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Gable Roof Patio Cover Questions????


peescal

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Hey everyone I am building a patio cover that is going to have a gable roof, with four posts that makes a 12x9 rectangle, the roof will be 12x12. As you can see in the drawings I am planning on having all of my beams be 6x8's and posts 6x6 with 12" diameter round concrete footings. I am putting in a ridge beam so that I don't have to use any kind of collar tie or joist and can have a completely open ceiling. My rafters will be 2x6, spanning about 7 feet spaced 24" o.c. I am planning on using 2x6 or 2x8 tongue and groove roof decking boards for my roof sheathing, so from underneath it will be all nice stained wood. The finish roof I will be using either shingles or my wife really likes metal/aluminum. My 6x8 perimeter beams will be connected together on the top of each post with a simpson strong tie bracket eccl and ecclr. I have been researching and trying to design this thing for 2 weeks, I have talked to multiple people at the lumber yards and they all say this design will work but here are my concerns. Thanks for any help in advance.

1. Will the perimeter beams in the front and back that span 12ft between posts with a point load in the center from the ridge beam be adequate?

2. Can I space my rafters further apart than 24 o.c. I would like to see as much decking as possible.

3. Am I completely overbuilding this thing? and if you were me how would you build it, without making it look too scrawny.

NO SNOW LOADS

I LIVE IN SAN DIEGO CA

ALL LUMBER WILL BE RESAWN DOUGFIR

STRUCTURE WILL BE FREE STANDING

The patio cover will be 11.5 feet tall t the top of pitch

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I did a quick check and the end beams with the point load would be overstressed by about 25 percent based upon assumed allowable bending stress.

Lateral bracing details are a bigger concern. If lateral bracing is performed properly, that may make the 6x8 work for beading by reducing the effective span.

You should find a local engineer to help with details.

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I was planning on using steel gussets but I don't want the look of all that metal so I was wondering if I can make my own out 1x or 2x lumber that I can stain and through bolt? if not I will use metal and just add wood covers. I was going to have 2 2x6 rafters sandwich the angled struts the 2 2x6 rafter will be sitting on top of the posts on each side and the tops of them will be resting on the top of the ridge beam like all the others?or I was going to have the angles struts notched in the center to accept a 2x6 rafter and through bolt it.

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I still have not ordered the material yet so would a 6x10 be my best bet?.I am trying not to make it look too bulky but I gotta do what I gotta do. What would be the proper way to laterally brace the 6x8 beam to make it work, if possible. is the 6x8 ridge beam too big?too small?

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I know I have been told that time and time again?.But the last time i call a structural engineer they wanted $500 just to come and look at what I needed help with thats not including the answer to my problem I can only imagine how much that will cost. I now that this type of structure more involved than the average. If it were you guys how would you frame this thing? As a disclaimer I take full responsibility of any damage to me or my property if I do any of the suggestions?Thanks for the help.

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The advice doesn't come cheap, for a reason.

The education and training those structural engineers have wasn't cheap or easy to get.

Spend the bucks. You won't regret it AND when you're ready to sell, you'll have the engineering documents to back up your claim that it's a sturdy structure.

How much is your time and peace of mind worth?

How much time do YOU already have invested in it and all you've got is a couple of hand drawings and cheap advice from a bunch of guys on the internet that have never even seen a picture of the place you want to put this structure?

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Actually, you want to use an architect, not an engineer. I know it is self-serving but an architect is trained to design the space as well as the structure and integrate them into an aesthetically pleasing design. If an architect needs a structural engineer to design a simple roof structure he should not be licensed.

An engineer will know how to make it strong and safe but is not necessarily trained on how to make it attractive.

Of course design is subjective but it is easy for most people to see the difference between a functional box and a well designed space.

That being said, good luck with whatever you decide.

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And by the way, $500 will probably not cover the cost of a competent architect or engineer to design your structure, provide the drawings, and take responsibility for them.

I am sometimes insulted that some of the public will devalue what we do as licensed professionals (Home Inspectors, Architects, Engineers, etc. ) and expect us to work cheap yet when they do their job they want to be paid a premium.

I am mildly amused when the same people will take design advice from the salesmen in a lumber yard, big box store clerks, or strangers on the internet and spend thousands of dollars based on what they find out.

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