Ridge Beam Roof Construction

The sloped roof joists span between two pinned points.

Ridge beam roof construction.

A classic example of the exposed ridge beam structure can be seen on our magnolia. I always always build trusses. The ridge beam could also be flush with the joists the ridge beam is typically a larger member like a 4 x 12 and carries the gravity load of the roof joists just as the bearing wall or header does at the envelope. It gives you something to nail the ends of the rafters to while assembling your roof.

A structural ridge beam is a horizontal beam placed at the peak or ridge of a roof and is designed to carry much of the live and dead loads or weight of the roof structure by itself. Timber framing is a traditional method of framing that uses heavy timbers instead of standard board lumber. Ridges in timber framing are typically called ridge beams rather than ridge. The loads on the ridge beam are carried by vertical posts at the beam ends down through the building structural walls to the building foundation.

Since half the load is now supported at the ridge the ridge member becomes a ridge beam that is a load carrying element and must be designed to bridge the span between the supports which carry the vertical load to the ground. This requires a secure connection of the rafters to the ridge beam at the top. Conventional construction of a gable roof or a frame roof uses a ridge board and this is primarily for ease of construction. Framing in a ridge beam in shed roof construction is not hard.

A structural ridge beam instead is used when the high ends of the rafters require independent support. A timber frame roof has rafters and a ridge beam as with stick framing but the ridge is a large structural beam that the rafters sit on top of or sometimes fit into notches cut into the beam. One at the envelope of the structure on top of a framed wall or a header the other at the peak of the structure on top of the ridge beam.