Sheathing A Roof Layout

During a hurricane the strength of the sheathing on the roof can greatly impact the homes ability to weather the storm.

Sheathing a roof layout.

A good sheathing job begins with proper rafter layout. But laying out the rafters isn t as simple as duplicating the stud layout on the wall below. Roof sheathing attaches to the surface of the rafters or trusses to form the structural skin of the roof. Roof sheathing is a lot more than just flat panels onto which shingles are attached.

Roof sheathing panel spacing hints. Use a 10d box 0 128 inch by 3 inch nail as a spacer to gauge 1 8 inch edge and end spacing between panels. It spans the rafters to support the roofing and in the case of panel sheathing such as plywood or osb it acts as a diaphragm with the walls to resist horizontal loads. A tapered piece of sheathing can be cut to fill in at the eave if necessary.

Keep these tips in mind when roofing in hurricane areas. The connection between the roof sheathing and the structure is a vulnerable point that is known to fail during a hurricane. To minimize waste and to simplify cutting the sheathing courses should begin either with full or half sheets. This video shows how some roofs fail under heavy winds in uplift situations.

Sheath one slope of the roof at a time ripping the top course to the needed width at the ridge.