Fastening the wooden roof structure to the walls of the house. Fastening rafters - how to make a reliable roof base

One of the main stages of private construction is the construction of a roof, and how reliable it will be depends on whether the rafter fastening is correctly selected. This means that special attention should be paid to this.

What is a rafter system?

So, before figuring out how to fasten the rafters, let's figure out what kind of system it is, and what is its role in the roofing. Of course, even a child knows that the roof should be supported by something, and not just hanging in the air. It is precisely as this irreplaceable support that the rafter system acts. It is a collection of various structural elements such as battens, posts, counter battens, braces, etc.

It is obvious that the above system has a very responsible mission. After all, it must not only support the weight roofing material (slate, tiles, etc.), but also a number of additional loads. No matter how good and high-quality the roof is, nevertheless, sooner or later it will need restoration, then you will have to walk on it, install the necessary equipment, and it must freely withstand all this weight. In addition, do not forget about strong winds, downpours and, of course, snow, which can remain on the roof for several months, depending on the climate of the region where you live.

Types of truss systems

Before disassembling the fastening of the rafters, we will discuss their types. Systems differ according to the following characteristics: material and design. According to the first classification, they can be wooden or metal. The bars have a number of their advantages - they are the relative ease of installation, and ease, and low cost. However, such material needs preliminary processing, because, as you know, the tree rots, is afraid of termites, a fungus starts on it, and it burns perfectly. True, all these problems can be solved without straining, it is enough just to go to a specialized store and purchase there funds that will eliminate all of the above disadvantages.


But the metal so far has no competition in terms of strength, in addition, this material absolutely not afraid of fire. But in this case, it was not without some pitfalls. Firstly, it is harder to mount rafters of this type, and it will be necessary special equipment, which also cannot be attributed to the merits. Secondly, the metal is afraid of corrosion, so it will have to be covered with a layer of special paint. Thirdly, the cost of such a design will be somewhat overpriced. And, fourthly, due to the heavy weight, special requirements will be imposed on the building itself.


Now let's say a few words about the design features of rafter systems. They can be suspended without the use of additional supports. This view relevant if the walls of the house are lightweight. The next type is layered, with additional supports in the middle. In this role, the average bearing wall or simply intermediate columnar supports.

Fastening rafters - features

So, it seems that after carrying out all the necessary calculations and choosing suitable material, you can get down to business, but you still need to decide on the way in which the rafters will be fixed. All elements are fixed using well-known nails, bolted connections, self-tapping screws, as well as special overlays... The only thing left to do is to correctly calculate their number.


If you decide to use a layered system, then the rafters can be fastened with a spacer structure or, on the contrary, without a spacer. In the latter case, special cuts are made on the rafter legs, which have a horizontal support plane. And in order to compensate for the longitudinal forces, a crossbar is needed. What about the hanging system, so it is found only of the spacer type.


The fastening of the rafters is different for the hanging and layered system, for the latter it also has its own characteristics, depending on the spacer and non-spacer option.

How to fix hanging rafters?

Having received enough general information, you should move on to more specific cases. Or rather, we will find out how the installation of this or that type of fastening used to install rafter systems is carried out. As an example, consider how a hanging rafter system is installed.

How to attach hanging rafters - step by step diagram

Step 1: Preliminary work

As in any other business, you need to start with the preparation of the workplace. In this case, we are talking about the roof and some of its elements, so before climbing to a height for the purpose of installing beams, it is worth preparing scaffolding or other device through which you will deliver construction material up. Also note that you can start working on arranging the rafter system only if you have already installed a support bar - a Mauerlat on the walls of the house.


Step 2: preparing the elements

Notches are made on both rafter legs, and this must be done in such a way that the beam is connected to the stop, since the lap joint will not be able to provide adequate reliability, even if it is additionally fixed with fasteners.


Step 3: Direct installation

The rafter legs are attached to the Mauerlat with nails: the first pair is from one edge of the roof, and the second is from the opposite. Moreover, in order to increase the reliability of fastening, you should use and additional elements - shinki. Further, a non-sagging thread is pulled between them, you can use a fishing line in this capacity. This way you can adjust the exact height of the other rafter legs. Sometimes the structure needs to be tied, which means we tighten it by joining several boards together. And to increase rigidity, this structure of rails is also connected to the ridge of the rafter pair.

Fasteners for rafter system inclined type

Now it remains to consider what the layered rafters are. In the previous paragraph, it was already said that this design there are two types: non-thrust and spacer. Moreover, the latter can be called something in between hanging and layered non-thrust rafters. Below are the features that each mount has.

Expansionless design No. 1. On the one hand, "sliders" are designed, due to which the possibility of slight rotation and shear is provided. The second end of the rafters, resting on the ridge girder, can be fixed, in turn, in two ways: rigidly or also have a small degree of rotation. The upper parts of the structure rest against each other and are fixed. The lower part does not need any additional elements.


