Roof Sheathing Direction

How to correctly install plywood or osb roof sheathing.

Roof sheathing direction.

Check the nailing surface is level step 2. Why is the strength axis important for roof sheathing but not for corner. Cover sheathing with. Roof sheathing attaches to the surface of the rafters or trusses to form the structural skin of the roof.

When sheathing a roof the first step is to snap a line so that the first row goes on straight. The main one is the structure turning into a parallelogram where the studs are no longer perpendicular to the ground. The same policy goes for roof sheathing as for hanging drywall you get more strength by spanning more rafters joists studs and offsetting the joints. But if you snap it at 40 inches then the sheathing will not project over the subfascia or true fascia.

Properly fasten panels including fastening and spacing hints step 4. It spans the rafters to support the roofing and in the case of panel sheathing such as plywood or osb it acts as a diaphragm with the walls to resist horizontal loads. Maintain ridge nailing by adding additional blocking set back from the ridge or by using vent holes see. On roofs and floors sheathing is installed perpendicular to supports because this is the orientation that results in the strongest roof or floor.

When you think of using a diagonal brace to support a wall you want to get both ends as far apart as possible. Align the long edge of the sheathing with the ends of the. This opens the door to the possibility of water damage by letting gravity work against you. I assume this means the panel should be applied with the long dimension across the studs yet the builder had installed the long dimension parallel to studs.

Ventilate the roof according to current building codes step 3. And scroll down to see more details on each with installation hints and tips below. Position the first piece of plywood or oriented strand board sheathing on the bottom edge of the rafter tails at one end of the roof. The surface stamp indicated that the strength axis of the panel ran in the long direction see photo below.