rough cut spruce to replace rafters? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

tersh · 10-13-2009, 09:29 AM

Hi
I'm replacing a few rotted rafters in a 1 car garage. The rafters were actual rough cut 2x 4 ( or 8 quarter by 16 quarter ) . I can get rough cut spruce planking that people use for staging and rip it down- any problem with this?
Thanks,
Tersh

mics_54 · 10-13-2009, 10:18 AM

It's no worse than what it was originally.

Anti-wingnut · 10-13-2009, 10:41 AM

Any reason you can't go back with standard nominal lumber?

TempestV · 10-13-2009, 12:56 PM

What kind of lumber will you be replacing? Around here, any load bearing application would use Doug Fir. I know that locally, I can custom order rough cut lumber to whatever dimension I want from a local sawmill, and it's often cheaper per board foot than dimensional lumber. I don't know how common local sawmills are in your area though.

tersh · 10-13-2009, 06:09 PM

the closest one I've found is 1 1/2 hours drive!

TempestV · 10-14-2009, 02:32 PM

Do they show, and therefore need to be rough cut, or are they buried, and all you need is a true 4" rafter to make everything plane out? If it's the later, get a dimensional 2x6 and rip it to 4".

If it's show, charge for your drive time.

I wouldn't be inclined to use spruce for rafters, unless that's what's already there.

I suppose another option would be to get a 6x6 and resaw 2 2x4 out of it on a bandsaw. The final width cut could be done on a table saw, just put the table saw cut up.

or are any of these places near you?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...nG=Search+Maps

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?ci...BKPGigPpy-jsAQ

reveivl · 10-14-2009, 03:44 PM

There's no issues with spruce as a building material, the yards here are full of it. Just check with the span tables that it is sized appropriately.

TempestV · 10-14-2009, 04:01 PM

Around here, Spruce, hem fir, and pine are grouped together as "white wood". It's fine to use in non load bearing and most compression, but for rafters, joists, posts (where there is more weight on it), ect, you buy doug fir.

As such, I wouldn't want to use spruce for rafters. Maybe the loads are low enough to be safe with white wood, but I'd still use doug fir if at all possible.

spdtrx · 10-14-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reveivl

There's no issues with spruce as a building material, the yards here are full of it. Just check with the span tables that it is sized appropriately.

I agree.

Check your code book and you will have a table to go too
Here the CBC tells me that Table 2308.10.3 you can have a
spruce-Pine-Fir. Grade#1, 2x4 span 10'4"

( Hope that helps )

TempestV · 10-14-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdtrx

I agree.

Check your code book and you will have a table to go too
Here the CBC tells me that Table 2308.10.3 you can have a
spruce-Pine-Fir. Grade#1, 2x4 span 10'4"

( Hope that helps )

Remember, for roofs, snow load makes a big difference, so you have to know what the span is for your area.

spdtrx · 10-14-2009, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TempestV

Remember, for roofs, snow load makes a big difference, so you have to know what the span is for your area.

Good Call.

woodworkbykirk · 10-16-2009, 04:43 PM

is the repair going to be inspected, if it is the inspector will want to see mill stamps saying the wood is ok to use otherwise a engineer's stamp would probably be required.

only reason i say this is because a backhoe operator who use to do the excavations for our us cut the trees on his lot and had them turned into lumber. the lumber wasnt stamped by the engineer mill so the inspector condemned his house