Rafters simply rely on a center ridge beam and the outside walls for support. Trusses only use 2×4 lumber and are constructed using a “web” of 2x4s for strength. Lastly, remember that we are not talking about trusses in this article – just rafters. The reason for this is that flat or shallow roofs withstand much more abuse and loads than steeper roofs, making wider shed roof rafters a necessity. Many shingle manufacturers recommend no less than 2:12 when installing. Many roof material manufacturers have minimum pitch ratings for their products. 2×4 rafters are not strong enough for low pitched roofs under any circumstance, so avoid if you are building a shed with a flat or very shallow roof. If you look at the chart linked above, you’ll notice that for roofs that are less than 3:12, the chart does not include 2x4s as an option. What does 3:12 mean? It means a roof that rises 3 inches for every 12 inches of horizontal run. When talking about framing a shed roof with rafters, you’ll first need to know how steep your roof is – in other words, what is the pitch or slope of your roof? Most rafter span charts are organized into 2 sections: roofs with a slope less than 3:12 and roofs greater than 3:12. Should I Use 2×4 or 2×6 Rafters for Shed Roof?.If you have a single sloped shed roof, then using 2×6 rafters is a better bet because the price differential won’t be huge and your shed roof will have a much greater load capacity.īelow we’ll take a closer look at when to use 2×4 and 2×6 lumber for your shed roof, and hopefully, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision on what type of lumber you should use when building your shed roof rafters. If you have a simple gable shed roof, then using 2×4 rafters makes more sense unless you have a very large shed. For roofs that will experience heavy snow or wind and will span the same distance, use 2×6 rafters. For roofs that won’t experience heavy snow loads, a gable roof can span up to 22’ with 2×4 rafters. You can use either 2×6 or 2×4 rafters for roofs with a 3/12 pitch or greater, but it depends on the overall size of your shed. However, one of the main issues you will encounter when cutting rafters is, should you use 2×4 or 2×6 rafters for your shed roof? They require less lumber than trusses and once one is cut, all the others follow the same cut. Rafters are a simple, straightforward way to frame the roof of your shed.
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