For 2 x 4 rafters use a 2 x 6 ridge board.
Ridge board shed roof.
A ridge board is a non structural member that serves as a prop for opposing rafters to rest against and connect to.
It s often just a nice way to bring the rafters together.
For 2 x 6 rafters use a 2 x 8 ridge board and so on.
A ridge beam carries the loads of the rafters connected to it and must be both strong enough to carry the weight and well supported at the bearing points at each end to transfer the loads down to the ground.
Ridge beams are required by code if the roof slope is less than 3 in 12 irc section r802 3.
A proper beam would have a supporting post at each end.
A stick framed roof uses 2x4 s or 2x6 s or whatever you are framing with but has a ridge board running down the middle ridge line.
Ridge beam sizing is based on the span of the beam between supports and the amount of roof load supported by the beam.
As a reminder please don t forget to add height of rafter thickness of roofing material and ridge vent to the number that you ll get using our calculator.
Come to think of it the only style shed i can see that would be easy to use a ridge beam is the gable style shed.
You then have rafters running down from this ridge board and resting on the top wall plates.
If your goal is to only calculate the roof height do not enter any numbers in wall height field and only use building width and roof pitch fields.
Type of lumber matters.
While there are benefits to both only rafters vary in the size of lumber that is used.
Sometimes the rafter will have a tail and extend out past the wall so that you have a soffit or overhang.
Cut to the ridge board to the length of the shed dimension b and mark it 24 inch on center.
Rafters simply rely on a center ridge beam and the outside walls for support.
I can t ever recall seeing a saltbox shed built with a ridge beam or even a gambrel roof shed for that matter.
You don t need a ridge beam but you do need a way to keep the walls from spreading.
The ridge board s length will be the outside measurement of the building plus the length of the overhang at both ends.
You may splice two boards together to achieve this length if necessary using a 14 and 1 2 inch block of the same material.
A ridge board isn t a beam per se.
Remove the spacers in both end wall trusses and put the ridge board in between the 2 gable ends.
For more information about roof framing and how understanding the differences between types of shed roof construction visit my guide to shed roof framing.
Line it up with the top of the truss and nail in place.
