A hip roof is any roof which has 4 sides, all of which slope upwards to meet at a seam at the top of the roof.One of the simplest styles of roofing is often combined with gables or other features.The leaves don't build up on the hip roofs.Hip roofs can be built from premade frames, but it is possible to build your own.Measure and cut the wood before installing the rafters.
Step 1: Measure the building to see how long your rafters are.
Measure the width and height of the walls using a laser distance measuring device.Simply point the tool at the end of the wall and click the button.Push the button again to see the distance, then point it at the far end of the wall.An ordinary tape measure can be used to find the dimensions of your building's walls if you don't have a laser distance measuring device.A laser distance measuring device and a tape measure can be purchased at a large hardware store.You can skip this step if you already know the measurements of the building.
Step 2: Determine the length of your common rafters.
Divide the width of your building by 2, since each rafter only covers half the roof.Take the width off the ridge board.The roof pitch can be calculated by writing down the number of inches that the roof is elevated.The online roofing calculator can be used to calculate the length of each rafter.If you want to rafters on the short ends of the building, you need to subtract the ridge board length from the total length.This will tell you how long the common rafters should be.You can find a roofing calculator online.
Step 3: The location where you will cut the common rafters is marked.
To find the place where you will cut the ridge at the top of the rafter, use a carpenter's framing square and a pencil.Use your pencil to make a mark on the framing square.The increment should be marked on each rafter.Common rafters are those that connect to the ridge beam from the top of the wall.
Step 4: The location of the birdsmouth is on the rafters.
The birdsmouth is the name for a gap you carve out of the rafter so it can fit on the wall.To find the location where you will cut the birdsmouth, trace it onto the plank of wood with a pencil and use the triangular part of the carpenter's square.The birdsmouth cut location on all common rafters.
Step 5: Cut the rafters.
The first rafter should be used as a pattern for the rest.Cut the same patterns from the rest of the rafters with a round saw.There should be at least one common rafters along the walls of the house every 20 inches.Divide the total length of the walls by 20 to figure out how many rafters you need.
Step 6: You should make the birdsmouth cuts in your rafters.
To find where the jack rafter's plumb cuts will connect to the hip, use the framing square.The seat cut should be the same thickness as the wall you are installing the rafter on.The seat and shoulder cuts can be cut with a round saw.A birdsmouth cut has two parts, a horizontal cut and a vertical cut.The seat rests on top of the wall and the shoulder cut allows the rafters to overhang the roof.
Step 7: Attach the rafters to the ridge beam.
Getting the ridge beam into place at the top of the roof is the first step in the process of building the hip roof.Use a nail gun to nail the common rafters to the wall.Lift the ridge beam to the correct height.Centering rafters are used to steady the ridge beam.
Step 8: There is a ridge beam between the rafters.
Put more common rafters in place and nail them to the walls.The ridge beam will not collapse because of the additional centering rafters.Once the extra common rafters are in place, use your nail gun to drive 1 nail through the top of each common rather and into the ridge beam.Ask 2 or 3 friends or family members to help you install the ridge beam for the sake of safety and practicality.The rafters can be handed to you by the helpers.
Step 9: Attach the common rafters at the end of the ridge board.
The rafters keep the ridge board in place.Attach the ridge board with one rafter on each side of the hip roof.Put the king rafters against the ridge board.The common rafters are closest to the hip rafters.Every hip roof has 6 of these rafters.The common rafters are the same as the king rafters.
Step 10: Attach the hip rafters to the ridge beam.
Once the ridge board is in position, lift the hip rafters.Attach the hip rafters at the bottom first, then attach the top against the ridge beam.Attach a ceiling joist next to the hip rafters for extra support.The 4 long, diagonal rafters that attach to the ends of the ridge beam are called hip rafters.
Step 11: Attach the rest of the rafters to the ridge beam.
Carefully measure the spacing of the common rafters from the adjacent rafters.The ridge beam and common rafters should stand on their own.The side of most hip roofs has a common rafter built off of the short walls.
Step 12: The hip rafters should be secured with the jack rafters.
Depending on the size of the roof, there are 3-6 short jack rafters between the hip rafters and the king common rafters.Cut jack rafters to fit between the hip rafter and the top of the wall.Attach the jack rafters to the hip rafter with a nail gun.Jack rafters run from the top of the structure's wall to the hip rafter.
Step 13: Determine the number of sheets you need.
Measure the width and height of each side of the roof.You can find the area by dividing the length of each side by its height.To calculate the total area of the roof, add the areas of all the sides together.To find how many sheets of plywood you need, divide the length of the sheet by the height to find the area.To figure out the number of sheets you need, divide the area of the roof by one plywood sheet.2 of the sides of your hip roof measure 6 feet, 2 sides measure 10 feet and the roof is 3 feet high.The total area of the roof is 96 square feet and the total length is 32 feet.If the plywood sheets are 20 square feet each, divide 96 by 20 to figure out how much plywood you need.Round up to the nearest whole number if the final calculation doesn't result in a full number.You would need to purchase 5 sheets.
Step 14: The plywood should be nailed to the rafters.
It goes onto the roof before the final roofing material.Place the plywood on the corner.You can hold the sheet in place while you work by tacking it on the rafters.If you want to make sure the first sheet of wood is straight, tack up a second sheet next to it.The boards should remain flat and level if the sheets are in line with the fascia.The straight, long boards that run along the top of a wall beneath the bottom edge of the roof are called the fascia.It is attached to the roof.
Step 15: Attach the desired roofing material.
Many homes have fiberglass and asphalt shingles.These are the cheapest shingles to install.Plan to use at least 3 packages of shingles and a roll of flashing.You can use asphalt cement to hold the shingles in place and prevent water from leaking into the interior of the building.You can buy roofing materials at a hardware store or home improvement store.