Need Some Advise On An Addition

mattp

I'm putting an addition on a ranch house 24'x80'. The addition will gable back in to the house ( so the house will look like a T from the sky. The addition was suppose to be 24'x24' on a 5/12 to match the house. I get thier Monday to lay it out and the HO has talked with the lumberyard and deciedes to go 30' wide on a 4/12 pitch. I know it will still work but how will it work and how would you frame a cathedral ceiling in it. What would I use for my ridge beam it needs to be 24' long and will my rafters be putting to much pressure on my outside walls.

indm45

why not just order 4/12 trussess with the cathederal ceilings,or what we call scissors trusses and then jist frame in the valley areas ,this is where your ridge pole will start, good luck

mattp

I've thought of that but I dont' think I will have much pitch on the inside prob. only a 2/12 with the sissor truss.

mattp

I'm going to stick frame it. Any ideas on what to use for a ridge beam. Needs to span 24' and will have 2x8 rafters that will span 15'.

troubleseeker

I would only use some type of engineered beam (lam beam. glue lam etc) here, and will leave the speculation on the depth of the beam to the engineers. How do you plan to support the end that ties into the old roof, it is going to need a path to carry it's load down to the foundation. I would have serious concerns about a 30' span with a true cathedral ceiling and no bottom chords to tie the walls together. I doubt if you are going to get an engineeer to approve this without some sort of steel diaphram around the top plates. I would take a closer look at using scissors trusses as suggested, as it will probably be the most cost effective thing you can do.

mattp

Everyone was right I used scissor trusses and it turned out great. Thanks for the advice.