How to attach rafters?

[fightingbunny]

My husband and I are trying to figure out the best way to attach rafters to the framing. The rafters are 2x12 and the frame is 2x4. We are following the garden coop plans a bit, with a lot of tweaks as inspiration strikes us. In the plans, they just nail at angles to attach the rafters, but my husband wants to use a hurricane tie. There are a bunch of them, so I need help figuring out which one to use! I do not have a picture of the rafter sitting on top of the framing but it looks like this picture from https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/modified-garden-coop-aka-hennsylvania.72313/

Image of roof that will be like ours:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/7573061/

We bought a bunch of http://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-18-Gauge-Saddle-Rafter-Tie-HS24/100375239 but they hang down a lot from the framing as they come down 4 inches and our framing is only 2 inches in that direction.

Also, with these hurricane ties, the instructions say to nail. Is there any harm in using screws?

Thanks,
Jenn

 

[TalkALittle]

I used these.

 

[cavemanrich]

Add another 2 x 4 on top and you will solve the framing issue. See pix, and also screws are much better than nails. Easier to correct/move/modify location/position over nailed.

If you only want to keep it at one 2 x 4 then just bend the tie over and under the top. I know that your top rafter will be different than pictured. This is what I could find for the rafter tie on Home Depot site.
WISHING YOU BEST.

 

[fightingbunny]

Could I use these?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-18-Gauge-Hurricane-Tie-H3/100375009

 

[Scott E.]

You can also just toenail the rafters into a double top plate. Hurricaine ties are designed to keep the roof rafters tied to the walls in high winds. This only works well when the walls are tied to the ground, otherwise the whole thing can blow away.

 

[cavemanrich]

Could I use these?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-18-Gauge-Hurricane-Tie-H3/100375009

You sure can use these also.

 

[aart]

Wonders why 2x12 rafters?
Can you post pics of top plate on wall framing?

 

[fightingbunny]

The rafters are 10 feet (or 11 feet, can't remember) long and 2"x12". They are cut on a diagonal, so you get two from one board. The diagonal cut is what gives the roof the slant needed for water to run off. It appeared to me like roofing for people that don't want to do fancy cuts/joins/stuff. The original plans called for a 2"x8" rafter with a length of 8 feet, but as I made the coop 3 feet deeper, I made the rafters 3 feed longer as well.

 

[fightingbunny]

Okay, rafters, purlins, and roof are up!! We used ZMAX 18-Gauge Galvanized Hurricane Ties from Home Depot. Unfortunately, the size for our use had to be ordered as they do not carry it in store, but it arrived on time. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-ZMAX-18-Gauge-Galvanized-Hurricane-Tie-H3Z/202092488

The rafters and purlins are pressure treated wood that is stained white. Hopefully that ages well. Time will tell! We accidentally purchased pressure treated and I didn't like the look of the unpainted pressure treated on top of the grey/taupe color of the framing, so I tryed staining on it, as we couldn't paint it. Rafters are 2"x12" boards cut on a diagonal.

Roof is Tuftex PolyCarb panels from Lowes. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tuftex-Pol...ated-PolyCarbonate-Plastic-Roof-Panel/3043807 We still have about a foot hanging off the back that needs to be trimmed back. We plan on just taking a saws all to do that. We went with the smoke grey semi-transparent to allow light through but some sun reduction.

I am pretty happy with how the roof turned out and the way it looks. Time will tell how it weathers of course

The next challenge is attaching hardware cloth. Does anyone have a screw length and washer size they recommend? The hardware section makes me want to sit down and cry or practice drilling screws into the clueless person working that section. Also, how do you attach trim to SmartSiding without having sharp pieces sticking through?

 

[Rob Tof]

Only issue I see is to much sun from roof I'd have more shade roofing then clear. Chickens need the shade