# Ideas for Open Gable Porch Help



## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

Getting ready to start this remodel adding an open gable (no ceiling) porch roof and remove carport and add garage. Customer wants an Open Gable Porch roof. My question concerns the open ceiling/gable porch. It will be 20' wide and 6' out from house. 

What's best way to sheet roof to avoid roofing nails protruding/visible? How do you deal with the collar ties being exposed? We are on the coast in NC so all framing fasteners and rafter ties will be 316 Stainless exposed. 

I attached one pic of house front and one pic of the porch roof they want. Appreciate any ideas you folks may have. Thanks.


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## Shullcon (Mar 8, 2017)

Shouldn't need any collar ties for that if you support your ridge board as a beam. Besides that, Your left and right beams will both be tied together at the front and back on a 6 ft span. No collar ties.

As far as the underside of the roof goes, I would put some 1x2 on either side of the rafters tight against the sheathing and put some bead board or lap board underneath between the rafters.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Lay sleepers over T&G then sheathe. Create a vent.
Or 5/4 T&G, or sheathe as normal the install cleats in-between rafters to attach finished ceiling material.

Just a few thoughts


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## Shullcon (Mar 8, 2017)

Just a note- 20' wide seems a little overbearing for house that size.... but it's not my house.


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## NJGC (Apr 5, 2014)

IMO an open gable porch on that house will not look near as good as the one in the pic. The house you will be working on has to low a slope roof IMO to attempt that look. 

Talk them into popping the top on the whole house and putting a steeper roof on that bad boy. It will look way better. 


Oh and best way to sheet the roof with no nails showing is to not miss the rafters when you nail it. Lol

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## Shullcon (Mar 8, 2017)

Roofing nails...


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

Shullcon said:


> Shouldn't need any collar ties for that if you support your ridge board as a beam. Besides that, Your left and right beams will both be tied together at the front and back on a 6 ft span. No collar ties.
> 
> As far as the underside of the roof goes, I would put some 1x2 on either side of the rafters tight against the sheathing and put some bead board or lap board underneath between the rafters.


Thanks Shullcon, After reviewing the code again I believe you may be correct on no need for collar ties. Putting the bead board or ship lar in between the rafters is also a viable option which I had considered. If I did that I would probably go with larger rafter material, 2x8 or 2x10 so we still have sufficient rafter showing...Thanks.


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

Tom M said:


> Lay sleepers over T&G then sheathe. Create a vent.
> Or 5/4 T&G, or sheathe as normal the install cleats in-between rafters to attach finished ceiling material.
> 
> Just a few thoughts


Thanks Tom, That was actually my first thought. Laydown 1x6 T&G then sleepers and sheathe with OSB (We usually use ZIP). For a small roof this may be least time consuming option. Thanks,.


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## Shullcon (Mar 8, 2017)

If it's not a mud hole today after last nights rain, I'm actually building a similar porch roof on a new house.

Using cedar for posts, beams, and faux truss. No open rafters though.


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

NJGC said:


> IMO an open gable porch on that house will not look near as good as the one in the pic. The house you will be working on has to low a slope roof IMO to attempt that look.
> 
> Talk them into popping the top on the whole house and putting a steeper roof on that bad boy. It will look way better.
> 
> ...


Thanks NJ, I agree regarding the low pitch...however, you know how it is when your customer has been looking at open gables on Pinetrest for years dreaming of this. There is nothing I could say to convince "her" of other options. I did convince her to let me increase the pitch on the new porch roof to maximum without exceeding existing ridge line. Existing is 4/12, I think I can get a 7 or 8/12 up there. Plus adding on 20' closed in garage on left end will help balance it out. Oh..of course I was talking about shingle nails not sheathing nails. I hate that! I am a stickler with my crew about missing a joist, rafter, stud or truss with a nail...They know I'll be looking for that and they will be backing out and renailing every one. Sign of poor quality to me. Thanks.


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

Shullcon said:


> If it's not a mud hole today after last nights rain, I'm actually building a similar porch roof on a new house.
> 
> Using cedar for posts, beams, and faux truss. No open rafters though.


