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PAGODA STYLE ROOF

ROBERTKNOPF | Posted in Construction Techniques on May 4, 2007 01:21am

I AM BUILDING A 4 BY 10 FT PORCH AND WOULD LIKE TO ADD A PAGODA STYLE METAL (POSSIBLY COPPER) ROOF. I NEED TIPS ON FRAMING A PAGODA STYLE HIP ROOF SUITABLE FOR METAL. SPECIFICALLY HOW MUCH DEFLECTION IN A 5 FOOT RAFTER? PLS HELP..TNX/BOB

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  1. Danno | May 04, 2007 02:28am | #1

    I'm a bit puzzled, but I'll just answer to get things started: I'm not certain what you mean by a pagoda roof--but think it is a hip roof? Is the porch attached to the house? (In which case you won't want to have a valley between the porch roof and the house roof, if I'm understanding what you're proposing.) In other words, if the porch is attached to the house, don't you want the porch roof to continue off of the house roof, perhaps at a shallower slope? (I am also assuming the 10' dimension is running along side the existing house?)

    I'm also wondering if by "pagoda" roof, you mean one that flares towards the eves--sort of a concave curve? In that case you may have to use a band saw to cut curves in the rafters (I don't think you want to rely on deflection to cause this bend).

    Secondly, rafter deflection would depend upon its dimensions--a 2x4 will deflect more than, say, a 2x12. There are others here who can probably tell you where to find tables on web sites that will tell you the best sizing for your span (5'). I'm guessing that even a 2x4 would work, but a 2x6 would be better. (It also depends on what live load you are building it for--lots of snow, nor snow, etc. and what code says).

    There is a guy here named "Seeyou" who works with copper roofs. Maybe he will respond and tell you more than I can.

    Anyway, this is just my wild a$$ guess, because I'm not really sure what you are trying to do (and I am not a roofer.

    1. 2leftfeet | May 04, 2007 03:52am | #2

      This is a Pagoda Style copper roof on a cupola. No clue how to frame it though.Good luck

  2. User avater
    popawheelie | May 04, 2007 05:53am | #3

    I did one about that size for a garden. I used redwood for the beams. The redwood was a lot easier to work with. I used a portable Bandsaw to cut the curves.

    I started with the ridge and got it into place. This from memory and it was a long time ago. The ridge had a post going down to the plate to get it where I wanted it.

    Then you make the four corner rafters. They are like a hip though. They come off the ridge closer to the middle and angle out over the corner.

    After the corners are set I used strings and shooting boards to fill in all the other rafters.

    It was all very slow and there was a lot of head scratching. I just packed the photos. I could dig them out. I would have to scan them. My brother put a copper roof on it. He just cut shingles out of copper.

  3. Piffin | May 04, 2007 02:16pm | #4

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=pagoda+roof+framing&btnG=Search

    Maybe some help here.

     

     

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  4. UncleDunc | May 04, 2007 09:08pm | #5

    Take a look at this thread.

    http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=52997.1

  5. User avater
    popawheelie | May 05, 2007 05:21am | #6

    I read and looked at the responses and had to post these pics. I built it on horses. It was easier.

    As you can see, all the beams are curved and the rafter tails dip in the middle of the wall. So each one was dialed it in. spent alot of time with strings, bent shooting boards, and a bevel guage.

    It was alot easier with the redwwod. I don't have a pic of the roof in copper. From memory he fit copper gutters and downspouts on it also.

     



    Edited 5/4/2007 10:22 pm ET by popawheelie

    1. 2leftfeet | May 05, 2007 05:01pm | #7

      Beautiful!What was the finish material for the CMU walls?

      1. User avater
        popawheelie | May 05, 2007 05:16pm | #8

        I can't be sure. It's been 20-30 years. I'm 51. I think he ( my brother) used the river rock you see in the background, but only up a few feet. Then he did an exterior plaster. If the river rock went up to high it would look to heavy. The white (natural) plaster looks lighter.

        The building is the pump house for a coy carp pond. He has a huge sand filter in there. 

    2. ROBERTKNOPF | May 06, 2007 01:55am | #10

      tnx how did u know the amount of slope or rather curve for each rafter?? i am considering a 4 inch curve over the length of a 5 ft rafter. any comments?

      1. User avater
        popawheelie | May 06, 2007 02:49am | #11

        I did it by eye. My brother gave me free rein on this so that helped take off the pressure. Also, there was no mention of a budget.

        Grasshopper, you must be the roof. Just kidding. But in a way you really have to get into it and work it out.

        If you don't curve them enough it will be hidden when you put the roof on. It will be lost. But if you put to much curve in it, it looks to contrived. To cutesy. Also, you will run into problems with the roofing if things curve to much. Like the sheathing following the curves.

        Maybe that is one reason he used copper shingles to roof it. He could shape them to the curve. But like I said, budget wasn't an issue. Must be nice.

         

        I suppose a lot of people would look at it and never know what they are looking at.  

        Edited 5/5/2007 7:54 pm ET by popawheelie

  6. ROBERTKNOPF | May 06, 2007 01:41am | #9

    Tnx this is exactly what I am lloking for. I bet the finished product was phenomenol.

    1. User avater
      gdcarpenter | May 07, 2007 01:02am | #12

      If you want to see the finished product go to gdcarpenterinc.com and click on decks and porches. Not only was it a bastard hip but there were quite different pitches front and side, I think it was like a 9:12 on the sides and like a 3:12 up front. Made even more fun by clients wanting the ceiling to plane with the underside of the rafters.Great clients, as soon as she decided what she wanted his mind was made up.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!

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