Expansionless design No. 2. In principle, this method is similar to the first one, the difference is that the lower part of the system is fixed to the Mauerlat by means of previously made cuts or a support bar. The upper part has a horizontal cut, which rests against the ridge.


Installation of a layered spacer type system is also carried out in several ways, however, common to all of them is the presence of a rafter leg, which compensates for the expanding pressure on the walls. It turns out that both supports in this case are fixed. In principle, the installation schemes for both non-thrust and spacer types of rafter systems are similar. Only in the latter is the fixation of the lower part carried out not by means of "sliders", but by means of hinges, so that only one degree of freedom is obtained. The lower support is attached to the Mauerlat.

The rafter system is the frame of the entire roof. It is this structure that assumes all the loads and is the basis for the roofing. But for this system to work properly and reliably, the rafters should be properly fastened. This work can be done in various ways. Much will depend on the place where the rafter legs are attached, as well as on the type of the system itself. So how do you do the task correctly? What options for attaching rafters are there? This is what will be discussed.

We attach to the Mauerlat

The rafter system is a rather complex structure. It includes many elements. That is why it is very important to properly attach each piece to the right place. When erecting the frame of the future roof along the entire perimeter of the walls of the house. This element must evenly distribute all loads. It is here, most often, that the lower part of the rafters is fastened. An exception can only be if the upper bar plays the role of the Mauerlat wooden house... But in this case, the fasteners are made in the same way.

So how do you do it? What options do professional builders offer? There are several ways of fastening here, namely:



These are the main types of joining rafters and Mauerlat. Quite often they are combined. For example, if you need to cover a log house with a roof (the walls are lined with logs), then the sliding method is used. But for greater strength in the rafters, they make a wash down in an arc. This method is more laborious and not every "beginner" can do it.

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We attach to the ridge girder and to each other

Fastening the rafters must be done not only at the bottom, but also at the top. Much will depend on the type of the system itself. If the layered version is used, then from above the rafters will be fastened to the ridge beam or girder. When applied, things are a little different. In this case, you need to fasten the rafters to each other.

And how to properly attach the rafters at the top? What methods can be used here? Experts will answer these questions as follows:



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There are other options for such an attachment. For example, some experts recommend using the thorn and groove system. But this method requires serious skills in carpentry work. Therefore, it is not used very often.

How to stitch

If the house is small in width, then there will be no special problems with finding material for construction. But if the structure is large, then an operation such as fastening rafters from several parts or building up may be necessary. How can you cope with such a task? Here builders advise to fasten the parts together in one of the following ways:


Diagonal or main rafters cannot always be made from a solid board or timber. In this situation, you cannot do without splicing the two parts. But when doing this work, you need to remember the basic rule. Such a connection must be strong, because strong loads will affect it. Therefore, the fastening must be done efficiently and slowly.

What is used when working

How to attach the rafters to the Mauerlat or between themselves, this was described a little higher. There are many options to make this work. But in order for the connection to be strong, the correct fasteners must be used. Of course, first of all we are talking about nails. It is with their help that the rafters and other elements of the system are most often fastened. But there are other devices as well.

When building a roof of a house, the following elements can be used:

  • special mounting perforated tape;
  • metal corners;
  • steel plates;
  • support for beams and beams;
  • nail plates;
  • wire tie;
  • bolts with nuts;
  • staples;
  • corners of the Kyrgyz Republic;
  • brackets WB;
  • fasteners LK and so on.

Fasteners for the rafter system are available in a large assortment. Each of them has its own characteristics of application, pros and cons. Quite often, metal corners and plates are used for reliable fastening. Such fasteners for rafters allow you to securely hold the latter in place. A corner is most often used for a skate.

Plates for fastening rafters can be either simple steel strips or have a nail look. The latter option does not need additional fastening (nails or screws are not used here). On the back side of the plate there are already thin and sharp protrusions, with which it is mounted. But there is one subtlety here. The nail plate can be used only if the rafter pair is collected on a horizontal surface, and only then it is installed in its place.

One more fastening element is very often used - these are staples. They are a metal rod bent at both ends at right angles. With the help of brackets, you can strengthen the attachment points of the rafters to the Mauerlat or to the ridge beam.

KR corners are available in a large assortment. Their main purpose is to prevent loosening of the bolted connection. Brackets WB are used to fasten the rafters to the wall beams. At the same time, there is no need to make felling. Therefore, their application greatly simplifies and speeds up the work.

Fastening the rafters to the ridge girder, Mauerlat or to each other is an important task. To do this work correctly, you should use the following recommendations from experts:

Rafters are a constructive special element that is erected during construction pitched roofs... It consists of several basic elements, which include vertical posts, rafter legs and inclined struts. In some cases, they are connected from below using beams. Usually the rafters are made of timber. For fastening, special fasteners are used. It is worth talking in more detail about what kind of fastenings for rafters are.

