Stick Built Attic Framing

Stick framing creates a triangle between the rafters and ceiling joists.

Stick built attic framing.

While truss roofs are the most popular construction style today by some estimates truss roofs outnumber stick frame roofs two to one there are regions of the country where builders. It starts with setting ridge and valley beams above the house walls. Gable and hip roofs may be built primarily of trusses. Stick framing requires larger lumber and more of it.

For professional framing crews stick framing a roof is just as simple as setting roof trusses although it takes a little longer which translates into higher labor charges. With premanufactured trusses or with rafters and ceiling joists commonly called stick framing. It is easy for boards to walk off the job site when they are loose and in easy to carry pieces. A collar beam adds strength to the triangle at the middle.

Other roof shapes particularly those with dormers or on houses with cathedral ceilings attic rooms or attic storage areas are stick built. Stick framing a roof requires framers to spend much more time on scaffolding ladders and above ground which means more chance for accidents. Rafter span tables use these tables to determine lengths sizes and spacing of rafters based on a variety of factors such as species load grade spacing and pitch. Then dimensional lumber called rafters are cut to fit one piece at a time and shoved up to a framer on the roof that s balancing on scaffolding who installs the rafters.

Visit the roof framing page for more information on cutting roof rafters and visit the roof pitch calculator for determining rafter lengths based on rise and run.