Nailing Sheathing On Roofs

Ventilate the roof according to current building codes.

Nailing sheathing on roofs.

Check the nailing surface is level. Nailing accuracy is crucial along this member. Starting with how to place the first row of sheathing we cover fastening methods the use of h clips stagg. During a hurricane the strength of the sheathing on the roof can greatly impact the homes ability to weather the storm.

Tighter nail spacing is recommended 4 inches on center maximum. Use 10d to 16d common nails and drive them through the roof sheathing and into the framing see the photo. They attach to the roof with nails but don t use roofing nails. Can screws be used instead of nails for attaching wall sheathing to framing.

The critical fasteners occur at the gable framing member not necessarily at the edge of the sheathing. Method for maintaining a continuous load path at the roof ridge by nailing roof sheathing. The connection between the roof sheathing and the structure is a vulnerable point that is known to fail during a hurricane. Properly fasten panels including fastening and spacing hints.

Never attach roof sheathing with staples. The typical thickness range for sheathing is 3 8 to 3 4 inch. A structure s roof truss spacing can vary from every 12 to 24 inches. 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.

8d ring shank nails should be used instead. 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. This video shows how some roofs fail under heavy winds in uplift situations. We go in depth on how to install roof sheathing.

Roof sheathing comes in grid marked 4 by 8 foot sheets and should be installed perpendicular to the frame. Sheathing should be a minimum of 19 32 inch thick. Roe osborn a senior editor at jlc responds. Although the heads are broad roofing nails are short their shank diameters are small and their heads pop off easily.

The requirement became effective on october 1 2007. Boards used for sheathing range from those with a 4 inch face to 48 inch long plywood sheets. Roof sheathing and the gable truss. Roof jacks provide safe platforms on sloped roofs.

It s true that screws have a highly effective withdrawal resistance which makes them excellent fasteners for tasks such as avoiding squeaks. Follow these five simple construction steps for roof sheathing and scroll down to see more details on each with installation hints and tips below.