Questions ???? Roof trusses on new 8x8 coop

[hangin'witthepeeps]

Well I wanted a coop that I could walk into so we started building an 8x8 coop. I'm having trouble envisioning the roof trusses and cutting those angles. I have a 2x6 to run down the ridge, but then I saw trusses with gussets, but it still has angles. Can someone help a girl out and help me figure if I use the ridge board which I'm going to put up 1' from the top of the walls and then cut a birds mouth for the sides how to I figure the angles, where to cut birds mouth and how long of boards to I need to buy? Is 1' enough slope? Do I need 2'? Thanks, Melissa

eta: I have the floor and four walls up and two windows (just frame) done. Next is the roof.

 

[tomasko]

Here is a schematic for rafters I used on my coop...should be a good starting point. A carpenters square will help set the "birds mouth" and it does not have to be perfect, it does need to be the same on both sides and all subsequent rafters....determine how much overhang you want...the more the better and set from there.

 

[Badlatitude]

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 mine is like this one but aluminum



http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 this one even has a manual!!!!


Ive always called theese speed squares. You can even draw perfect circles with them

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I have those squares, but if I use the ridge board running down the middle (2x6), then I have to cut the 2x4 rafter at an angle to hang from the ridge board. I bought the hangers thinking it would make it easier, oh well. So how do I line up the square to cut the right angle? Does that even make sense?

 

[Dogfish]

A simpler idea would be to put up a shed roof. Have one side two feet higher that the other. Less angles to figure out, and less materials used.

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

Okay, I found a video explaining how to use a framing square. Now I need to find one explaining how to cut the birds mouth and how far down I need to put it in order to cover my roof span. Gosh this is harder than I thought, but no more concussions for me!

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

For anyone who find this thread looking for information. The length of your board is the Pythagorean theorem. Do a search on it and plug in your numbers. The search on youtube for rafter framing and a lot of videos come up to explain how to use the framing square and to figure out your angles and length. Here is the one I found, wish me luck.

 

[ZaneyMama]

We just built a roof for an 8x8 coop. The easiest thing we found, after cutting birds mouths, was to actually buy little metal brackets from Home Depot and skip the birds mouths all together!

I don't know what it's called, but we found them at Home Depot. Ask in the building department. They made life A LOT easier!

 

[bad_coffee]

Something like this?

 

[bad_coffee]

oh, that degree measurement was to the upright, so subtract from 90 to get 11* cut.