Nailing Sheathing On Roofs

It s true that screws have a highly effective withdrawal resistance which makes them excellent fasteners for tasks such as avoiding squeaks.

Nailing sheathing on roofs.

Roof sheathing and the gable truss. Use 10d to 16d common nails and drive them through the roof sheathing and into the framing see the photo. The number of nails needed for a roof varies on multiple factors such as board face width length and roof truss spacing. Method for maintaining a continuous load path at the roof ridge by nailing roof sheathing.

There is a common misconception in the building industry that screws always outperform nails when attaching wood to wood. A structure s roof truss spacing can vary from every 12 to 24 inches. The connection between the roof sheathing and the structure is a vulnerable point that is known to fail during a hurricane. 8d ring shank nails should be used instead.

Boards used for sheathing range from those with a 4 inch face to 48 inch long plywood sheets. Starting with how to place the first row of sheathing we cover fastening methods the use of h clips stagg. Ventilate the roof according to current building codes. Check the nailing surface is level.

Roof jacks provide safe platforms on sloped roofs. Can screws be used instead of nails for attaching wall sheathing to framing. Roe osborn a senior editor at jlc responds. This video shows how some roofs fail under heavy winds in uplift situations.

Roof sheathing comes in grid marked 4 by 8 foot sheets and should be installed perpendicular to the frame. They attach to the roof with nails but don t use roofing nails. Properly fasten panels including fastening and spacing hints. We go in depth on how to install roof sheathing.

During a hurricane the strength of the sheathing on the roof can greatly impact the homes ability to weather the storm. The critical fasteners occur at the gable framing member not necessarily at the edge of the sheathing. Sheathing should be a minimum of 19 32 inch thick. Keep these tips in mind when roofing in hurricane areas.

The problem exists because nail sizes and spacing used to attach the sheathing to the roof s structural members rafters or trusses do not provide enough strength to keep the sheathing on. Follow these five simple construction steps for roof sheathing and scroll down to see more details on each with installation hints and tips below. The requirement became effective on october 1 2007. Nailing accuracy is crucial along this member.

Tighter nail spacing is recommended 4 inches on center maximum. When you replace a roof on a home that was built before the implementation of the statewide florida building code on march 1 2002 the nailing of the roof sheathing decking must be brought up to current standards for hurricane resistance as part of the installation of the new roof.