What is the best wood to use for rafters?

Kiln-dried Douglas fir wood presents the number one choice for building a rafter-styled roof in a wood frame house. This tree grows prodigiously in the Pacific Northwest. Since it is readily harvested in substantial quantities, the price is reasonable.

What size rafters do I need for a 20 foot span?





As per general rules and guideline, for 10 -12 foot span, generally you need 2″×6″ size of rafter, for 15 -16 foot span, you need 2″×8″ rafter, for 18 – 20 foot span, you need 2″×10″ rafter & for 24 foot span, you need 2″×6″ size of rafter placed at 16″ apart from centre.

How far can a 2×10 rafter span without support?

How far can a 2×10 rafter span without support. Maximum allowable span for a 2×10 rafter:- the maximum allowable span for 2×10 rafter is 27 feet 6 inches when spaced 12 inches apart from centre, 24 feet 8 inches at 16″ OC & 21 feet 3 inches at 24″ OC with best quality No.

How far can a 2×8 rafter span?

Max. Live Load 60 lbs/ft2 (2873 N/m2)

Maximum Span (ft – in)
Nominal Size (inches) Joist Spacing Center to Center, OC (inches) Lumber Grade
2 x 8 12 12′ – 3”
16 11′
24 9′

How far can a 2×6 rafter span without support?

A 2×6 rafter can span 14 feet 8 inches when spaced 16 inches apart with No. 1-grade southern pine lumber on a roof with a 3/12 slope or less with a maximum live load of 20 pounds per square foot and a dead load of 15 psf.

What size wood do you use for rafters?





You can use either 2×6 or 2×4 rafters for roofs with a 3/12 pitch or greater, but it depends on the overall size of your shed. For roofs that won’t experience heavy snow loads, a gable roof can span up to 22′ with 2×4 rafters.

How far can a 2×4 rafter span without support?

While it can vary greatly from one piece of lumber to the next, generally, how far can a 2×4 span without support? Depending on various factors, a 2×4 floor or deck joist can span a maximum of 6′ 7” at 16” spacing or 7’11” at 12” spacing.

How long can rafters span?

The maximum span for roof rafters is 23′ 9”. For headers, the maximum span is 11′ 2”. Finally, a single deck beam has a maximum span of 5′ 11” and double maxes out at 8′ 9”. However, the maximum is determined by the species and grade of wood, the spacing, the load, and more.

How far can you span a 4×8 rafter?

lists 14’6″ as the max allowable span for 4×8 rafter.

What size beam do I need to span 16 feet?



For a 16 foot span, you will need atleast 3-2×14 or 6×14 size of wood beam. Thus, a 3 nailed 2×14 or 3-2×14 or 6×14 wood beam can allow to span 16 feet. For a 16-foot spans, the wood beam has to be at least 14 inches in depth and 6″ in width (3-2×14) used for residential building, wood frame structure or projects.

How long can a 2×8 span without support?

In general, a 2×8 will span 1.5 x 8, so 12-feet. Based on all factors though, a 2×8 joist span is 7′-1” to 16′-6”, and a rafter 6′-7” and 23′-9”. In this guide, we’ll explain what span means in terms of construction, factors that impact the span, and how much weight a 2×8 can support.

What size should roof rafters be?

The industry standard for roof joist or rafter spacing is 12”, 16”, 19.2”, and 24” on-center, typically though, rafters are spaced 16” or 24” on-center. The gap between members can be different provided it meets code requirements.

What size lumber can span 13 feet?



Max. Live Load 60 lbs/ft2 (2873 N/m2)

Maximum Span (ft – in)
Nominal Size (inches) Joist Spacing Center to Center (inches) Lumber Grade
2 x 12 16 16′ – 1″
24 13′ – 2″
2 x 14 12 20′ – 10″

How much weight can a 2×6 rafter hold?

The Codes allow for a 2×6 joist to support 53lbs per linear foot, which means an 8.5-foot length could support approximately 450-pounds across that length.

How long should my rafters be?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And simplest way to calculate. This is to take a framing square. And see if we can read this very top line and what the top line of a framing square with rafter table says is length of common rafter.

What are common rafters?

A common rafter is a building component used to construct a sloped roof. These rafters are made from wood lumber, and make up a part of a standard wood framing system. On a traditional gable roof, which features a triangular shape, the common rafters form the sloped sides of the triangle.

What are 3 types of rafters?



The most common types of rafter include:

  • Principal rafter: Usually the largest type of rafter located at the ends of a roof structure.
  • Common rafter: Smaller rafters located in between the principals at both ends.
  • Auxiliary rafter: Less common but can be used to support and reinforce a principal rafter.

Which is stronger trusses or rafters?

Truss Pros



They have superior span and strength – Both the span and strength of truss roofs are superior to rafters. While truss spans can reach up to 60 feet, rafter spans usually can only reach to about 30 feet. Also, the webbing of truss roofs provides excellent structural strength.