We are getting ready to build our first home & we really like the arts & crafts “feel”. One feature we have gone back and forth on is the open rafter tail feature shown smack in the center of the new Houses issue. I admit I like the look, but I fear the cost to construct and the maintenance. Can anyone explain how these are constructed? How about the maintenance of them? I would plan to use a gutter. We live in the midwest, so we see it all.
Thanks.
Replies
Most impt....when did you get your issue? Has the postman stolen mine?
anyway, we buy our trusses with no overhang, then scab on a 4' 2x6 with a decorative cut that we invent depending upon our mood.
More maintenence, yes. Cooler look? yes.
ShelleyinNM
Thanks for the perspective. Hope you have received the issue by now.
When talking with a number of framing subs, they look at me funny and ask other questions that maybe you can help me answer.
1)What material is used for the visible (underside) of the overhang?
2)How do I vent the eves to the attic?
3)How do you handle unequal spacing of the rafters?
Any good sites or reference books that give more tech. info?
Sorry for the rookie questions...and I'm sure there will be more.
Thanks,
still tryin
Could you try to design it without gutters? You're going to loose a lot of the look with them. Thoughtful design might eliminate the need. You're probably gonna have at least a 2' overhang, more if you want it and design for it.
You can use some T&G. Wood of your choice. Whatever is plentiful there. They stop the sheathing at the edge of the wall and start running the T&G over the tails.
Some people just make a 1"hole with a hole saw in whatever material will block between the rafters. Cover the back side with screen. You'd have one in between each rafter.
Company that advertises in FHB makes a product for this. Cor-A-Vent. Look for their ads.
Don't understand about "unequal spacing".....unless they might have an extra one at one of the ends. Guess you'd have to lay it out and decide. They don't have to be on every rafter.
Don't know of any books. The guys over to Breaktime will help you. They can be rough, tho.
You'll need brackets on the gable ends to complete the look. Either 3 or 5 depending upon the scale.
Maintenance doesn't seem to be a problem here. Dry with intense UV. Undersides are exposed to neither sun nor rain. Don't know about Midwest. Why don't you drive an old neighborhood some Saturday and chat some people up as they're mowing their grass?
I'd use a high quality, alkyd, transparent stain. We did buy a house from the 40s that had them and had been painted. We lived there 6 years, never repainted the underneath. Don't know how old the paint was when we bought it.
Most framers don't want to attempt anything different. That's why most new houses look the same. This little look to the past is not hard. Doesn't require some superhuman carpentry skill. Pass on the guys who aren't interested.
ShelleyinNM
I like the look even though I know its gonna cost a bundle to maintain if you hire out the painting
Since the overhang is sharing in the roof load your rafter tails need to be at least 3x the length of your overhang (measured along thr roof plane). Just for clarification if the exposed tail is 2 feet long the entire tail will be 6 feet minimum.
I suggest having all the rafter tails onsite primed and painted the day the trusses are set.
Same thing for whatever sheathing you choose since that will be exposed also. The sheathing will need to be primed and painted all six sides to prevent the paint from peeling. Make sure the sheathing is in exact increments of your truss spacing, or a little less, so the framers dont have to cut off your nicely sealed ends
you might also start thinking about painting the blocking too, again all six sides
If you insist on a gutter the classic look is the "C" type, preferably copper
One more thing - dont forget to tell the roofer to use short nails on the overhang