Roof Sheathing Should Be Installed

24 inches on center the actual distance between panel supports measured along the slope is greater than the truss spacing.

Roof sheathing should be installed.

There should be at least 3 8 inch of space between the fastener and the panel edge. Then its condition is inspected. Roof sheathing comes in grid marked 4 by 8 foot sheets and should be installed perpendicular to the frame. The first thing we check is the thickness of the material used.

In areas where the wind speed is greater than 130 mph nails for attaching the roof sheathing to intermediate supports should be spaced 6 inches on center for at least the first 48 inches from the ridges eaves and gable end walls. For plywood composite or osb boards installed on rafters it should be at least 5 8ths of an inch thick. This can be done with a straight piece of lumber 6 feet to 10 feet long or a long carpenter s level. Slide the sheet one rafter width over the end of the roof so the edge is centered on the next rafter offset one rafter spacing from the first piece of installed sheathing from the row below.

8d ring shank nails should be used instead. If the top chords of trusses or rafters are warped or bowed install blocking to straighten. This can cause a problem because while the hip trusses maintain their normal spacing e g. Sheathing is installed perpendicular to roof trusses.

In this case to keep the panel s strength axis perpendicular to the hip trusses the panels on the hip roof portion must be installed with their long dimension oriented up and down the slope. Local roof repair contractors inspect the sheathing during maintenance repairs and especially during roof replacement. Trusses or rafters should be shimmed as necessary to provide a level nailing surface.