The first was to remove a section of the wall plate as the cantilevered section was rotten (the bit sticking out past the wall). This wasn't as awkward as I thought it might be, just a few 6 inch cut nails to contend with. I half lapped the new section of wall plate on, which I planed down to size as it wasn't standard, and added the strap across the top to meet the requirements the engineer had set.
This picture shows quite well why I think the roof should have been replaced- the rafters are cut on to the wrong side of the wall plate creating pressures and forces in the wrong place so its pushing out not down. I know the purlins reduces the load but I just don't like to see work left thats not right!
The next step was to splice the barge board on the end where it had gone rotten, as well as add a new cocking fillet.
I then had to add 450mm new ends to the rafters which had the worst levels of decay.
The worst job was to then chisel a section of wall plate around 4m long and add a ply facing. This was to straighten it up and provide a fixing for the gutting. This job did my chisels no favours as it was full of nails.
I also added a ply soffit to both ends and fitted the a complete new gable ladder with barge board on the far side (not an easy job on your own!).
When I'd finished I couldn't help but add a fineal to both ends just to finish it off (I wont get paid for that bit but I don't care!).
That DOES seem a bad way to do the rafter ends, though a bird's beak would exert outward pressure as well. A simple notch would let the roof settle under a snow load; maybe that's what they were trying to avoid. That's why I prefer trusses. The fineal IS a nice touch!
ReplyDeleteI think that as the roof was redone in the 70's and alot of the other work they did on this property at that time wasn't of the highest standard, I think they just didn't quite know what they were doing. I've argued till I'm blue in the face about cutting on a new roof but I've been told there is no chance of that due to budget.
ReplyDeleteTrusses have their place but I still love a good cut roof (so long as its put on right!).
Cheers for all your comments Gorges.
Nice work on the old roof, you tied in well with the old timbers that you really wanted to tear out . I worked a quad saw cutting the angles for roof trusses for 18 months, these are fine for a building thats square and level . But old buildings give more of a challenge. The cut roof lends itself to this as single pieces can be scribed to fit where you would'nt with a whole truss with nail plates.I managed a cut roof when I built my workshop and its never moved one bit well done mate :)
ReplyDeleteYour doing a grand job under the circumstances, looking forward to completion !
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