What Is The Basic Structure Of A Roof?
What Is The Basic Structure Of A Roof?
The roof structure’s frame comes first. The truss is the roof’s “skeleton,” consisting of parallel beams. The rafters are the beams that extend from the peak to the bottom of a roof and support the truss.
Eaves are the margins of a roof that often overhang a building’s vertical outside walls. They are made up of fascia, soffits, and drip margins.
The final coating is then applied to the roof. The sheathing is made of plywood or particle board on top of the truss. It strengthens the structure and is a foundation for underlayment and shingles.
Underlayment is a waterproof barrier often composed of felt and placed over sheathing. Meanwhile, flashing is a metal strip that creates a watertight barrier between roof shingles and other components, such as a chimney or vent.
Last, shingles might be composed of asphalt, clay, wood, metal, or something else. This last layer provides waterproofing as well as a tidy look.
What Are The Components Of A Roof Structure?
The following are the components of a roof structure:
1. Rafters.
The rafters are an important part of a roof’s structure. Rafters are a set of sloping structural beams that go from the roof’s peak to the edge. They offer the primary support for the roof load, which, if done poorly, can result in dipped or collapsed roofs.
2. Purlins.
Purlins—additional support for the roof load—are another important feature of a roof. Purlins are horizontal beams on top of the major rafters, whereas rafters are vertical.
They support the roof and connect the rafters, offering even more stability and strength to the rigid structure.
These are needed for a robust roof, especially in windy places. Steel purlins reduce the requirement for plywood decking and provide even more strength than wooden purlins.
3. Pitch.
You’ll also notice the slant of the roof right away. Simply said, the pitch is the slope of the roof. It is stated as a ratio of the rise to the horizontal span of the roof or as an angle of inclination. The roof’s pitch is determined by the roof framework, which includes the rafters and purlins.
4. Underlayment.
Your house’s whole structure and bones are set out. The next step is to cover the roof, which begins with the underlayment. This is your home’s last barrier and is a water-resistant substance put directly onto your roof.
Most roofing specialists will use asphalt-saturated felt as an underlayment, which acts as a secondary water barrier if water penetrates beneath the shingles and decking.
5. Decking.
The decking of the roof sits on top of the underlayment. This is built of various materials, but it always serves as reinforcement for the roof structure and a nailbed for the shingles.
The underlayment and decking also serve as house insulation, preventing moisture from escaping into the attic and causing difficulties.
6. Shingles.
Shingles may be constructed from a variety of materials, however, many common roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles, are chosen for their low cost rather than their durability.
Metal roofing materials provide a superb finish, improve energy efficiency, eliminate the need for re-roofing, and are considerably safer from damage.
7. Flashing.
Flashing is critical to your overall roofing system because it prevents water from penetrating the roof. Assume you have a chimney—chimneys do not have shingles or underlayment; they pass directly through the roof decking into your home.
The sides of the chimney would be exposed, with nothing to prevent water from entering at the joints where the chimney meets the roof—this is where flashing comes in.
It is frequently built around vent pipes, chimneys, skylights, valleys, and roof vents because it is fitted around any vertical surface that connects with the plane of the roof.
8. Drip Edge
Defined, this molding protects the edge of the roof against water penetration through any nooks and crevices in the roof. Although not required by Code, it is strongly suggested by roofers and manufacturers.
It will be attached to the decking straight at the bottom of the roof slope, above the underlayment.
9. Fascia.
This vertical component of the roof’s exterior meets the house’s border. It is simply a band beneath the edge of a roof, and to an observer, it is the most visible region of the edge. The gutters are attached to the fascia.
10. Roof Gutter and Downspout.
The gutters and downspouts are the final components of the roof that you should be aware of. Gutters are metal troughs that collect water from the roof’s edge and connect to downspouts, directing it down and away from the roof’s foundation.
