can splice between rafters and block either side also. I can't think of an instance where it would matter structurally.
Tom
Yes, splice centered on a pair of rafters, and use a couple of those long narrow Simpson straps with all the holes across the top and bottom of the splice.
-- J.S.
Easiest way to lengthen the ridge isto scab the 2x8's together with plywood.You will have to cut a rafter short of the thickness of the plywood if the plylwood cleat falls on a rafter. Cut a prop to hold up the end of the long ridge and brace laterally so it doesn't fall over. There are other ways but this should be simplest way for you.
Mike
Do you need a ridge BOARD or a ridge BEAM?
What you're describing sounds like a ridge BOARD. I just generally splice em halfway between 2 sets of rafters.
Or maybe I've just seen it done that way. As everyone here knows, I would NEVER stick frame anything......................(-:
The mind is never blank. If it were, how would you know?
Go with elcid72's idea. It's the way I would go, [it's also the best]. Good luck.
Tejano --
Maybe you know this already, but your 2x8 is a ridge board. Using just a board presumes that you're going to have ceiling rafters tieing the walls together. If you don't have those rafters, the weight of the roof alone (no snow loads) will be pushing the walls apart. They'll also make the ridge board sag, so you'll get a sway-backed look to the shop. If you don't want ceiling rafters, then the ridge needs to be structural -- that is, more substantial than a 2x8.
oops - My bad! My original question was regarding a ridge board vs. a beam. I just want a single 2x8 (26' in length) w/ 2x6 rafters, spaced 16" OC, birdmouthed on to the wall top plates. I'll also be using 2x8 ceiling joists nailed to the rafters/top plate in liu of collar ties. (In case I decide to sheetrock it later) Ok, that being said, I just wanted to know if there was a way to splice the two boards together safely. Making a double ridge board (now a beam I guess...) is not my first choice but I'll do it if necessary. The plywood splice sounds good so far. Thanks!
"...splice the two boards together safely. Making a double ridge board (now a beam I guess...) "
It would still be a ridge board, even if it was doubled.
A ridge BOARD is a non-structual nailer that the rafters are nailed into.
A ridge BEAM spans from one end wall to the next, and holds up the ends of the rafters. A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.
All the suggestions you've received are good and I've done all of those. One way to splice the ridge is to take your rafter square and mark the angle formed when you use the blade of the rafter square to make a 2' diagonal across the 2x8 board. This way you can nail from the top and from the bottom of the 2 boards you are using. I would plan for the middle of the splice to be where one of the rafters nails to.
This will save you the step of adding plywood gussets or shortening a couple of rafters.
Hope this helps.
By the way, I'm glad you aren't using trusses ;-) Stick framing is the only way to go!!
(Boss, we are trussing the next 2 of our houses. But no more! :-))
"(Boss, we are trussing the next 2 of our houses. But no more! :-))
"
You are one SICK puppy, aren't you ???......................(-:Sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield.
Boss,
Framer in latin means sick puppy! You didn't know that?
The next 2 houses are ramblers with simple roofs and I don't thinks we can beat trusses as far as saving time goes. I'll let you know if we have any delivery problems. We are using the same truss company that caused problems week before last.
Same company, huh ?
It might be a good idea to remind them (more than once) how much trouble you had the last time, and that you don't expect the same thing to happen this time.
Put a little fear of God in them, and it might help out. I know that once I've made a mistake with a customer, I try to be more careful the next time. A graceful taunt is worth a thousand insults. [Louis Nizer]