Roof Ridge Beams

You don t need a ridge beam but you do need a way to keep the walls from spreading.

Roof ridge beams.

A ridge beam is a structural member used to support the ends of the rafters at the ridge transferring it s loads to posts or gable end walls. The inherent strength and integrity of the triangular form makes the roof a sound structure. The loads on the ridge beam are carried by vertical posts at the beam ends down through the building structural walls to the building foundation. Collar tie also collar beam in profile the framing of a conventional pitched roof forms a triangle.

Now if you have done any looking around this site you ll quickly see that i am not a fan of using a ridge beam in shed construction. The difference between them is that a ridge beam is a structural member that bears half of the live and dead loads of the rafters on either side of it but a ridge board is not structural. I always always build trusses. A structural ridge beam is a horizontal beam placed at the peak or ridge of a roof and is designed to carry much of the live and dead loads or weight of the roof structure by itself.

Here s a picture of a gable style shed using a ridge beam. It s often just a nice way to bring the rafters together. The ridge beam is typically a larger member like a 4 x 12 and carries the gravity load of the roof joists just as the bearing wall or header does at the envelope. Framing in a ridge beam in shed roof construction is not hard.

Timber steel framing manual single span ridge beam. Yes either a ridge board or a ridge beam is necessary and required by the building code where roof rafters meet at the the center of their span. Ridge boards and beams in traditional house framing also called stick framing a basic roof frame consists of opposing pairs of sloping rafters that meet at their top ends at a ridge board or ridge beam. Mirrored pairs of rafters meet at a ridge and are connected across the base by a ceiling joist.

A classic example of the exposed ridge beam structure can be seen on our magnolia residence which is currently in construction. Ridge beams are required by code if the roof slope is less than 3 in 12 irc section r802 3. A proper beam would have a supporting post at each end.