Library builder

The vent pipes that extend through the roof are flashed with special rubber or metal boots when the shingles are installed. But here in rainy Oregon, roofers take the time to make a double seal around these pipes. This is sort of like wearing a slicker and carrying an um­brella, too—but there’s no such thing […]

Now that the house has been framed and sheathed, it’s time to seal it from the elements. As long as you are able to work safely on a roof, you can cover it with roofing felt and shingles. It’s best if all the plumbing and heating vents are through the roof before you install the […]

Sheathing a roof is much like sheathing a floor, except that the deck is sloped, not flat, and you work at least 10 ft. off the ground. Anyone who has worked in the construction trades for more than a few years has heard stories about someone who has fallen from a roof—or has seen it […]

2. Then nail on a 1×2 fence. 1. Mark cut lines with a small rafter square.   1x stock, the same width as rafters   If you need to make a series of plumb cuts to match and align rafter tails along an eave, make a jig like the one shown here. Use a rafter […]

Code requires an access hole for the attic. This al­lows workers to get into the attic to install insulation and wiring. You may also want to get up there some day to check on a roof leak or just to see how the spi­ders are doing. The standard attic access hole has a rough 2x […]

As explained earlier in this chapter, barge rafters extend beyond the end of a building, creating an overhang at the gable ends. The rafters are supported by 2×4 lookouts that fit into notches cut in the gable-end rafters. The lookouts run back to the first inboard rafter (or roof truss). At the bottom corner of […]

At this point, you need to add backing (some­times called deadwood) to walls that run paral­lel to the joist chords. The backing provides a nailing base for ceiling drywall (see the illustra­tion on p. 127). It’s easier to put the backing in now rather than after the roof is complete and hampered by sheathing. This […]

On small houses, trusses are generally engi­neered to obtain their support from exterior walls without needing further support from interior walls. Still, it’s not uncommon for trusses to cross over and bear on interior walls. In most regions, these trusses can usually be nailed directly to the interior wall with two 16d toenails on one […]

When bracing trusses, take time to read and follow the directions from the engineering com­pany. These, along with local building codes, must be followed to guarantee that the house will have a strong and stable roof. Most simple gable-truss roofs are easy to brace. After four to six trusses have been installed, plumb the gable-end […]

2x frieze block Rafter Double top plate Stucco When installed plumb, a frieze block provides backing for stucco. 2x frieze block Siding Trusses by themselves are rather fragile. They gain strength when they’re properly blocked and braced. I will now explain various blocking and bracing strategies, because this work needs to be done as the […]