rafters or traditional?

[JimK]

scheming further on a new garage/shed complex under new PD rights -

say 15m long X 6m wide X 2.5m to eaves, dual pitched roof (4m ridge ), block/brick built, stone slate (aka "greys") roof (probly Grays Artstone or similar - (anyone know of their competitors?) or maybe cheap indian sandstone?

So current ponder:- roof structure - manufactured rafters or old school (beams, purlins rafters etc) ? Of course it will need BRegs - are ther tables in the Approved Docs somewhere to give me an idea what I am looking at???

I'm interested in opinions/ experiences/info about both but especially the latter - it appeals so far! because there would be more storage options, it would be DIYable, and for the site, a damn sight easier than trusses to get it delivered....

Cheers JimK

[JimK]

doh!!!!! subject should be "trusses or traditional?" can someone plse change it for me I don't know how :>)))

ta JimK

[dennis]

Well i recon the longest span under bending load is only about 3.5 m so its not going to take much timber to just make a few triangles without anything else to support the roof. Someone with superbeam will be along to tell you how far a 6x2 will stretch if you are lucky.

[Clot]

I use OE and it is easy when "replying" to change the subject.

We have a double garage with trusses. It's a bain. I do manage to put various items in the roof of significant dimensions but with difficulty. In your position, I would only think one way - the proper job!

[Bob Minchin]

Re-titled as requested

Bob

[The Natural Philosopher]

If you are ,more worried about material cost than labour, actually making a trad roof is very good, and it can be engineered to what you want it for.

Premade trusses limit you to standrad spans and pitches, and are designed to reduce material and especially labour costs to the minimum, and are almost impossible to work inside to fit insulation tanks or storage.

Sketch up what you have in mind, get an architect or structural engineer to write it up as a proper plan that is calculated to be to regs and specs and build it!

[The Natural Philosopher]

Dont need to. Had to go to 7x3 to span 6 meters here. That's on ceiling joists. And herringboned largely.

Think the rafters even bigger., 8 x something.

[NT]

The loft will be pretty much unusable if you got with the matchstick forest.

NT