Roof Timbers

Well, it feels like a giant step forward has been achieved in the last couple of days. Four triangles of roof timbers have been erected to mark the two ends of the main roof and the two gable ends. This picture was taken early this morning and shows the first two of them :

Now that these are in place they act as markers for building up the walls to their final height and angles. Once this is done the steel purlins can go in as supports for the remaining timbers.

I gather that getting the lengths and angles right was quite tricky. The main roof ridge has to be in the right place (centre of the chimney breast), the rear slope and position has to match exactly the existing roof and the front slope has to be of sufficiently increased height to provide the required internal headroom. Not easy when working with such large unwieldy timbers in a howling gale.

Today's second picture shows a little detail (not particularly clearly) of where the roof timbers meet the wall plates :

A half-depth angled notch is taken from the timber so that it rests neatly on the wall plate where it is nailed in place. I am not sure if this nailing is permanent or not, but without it, and in the absence of the purlins, the triangle would collapse with the ends of the roof timbers pushing outwards. This is why the wall plates are so sturdily attached - the roof timbers must not push them over.

I know I said it before, but this feels like a major milestone. The whole project has been two years gradually rising from a hole in the ground, and now we can see the top. Yippee !