montea6b Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 I am in the begining stages of building a 20'x24' barn, and would like to top it off with a Gambrel roof. I can figure out the angles I want, but I'm not sure how beefy I need to go in bracing the corner. I thought about using 1/2" plywood, cutting 4' lengths about 6" wide, and nailing these on each side of the angle where the 2x8 rafters meet. I was going to place the rafters 24" OC, with the top end resting on a ridge beam, and the bottom notched to fit a beam atop the side walls, and side nail the rafters to joists for the loft. I was then going to use 1x4 skip sheathing 24" apart, and top it with a metal roof. Does this sound like it would be sturdy enough? Does anybody have a proven truss design that they can describe, photograph, or scan a sketch of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FC Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 If you'll remind me by an email, I have the expensive "Barns" book that has pictures of old barns. I could pdf some of them and email them to you. Be sure to put your email on your letter. The English-style barns used plenty of beams to transfer the weight to ever larger beams, then to the ground. The American-style barns vary in quality of workmanship. My grandpa's barn blew down. Let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerfive Posted July 15, 2006 Report Share Posted July 15, 2006 Later if I can figure out how to scan some sketches, I could send you some. For now I'll try to describe. When you are talking about 2X8, I assume that you are talking 10' lengths. I think the 2X8 is adequate to build up to a 20' span for the Gambrel. I'm thinking that the 1/2" plywood 'gusset plates' are kind of wimpy. I would use 3/4" gusset plates. Mine would be 12" X (approx 2.5'). You can rip a 4X8 sheet of plywood down into 1' strips and get 4 gussets per strip. This would give you 16 gussets per sheet of plywood. The top and bottom of the gusset would be parallel. The top being about 4-6" and the bottom about 2.5'. The gusset doesn't need to go fully into the outside corner. If it covers 6 of the 8 inches at the jont, that should be plenty. I would use some exterior grade construction adheasive (liquid nails). I also would 'coller tie' the top section, so that the top section is a true triangle. About the "skip sheeting".... A. For the minimal cost difference between 1X4 and 2X4, I'd go with 2X4 for the strength. B. While the metal may do perfectly fine spaning the gap with 24" centers, the frame work strength needs to be considered. For the lateral stability of the roof down the 24' lenth, I would not exceed 16" centers for the 'sheeting'. Lastly, I would nail on an angle brace, in each of the four corners of the barn, to the underside of the bottom cord of the gambrell truss. In other words from the top of the bottom outside cord to the bottom of the 3rd (or 4th) truss in. Tinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsefly Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 Montea6b,how is your barn roff working out?Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montea6b Posted August 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 Thanks for the tips, and for the interest in an update Jerry. I've been chipping away gradually, but I'm not to the roof yet. I'm almost done nailing down the 3/4 inch plywood flooring in the hayloft. Once that is in place I can get up on a step ladder to put a ridgebeam in place. Then I'll start building trusses. I bought the missus a new digital camera for her 40th this summer, I'll have to post some pictures of the progress to date. (and some better rifle shots!) Been busy this summer. New house, new job, an hour commute each way, (versus 15 minutes before) plus the barn project in addition to taking the kids to horse shows and other events on the weekend. Our 9 year old is riding in the state fair for the first time this weekend. Life is good. Meanwhile, my skeleton gripcap inletting taunts me every time I go into the workshop. Sometimes I pause, pull out the FN action, smooth my hand across the ebony tip I sanded flush with the figured walnut, gaze upon the finely checkered bolt knob, (unencumbered by an attached bolt body) admire the three position Dakota safety, and dream of what will oneday be.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montea6b Posted September 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 Here's where I am in the project. Slow going, but starting to shape up. Monty's barn so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montea6b Posted September 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I put together some photos of the progress so far. I hope to get all the skip sheathing up on the left side today, and start roofing it next weekend after the metal roof panels are delivered this week. I decided to roof in one side so that I can have some cover to keep material dry since we are starting to get into the rainy Fall weather now. I'll get the right side done before Winter... Mike's barn so far. P.S. Be patient if you have dial up, the photos may take a while to load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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