Nailing Ridge to rafters

[Oscar Garcia]

Hi everyone, I'm Mexican and I'm learning framing, I have read alot about framing but I have a doubt about nailing ridge to rafters, I found a nailing schedule table and realised how many 16d nails I have to nail ridge to rafters but I don't know exactly how to nail the ridge into the opposite rafters whether toenailing o endnailing, I wish someone could help me to understand this with a image o draw since its confusing to me. Thank you in advance.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Originally Posted by Oscar Garcia

Hi everyone, I'm Mexican and I'm learning framing, I have read alot about framing but I have a doubt about nailing ridge to rafters, I found a nailing schedule table and realised how many 16d nails I have to nail ridge to rafters but I don't know exactly how to nail the ridge into the opposite rafters whether toenailing o endnailing, I wish someone could help me to understand this with a image o draw since its confusing to me. Thank you in advance.

I don't have an image, but I can tell you that you nail through the ridge into the first rafter with three nails.
The opposing rafter is toe-nailed to the ridge directly opposite the first rafter with three toe-nails in one side and two in the other. This was considered "best practice" until metal hangers came into common use for connecting rafters to ridges.
Personally I think metal connectors for rafter to ridge are a good idea in seismic areas and high-wind areas like hurricane territory but unnecessary otherwise.

[Jeffery L. Haynes]

Here is out I nail ridges:

I mark on both sides of the ridge board where each rafter will sit.
From the ground I nail two rafters to the ridge board from the backside of the ridge
board itself, that way there is no toe nailing necessary. I then use 2x4x12's to raise the ridge into place while my guys nail the bottom of the rafters to their respective plates.

I then use a ladder or scaffold and set the opposing rafters by nailing from the opposite of the ridge board as well, except at a slight angle.

All rafters should be set so that they counter balance one another.
Also make sure you have plenty of bracing. I actually mark a spot on the floor so that I can align my ridge with a plumb bob. This is the most accurate and fastest way to set rafters. I have been doing it this way for 30 years........works out great.

Remember to crown your rafters.......any rafter with a crown greater than 1/2 inch across its length I will discard or at times, cut it out.

I came across this to show you how a worker is nailing a rafter from the backside
of the ridge board.

[Joshua L. Frederick]

Originally Posted by Oscar Garcia

I'm Mexican ...

????? Not sure why that's relevant to nailing rafters/ridges.

[George E. Russell]

Never framed in the south huh?

[Oscar Garcia]

Thank you guys for your help, time and answers, I know it's a basic question but here in Mexico we don't frame houses, we build masonry houses and there is no much information about framing. All these years I've been trying to learn more about platform framing and your information is very helpful to me.

[Jeffery L. Haynes]

I dont know.....Mexico is pretty far south.

[Joshua L. Frederick]

Originally Posted by Oscar Garcia

here in Mexico we don't frame houses, we build masonry houses and there is no much information about framing

Gotcha.