I'm building a wood shed....I need some help

[EddieWalker]

by resting the boards on that 2x4 "ledger board" how is that any different that useing a 2x4 for the header where it connects to the pole barn? there is not that much force pushing back toward the pole shed on the rafters right? the screws take weight seems like lots of weight would be on that 2x4

One of the things I look at when people post pics of a build is how do they support the load of what they are building. The basic rule of all construction is that you want all of your lumbers resting on top of lumber. In a perfect world with no wind or movement, you should be able to put all your boards up without a fastener and it will stand there. Fasteners, like nails or screws are just to hold that lumber in place, not support any of it. This very simple principle is how all buildings are designed.

In this case where the rafters are resting on the 2x4 ledger board, you have lumber stacked on top of lumber. Next best would be joist hangers attached the the ledger board. Worse and unacceptable would be screws or nails toe nailed or nailed into the end grain of the rafters holding them in position.

The 2x4 ledger board is held in place by fasteners. Ideally they should be designed to do this like bolts or lag bolts. The strength of the 2x4 used is increased because of what it is attached to. How it is attached is important. In this case, the question should be how many and what was used to attach the ledger board?

Like others have said, the 2x4 increases in strength being attached to the beam behind it. It spreads the load and makes for a very secure attachment that will outlast all of us.

 

[BigBoyToys]

Most deck failures are from the deck coming away from the house, or building it's attached to. The ledger board pulls away and the deck collapses.

WHAT LEDGER BOARD???

I had a family friend who's sister was on her deck cooking with her two rottweilers...next thing you know they and the deck were on the ground. The dogs were lucky, they weren't seriously injured. She wasn't, she ended up with a broken arm and injuring a knee. Could have been a lot worse as the deck was on the back of a split-level home more than 8' off the ground. The main culprit was the 2x6 floor joists were toe-nailed against the cedar shingles on the house with 10 penny nails.
I had to document everything that was wrong as she sued the original builder for his work and the town for signing off on it. Both settled out of court.

 

[FTG-05]

One of the things I look at when people post pics of a build is how do they support the load of what they are building. The basic rule of all construction is that you want all of your lumbers resting on top of lumber. In a perfect world with no wind or movement, you should be able to put all your boards up without a fastener and it will stand there. Fasteners, like nails or screws are just to hold that lumber in place, not support any of it. This very simple principle is how all buildings are designed.

In this case where the rafters are resting on the 2x4 ledger board, you have lumber stacked on top of lumber. Next best would be joist hangers attached the the ledger board. Worse and unacceptable would be screws or nails toe nailed or nailed into the end grain of the rafters holding them in position.

The 2x4 ledger board is held in place by fasteners. Ideally they should be designed to do this like bolts or lag bolts. The strength of the 2x4 used is increased because of what it is attached to. How it is attached is important. In this case, the question should be how many and what was used to attach the ledger board?

Like others have said, the 2x4 increases in strength being attached to the beam behind it. It spreads the load and makes for a very secure attachment that will outlast all of us.

I hate to keep taking this thread away from Gen'l Lee and his shed build, but: Are you saying I should go back and add 3/8" bolts to the 2x4 ledger that hold my joists? I will if you think I should, LMK.

OK, back to you Gen'l Lee!

One question for you: where are the fasteners in your two pics above (post #81)? I'm having a hard time finding them.

Thanks,

 

[Cord]

Post some pics of the ledger in question and I'll try to answer your question

 

[General Lee]

OK, back to you Gen'l Lee!

One question for you: where are the fasteners in your two pics above (post #81)? I'm having a hard time finding them.

Thanks,

Some pics of the fasteners are post 73. I just have them on the end rafters right now. Still have more structural things to add such as those fasteners. I'll add some corner braces from the header to the outside corner posts as well.

 

[Cord]

The brackets are flipped around backwards (don't change the orientation, but put them on the other side of the rafter), but it looks like you are using the right nails. I'd like to see a horizontal ceiling joist between the low beam and the tall post to help triangulate things. The beam-post connection should be through bolted.

 

[EddieWalker]

I hate to keep taking this thread away from Gen'l Lee and his shed build, but: Are you saying I should go back and add 3/8" bolts to the 2x4 ledger that hold my joists? I will if you think I should, LMK.

OK, back to you Gen'l Lee!

One question for you: where are the fasteners in your two pics above (post #81)? I'm having a hard time finding them.

Thanks,

I think you are fine the way you have it. If this was a deck that an unknown number of people where walking on, I would advice using bolts. But keep in mind that according to a couple of trade magazines that I read, bolts are no longer allowed to support the load of a ledger board or beams in some areas of the country. Code has changed from bolts being acceptable, to requiring brackets or direct support lumber under it.

 

[General Lee]

The brackets are flipped around backwards (don't change the orientation, but put them on the other side of the rafter), but it looks like you are using the right nails. I'd like to see a horizontal ceiling joist between the low beam and the tall post to help triangulate things. The beam-post connection should be through bolted.

Yes, I have the bolts to tie the beam to the posts, just haven't installed them yet. And I agree, there will be more support joists. Just at a stand still right now due to no time to work on it. Maybe this weekend

 

[General Lee]

Does anyone have any experience or opinions on the Ondura Corrugated Cellulose Fiber/Asphalt Roof Panels that Lowes carries? Wondering if this would be an ok choice for the roof on my shed.

 

[prevent]

When we stocked them at work we sold a ton of them for sheds..... never seen anyone return them. I know they can damage easy from improper handling and being dropped..


If you can id' probably just go with steel panels as you can get those by the inch to the length you need instead of just 79"