How about some pics when you get done? Met with client yesterday afternoon and we may be starting this one with 3-4 weeks. Thanks


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## NJGC (Apr 5, 2014)

Canmannc said:


> Thanks NJ, I agree regarding the low pitch...however, you know how it is when your customer has been looking at open gables on Pinetrest for years dreaming of this. There is nothing I could say to convince "her" of other options. I did convince her to let me increase the pitch on the new porch roof to maximum without exceeding existing ridge line. Existing is 4/12, I think I can get a 7 or 8/12 up there. Plus adding on 20' closed in garage on left end will help balance it out. Oh..of course I was talking about shingle nails not sheathing nails. I hate that! I am a stickler with my crew about missing a joist, rafter, stud or truss with a nail...They know I'll be looking for that and they will be backing out and renailing every one. Sign of poor quality to me. Thanks.


Lol for some reason roofing nails hadn't crossed my mind. Shiners when sheathing drive me nuts and I also find them unacceptable. GL with the project. Post up progress pics

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## Shullcon (Mar 8, 2017)

Sure thing. Like I said it's going to be similar, but definitely different than the one pictured.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

I used to hand nail or gun nail with 1" nails on some of the dutch colonial houses with open eaves. The nails dont puncture through, even the code says it should.

If you know how to use sketchup you should show the owner how the roof would look. I love how the porch made that house look but this house has a low pitch roof and getting the proportion right is important to make sure the dream doesnt look like a nightmare.


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

Shullcon said:


> Just a note- 20' wide seems a little overbearing for house that size.... but it's not my house.


It has a 20' x 2' concrete stoop/porch now. we are tearing off the top of that and building a deck over it 20' x 6'. Then the roof...


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

Tom M said:


> I used to hand nail or gun nail with 1" nails on some of the dutch colonial houses with open eaves. The nails dont puncture through, even the code says it should.
> 
> If you know how to use sketchup you should show the owner how the roof would look. I love how the porch made that house look but this house has a low pitch roof and getting the proportion right is important to make sure the dream doesnt look like a nightmare.


Here the nails only have to penetrate if sheathing is less than 3/4". 

"R905.2.5 Fasteners. Fasteners for asphalt shingles shall be
galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum or copper roofing
nails, minimum 12 gage [0.105 inch (3 mm)] shank with a
minimum 3/8-inch (10 mm) diameter head, ASTM F 1667, of
a length to penetrate through the roofing materials and a minimum of
3/4-inch (19 mm) into the roof sheathing. Where the
roof sheathing is less than 3/4-inch (19 mm) thick, the fasteners
shall penetrate through the sheathing." 

That said, using a 1" nail with architectural shingle and underlayment would be really close.

Man I suck at Sketchup. I Maybe I'll try it again. And you're right about the Dream vs Nightmare and I wouldn't want my name on a nightmare!


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

And DANG! I just pulled the parcel card and the house was built in 1960. You all know what that means? Pre-1978...That's right RRP. Gotta go get more test kits, explain and get them to sign pre-renovation form and hope that facsia & soffett doesn't pop for lead. Good thing I decided to renew and just sent EPA my $300. Now at least now I can recoup that.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Just as an example.
You dont want it to look like this: 20x6 porch with a 7/12 roof married into a 12x32 house with a 4/12 roof


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## Canmannc (Jul 9, 2015)

Tom M said:


> Just as an example.
> You dont want it to look like this: 20x6 porch with a 7/12 roof married into a 12x32 house with a 4/12 roof


 Oh Heck no...I ain't doing that. I have seen that on the same street and worse.
I'll post pics when done and I hope nobody says it looks like dog do-do.

This pic is the first preliminary sketch I gave them for the project.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Looks perfect for that house Canmannc


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## Shullcon (Mar 8, 2017)

Adding the garage on the left does even it out a lot.

What are the dimensions of the main house?


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

In terms of nail penetration showing, like others said...maybe some t+g down first and then use 3/4" ply. Use 1 1/4" roofers for shingling.

By no mean is this in scale with your project, but you get the gist.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

I did one similar but I did the interior as normal and the eaves open.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Just realized you cant tell how I framed it.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

I'm in a rush and havent read all replies but I always put t-111 face down and ¾ on top of that. Works great.


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