How to Build Eaves for a Gable Roof

Gable roofs follow the slope, have a high pitch, with straight sides and overhanging eaves. These eaves border and bound the roof at the lower ends under the rafters. The gable eaves are built into the roof during construction and are usually considered a part of the overall structure. Gable eaves are the area right under the rafter tails which are the part of the roof which extends beyond the heel of a bird's mouth.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tape Measure Pencil Rafter Studs Circular Saw Rafter Horses Collar Ties Gable End Studs 16-penny Nails Nail Gun Ridgeboard Frieze Blocks Fascia Roof Sheath

1. Form your gable roof. Measure and cut your rafters. Make your ridge cuts and cut your bird's mouths, or rafter seats. Lay the rafters out onto rafter horses and make all your cuts at one time using a circular saw.

2. Attach your common rafters to the ridgeboard. Nail the rafters at the rafter seat to the exterior wall plate using three 16-penny nails. Attach your collar ties and gable end studs for support.

3. Insert and nail in place all your frieze blocks. These 2-by-4s are nailed on the wall plate between the rafters, right before the rafter tails extend the plate.

4. Apply your 2-by-6 spruce fascia to the ends of the rafter tails once the rafters and all supports are in place.

5. Nail down the roof sheathing with 16-penny nails until the entire roof is covered. The gable eave is the area underneath the rafter tails covered by the roof sheath, which creates the overhang.

Tips & Warnings

• It doesn't matter how much overhang or extension is made by the rafter tails, the area underneath where the rafters meet the plate, is called the eaves.
• Always wear ear, eye, hand and face protection when working with power tools.