Build A Shed Roof For Your Shed

Building a shed roof takes a bit of planing but can be easy to do yourself once you get the basic idea. You can either build or buy trusses from a local manufacture. Depending on your budget and time you have available it might be more cost effective to have trusses made and delivered by a manufacture. Check your local phone directory for roof truss manufactures.

If you decided to build the trusses for your shed roof system you will need to do a little planning.Here is a basic formula for building your own trusses. I have chosen a simple gable roof shed.

The best place to build your trusses is on a flat surface like a drive way or open patio. If there is no available space to layout and build your trusses then build them on your shed floor.

First measure and cut out the ceiling joist section of your truss. Start by measuring your sheds width and add 2' to this for soffit overhang - 1' on each side. For an example if your shed is 8' wide then you will need to cut a 10' (2"x4") for each truss. Cut this out and lay it on the floorNow that you have your ceiling joist section of your truss its time to get the rafters or stringers cut out. To find their lengths lay a 2"x 6" on one one end of the joist. At the other end move it up and away from the joist forming your angle or pitch. With another 2"x 6" at the other end of the 2" x 4 joist do the same thing making both 2"x 6" meet at the top, one laying on top the other. Take your time and adjust and readjust the height of the rafters until both have the same length from bottom to top. Mark or scribe these with a pencil at the bottoms of the 2"x 6" where they meet the 2"x 4". Cut these off and place back into position on the floor with your 2"x 4" Joist.Now Its time to mark and cut the top of the rafters so they meet perfectly at the top. After marking, cut these out and reposition all three pieces on the floor again. No cut out your webbing 2"x 4". To get the webbing measurement hook the top of the rafter on the right and pull down 2' and make a mark. Now do the opposite on the left side and make a mark. Now place a 2"x 4" across the marks on the rafter and scribe the back side of the webbing on the right an left and cut these out. Now that you have all of the piece to make a truss nail them all off as shown in the diagram. Use nailing plates to firmly connect the two rafters to the lower ceiling joist.

Now Lay out the walls top plates. Hook the end of each of the two wall's top plates with a tape measure and mark every 2' (2,4,6+8)Each end gable will have a truss that sits flush with the outside of the wall frame. From there each truss will go on its appropriate layout. Nail all these off as you install them. You might need to use bracing blocks nailed from one truss to the next. This helps to keep the trussed in position and even.

Now is a good time to do the fascia board. Measure from one rafter outside all the way to the other end of the last rafter. Take this measurement and add 2' to its length. This will allow a 1' overhang on both the gable ends. Cut the fascia out and install it to the rafters. Make sure to make a mark on the fascia to ensure you install it in the right place.Check your local building codes for any straps such as hurricane straps that need to be installed . Most sheds should make use of a hurricane strap. Each truss will need 2 straps each. Nail these off and continue to decking the roof.

When decking your shed roof it is important to stagger each sheet of plywood for extra strength. Just like when a brick mason staggers his bricks do this with the playwood. Make your measurements from center to center, cut out and install the roof decting . Check your local building department for the code on nail off pattern. I recomend at least 4, 8 . This means you should nail every 4" on the seams and 8" in the field (middle of board).

Now that your shed roof is decked its time to roll out your felt paper cut it to size and nail it off using button caps. You can find all these materials in your home improvements stores. Make sure to start at the bottom and work your way up when installing all your roofing materials. Overlap the felt paper by at least 2 inches. Use the printed marks that are on most roofing felt paper rolls.

Now you can shingle your shed. Start at the bottom of the roof by turning your first row of shingles upside down. Nail each shingle off with at least 6 roofing nails just above the shingles tar line about 1/2". Now start your next row of shingles by laying this row right side up and staggered. You will most likely have to start this row with one shingle hanging over the roof edge by halfway. Continue this by staggering each row till you reach the top of the roof.Now run your ridge cap and cap shingles.Cut off all the excess shingles hanging over the roof edge and your done!

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