How to Do These Things

More homeowners are trying to save money on any and all home improvements, this included roof repairs. This could include replacing shingles to cutting roof rafters. Always have a friend work with you on roof repairs. It is safer and you can get the job done faster.

You can get these rafters at local Home Depot or Lowe’s stores. They do not come precut so you will have to cut them. The best way to cut them is to use a sawhorse. If you have two, great but if you only have one, you can try nailing an eight foot 2 x 4 to the top of the saw horse and you could cut them on the 2 x 4, it will give you more room to cut more than one at a time.

If you don’t have a sawhorse, you can use a rafter pattern. Choose the straightest piece of lumber you bought, determine the length of the rafter by going from the bird mouth to the length of the rafter tail.  Make your markings on the rafters that you are going to cut. Try to be precise because these are going to be on the roof.

Now you want to nail the stops to the top of the pattern that you have created. Now cut about 6” long and 2-1/2” wide, now you want to nail these pieces just above the bird mouth. Once this is done you have the pattern for the rest of the rafters without having to measure out all the rest. This save you time, a lot of time.

Once you have gathered all the wood up, you can cut the rafters. Use a pencil to mark where you are going to start sawing. It is recommended to cut the plumb cut first and move to the bird’s mouth and the tail. You can use a power saw to cut these but be careful, you want to move the cut pieces away so you don’t accidentally cut them again.

Now you are ready to install your rafters. You don’t have to be a carpenter or a roofer to do your own rafters. You need a steady hand, a good eye and patience. If you have any questions, you can look online or ask the salesmen in the place where you purchased the lumber.