Splice Roof Rafters

How to splice a roof rafter plate.

Splice roof rafters.

Measure rafter spacings of 24 inches with a tape measure and plan the splice to fall between rafters. Rafter plates are almost always spliced due to the length of most structures. A ridge board is a much better way to secure rafters to your roof and will almost always be a better way to go. Several roof rafters have been spliced in a v pattern near the roof ridge.

The roof rafters are 2x8 on 16 centers with 2x10 ridges. Rafter plates are load bearing beams that support either a single rafter or a truss. A splice should end between rafters not where a rafter lands directly on the splice. A 30 foot roof for instance will need at least two boards.

A 16 foot board will end at a rafter with 24 inch spacing. In this case the framer just needed a longer rafter. Several have a plywood scab brace on the side but several do not. In this case the rafter as a whole is actually stronger than it would have been because the splice is more than adequate and the plywood adds to the strength.

Rafter splicing is typically used as a last resort for erecting rafters and is not generally the preferred method of constructing roofs. Rafter splice forgive the crude drawing will post pic but it is hard to see. Calculate where a ridge beam splice will be needed.