Roof Joists Or Rafters

Rafters are roof beams that slope from the ridge beam to the top of the wall and have been used since older times.

Roof joists or rafters.

A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members that extend from the ridge or hip to the wall plate downslope perimeter or eave and that are designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads. Rafters are the building components that run diagonally from the wall plate to the apex of a roof structure. Roof rafters don t need to be parallel to ceiling joists when rafter ties are used. Ceiling joists can be on both low sloped roofs and high sloped roofs and help to prevent racking and spreading of your rafters or walls which could lead to sagging.

A pair of rafters is called a couple. Roof rafters are lengthy planks that support the roof sheathing. There is no difference in the quality of roofing provided by both. The rafter tie is attached to the top of the rafters such as the topmost point in a cable or hipped roof.

Every piece is measured cut and fastened together to form the rafter. In traditional timber they are nominally 2 inches thick and typically 8 to 10 inches wide. Building with them is known as stick framing. Rafter ties help tie the roof rafters together structurally eliminating the need for ceiling joists.

In home construction rafters are normally made of wood. Rafters form the foundation for attachment of the roof boards onto which the final roof covering is fixed. Similarly ceiling joists are the planks of wood that create the flat surface of your attic floor or top story ceiling. From the quality point of view both rafters as well as trusses are equally good.