Roof Eaves And Gables

This first installment of a two part series focuses on eaves that do not return onto the gable.

Roof eaves and gables. A slight return just enough to keep water from pooling is all you need. A gable roofis a type of roof design wheretwo sides slope downwardtoward the walls and the other two sides include walls that extend from the bottom of the eaves to the peak of the ridge. In the gable the frieze can either match the horizontal frieze on the rest of the building or it can be reduced one step in dimensional lumber. Gable or rake trim is attached to the sloping edges of roof gables to prevent wind driven rain from penetrating the exposed undersides of the roof panels that connect the ridge and the eave of your home.

The underside of these and the faciaboard is the soffit. It is designed for maximum effectiveness and aesthetics. If the lower section of the roof rafters or rafter tail extends beyond the exterior wall the projection forms an overhang or eave. In wood frame construction the primary structural members of a gabled roof frame are the ridge board and the rafters.

The gables are the pointed triangular sections on the end of buildings. Gables gables typically provided an 8 200 mm overhang and were lined to the underside but there were wide variations in how the top or apex of the gable was treated figures 2 7. An eave is defined as the edge of the roof that overhangs the face of a wall. The purpose of your home s roof is to protect the entire structure and you from weather.

The three primary variables to consider when designing the eaves for a gable roof are the width of the gable trim the projection of the eaves and the details at the corner of the gable ends. Refer to my architectural roof types blog. Like rain snow sleet wind and hail. The final step is putting the roof on the eave and addressing what happens in the gable itself.

A gable roof consists of two sloped planes that meet at the ridge or peak and rest on the top plates of 2 parallel exterior walls. Do not set it to match the main roof slope of the house. Remember the roof on the return is there just to shed a small amount of water. In contrast a gable or rake is the overhang of a building that occurs on the side that is topped by a gable roof.

This is the portion of the roof that protrudes beyond the side of a house or building.