# roofing over cedar



## AaronB. (Oct 6, 2004)

I disagree, RRD.

You will still want to get the ends on rafters or use screws.


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## River Rat Dad (Feb 18, 2006)

I don't mind ending on rafters, but on a lot of older homes the spacing isn't that good. 24",26", 25 1/2", You name it. In my 26 years of doing cedar tears we have never had a problem peppering the crap out of the edges, as long as the original deck is in good shape. Just my expeirence. 

Disclaimer: Results may vary, consult your local mystic


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## Alan Hughes (Mar 1, 2006)

Hate to disagree with a fello contractor but plywooding from the top down is much more difficult and dangerous. Get that bottom sheet on and then brackets or toe boards make going to the top more 'norman'.  

Also on many houses it's difficult to cut the ply on the ground and get a flush even finish on the roof. What would you rather cut from the roof, the bottom or the peak? :blink: 

Decking, we pop a line centered on each purlon and nail near where the lines intersect with the rafters. Trying to nail to the purlons between rafters will sometimes break a purlon and that's always sucky so we keep the nails along the rafters. even though nailing to the purlons. I like to put screws along the bottom, esp the bottom corners to keep the ply from lifting. On older houses, crown molding usually requires the ply to overhang a few inches and unless screwed will try to curl enough to loosen nails or pull thru.

I've done hundreds of DL over shake tearoffs and redeck on the old colonial homes in this area. Going over the purlons makes a much better job, just make sure to renail each purlon before starting the decking and have the purlons adjusted to catch the seams in the plywood.  

Good money jobs as not everyone does them and even fewer do em correctly.


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## AaronB. (Oct 6, 2004)

I make sure to hit the rafters when decking over skip sheathing. I see no reason not to.


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## River Rat Dad (Feb 18, 2006)

I hit the rafters, but I don't waste a bunch of wood to end on them. If I have a rafter thats off by an inch and a half, not uncommon on older homes with spaced boards, I'm not gonna cut back to the next rafter and throw away a 2 foot piece of ply. Also by the time you shingle the thing with 1 1/4" nails most of those roofing nails have gone through the plywood and in to the original deck as well. Toss in all those roofing nails on top of the 8's and the plywood aint gonna lift off. And I think plying your way down is faster, easier and safer. I'v done it both ways and generally prefer starting at the top.


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