Trouble with a capital "T"

Jul 26, 2003 5 Replies
G

I guess it's been about a month since I first posted about needing new gutters for my mother's house. Well I finally can to the conclusion that I'd do it myself. No that's not the Trouble! I tore down the old gutters today and found that much of the fascia board was rotten. So, no problem. I'd just by new fascia board and do that myself as well. Unfortunately, the rafters are also rotted on the ends. Nothing to nail to?



Ok, this is a perfect opportunity for all you experts to assist an electrician in the fine art of rafter tip repair and other noted skills of master carpentry, of which I am totally clueless.



Also, for those that feel the need to tell me to hire a professional, forget it. I are a professional! Besides, the coffer is near empty--pun intended.



Op --handyman to the recently deceased--


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J

Add new wood to the side of the rotted rafters extending out at the same dimension, assuming that it is just the ends of the rafters that are rotted this will be a simple fix. Then you have sound wood to nail the fascia into.

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G

That was my first thought. If only it were that simple! Unfortunately, the wood is rotted back too far for me to swing a hammer up in there. I was thinkin' that I might could get a saw-z-all and cut away the rotted ends back about 2" and then nail a 2 x 4 in to extend out the right amount. The house has a brand new metal roof, thus I can't pull up shingles and remove plywood to get at the rafters.

I was hopin' that this might be a common problem and there was a nifty trick to repair. I doubt that I could even get a nail gun in far enuff to do as you have suggested.

Op --batter up!--

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G

So you are sayin', sandwich the rotted rafter between the two triangular cut

2 x 4s. By jove, I think you got it!--if that is what you are sayin'. Thanks Frank!

Op a/k/a Mark H. Bowen

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T

If it's rotted back that far, it must be rotted back to close to the joist (what it's sitting on) or even beyond that. If so, all that rotted wood will continue to spread rot and most likely mold on up the rafters and ceiling joist and really be a nightmare. I suggest if you can't remove the rotted would that you get a couple of bids and have the bidders explain what they are going to do to fix your problem. THEN, you can decide if it's something you can really do.

Tom J who has seen whole roofs that had to be removed to get all the rotted wood out

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