How to Make Box Rafters
Rafters are the framework of the roof of a house. They are made out of 2-by-4 lumber and can be found underneath the shingles on your home. There are many different designs and types of rafters. One type is box rafters. They are most often found on churches and other buildings that have a steep slope. If you are constructing a building that requires box rafters, you can build these rafters using the 2-by-4 lumber. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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1
Measure the distance from one side of the building where you will be installing the rafters to the other. Record the measurement. This is how wide the box rafter will be.
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2
Lay out a 2-by-4 piece of lumber. Measure and mark with a pencil at the desired height, which will be half the distance of the width measurement you took in the previous step. Two vertical rafter pieces will be cut at 45-degree angles and butted together to form the top of the rafter.
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3
Slide the 2-by-4 into a miter saw and turn the blade of the saw 45 degrees to the right. Line up the blade of the saw with the mark on the lumber and bring the blade of the saw through the 2-by-4. Cut straight through the lumber and repeat the process for the second 2-by-4, turning the blade of the saw 45 degrees in the opposite direction. Butt the two pieces together to verify they fit properly. Set a tie plate equally on each side where the two pieces meet. Hammer it in place and repeat the process for the other side.
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4
Cut two pieces 1 foot long at 45-degree angles with the miter saw and stand them up vertically. Attach them to the bottom of the piece you just built with tie plates on each side. These pieces will be the base and the pieces you cut in the previous step will sit on top of them, butting together at an angle. Stand up the structure and cut a 2-foot piece with the miter saw. Attach it at the top of the structure where the two pieces meet so it is going down from the top.
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5
Measure one-third of the way down each long, vertical rafter and mark the location. This is where the diagonal rafter will be installed. Run a rafter from the center piece you cut in the previous step down to the marked location and repeat the process for the other side. Cut it to size with a miter saw and install it just like the other pieces were installed to form the box rafter.
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