Rafters and plates for their fastening

These elements can be different. The systems themselves are most often made in the form of a triangle, but sometimes alternative options are used to save space. An example is an attic location. In this case, the location of the rafters is such that it allows you to free up additional space where people can live. A very convenient method of arranging the system.

Fasteners for rafters can be varied. Fasteners are used to connect the roof elements together. Here we can distinguish the following types of it: plates, sliding supports, corners, supports, rafter-beam fastenings and so on.

Plates occupy a special place in this series, as they are practically universal elements. They contain special holes through which self-tapping screws are screwed in, serving to connect two or more structural elements together. In this case, plates are superimposed on the parts to be joined on both sides. They can be easily trimmed with metal scissors to size. After all, we are not always talking about universal installation.

There are also nail plates having a row of nails on one side. They are used only in industrial environments. Do not hammer in nails. Here, the fastening is carried out by squeezing the elements together. Fasteners for rafters of such a plan are very widespread both among professional builders and among amateurs.

Reliable rafters

To connect perpendicular structural elements, rafter-beam fastenings are used. These structural elements are supported on each other in a perpendicular direction. In order for the fastening to be more reliable, a pair of connecting elements is installed in opposite directions. One of them turns in the opposite direction.

Sometimes a situation arises when it is necessary to position the structure at a certain angle. This arrangement is used in timber buildings. Sliding rafters are used in this situation. Parts cannot always be fixed motionless. Sliding systems ensure the displacement of structural elements in the event of roof shrinkage. A very important element of the entire roofing system, which allows during the installation process not to make allowances for wood shrinkage.

Beam supports will help anchor the horizontal structural members at right angles to all other parts of the roof. Of course, if necessary. Here, fastening to the main support can be carried out using nails or self-tapping screws. There is no fundamental difference. The most important thing is that the rafter mounts hold well in their rightful places. Beam supports can have a wide variety of design dimensions. It all depends on what specific elements will be connected with their help.

The hidden beam bracket is used in cases where the installation must be hidden from prying eyes. After its installation, such an element is hidden entirely in the body of the beam.

Other rafters

Above, only the structural basic elements that are used to connect certain parts of the rafters were listed. However, in this series there are other equally important fastenings for rafters, which are also used quite often.

One of these is a profile corner. This means that you can purchase a corner at any specialized store that distributes metal building materials.

The corners can have a wide variety of geometric dimensions.

With their help, the structural elements of the rafters are connected to each other at a right angle. If corners specially designed for working with the roof are used, then they have special holes through which fastening is carried out. In this case, it is necessary to use self-tapping screws, since nails are not able to provide sufficient rigidity of structural elements.

If we are talking about homemade corners, then you need to cut them out according to certain sizes indicated in the documentation for the roof. Next, holes are drilled in the elements to connect the rafters. It's pretty simple. At the same time, you can save a lot of money, since ready-made corners are quite expensive. These elements are most often used to connect vertical and horizontal beams. Fasteners for rafters of such a plan are quite widespread.

Some manufacturers offer to purchase corners with oblong holes. They are specially designed for bolting. This is a rather interesting method of joining parts. When shrinking, it will be possible to adjust the position of the structures relative to each other. Angles are also available at an angle of 135 degrees. They are used to connect elements at an angle to each other. The structure of the roof is quite complex, and therefore they find their application here.

The T-shaped rafter mount is also used very often. It ensures a reliable connection of all perpendicular elements to each other.

Some features

In modern life, there are rafter mountings, which differ in very original names. An example is a crutch. He got this name for a reason. Such a device is used to connect the rotten elements of the rafter structure. First you need to hammer it into the masonry, and then connect it to the beam.

If, in the process of erecting the roof, you use not flat, but perforated fasteners, then you can significantly speed up the process of connecting the parts together. In this case, a more rigid structure is obtained, which will not be afraid of any external aggressive factors.

Thus, we can assume that today numerous fastenings for rafters have found their application. All of them are used for various purposes. Today, the highest quality roof can be easily built thanks to the development of fastening materials. Now you can buy almost any element that will connect parts of the rafter system to each other.

Moreover, this connection does not have to be located at right angles or lie in the same plane with the beam. Here you can safely talk about installation at an angle. This allows you to build competent structures in which there are no unnecessary details. When arranging mansard roof you cannot do without special fasteners. You can save space only if some elements are connected at a certain inclined angle.

Having considered the main features and nuances of such products and methods of working with them, you will be as aware of the upcoming process as possible and will be able to make the right choice when buying. Good luck!

A solid and stable base is a guarantee of safety and durability of any building. Especially, this applies to the capital elements from which the walls and roof of any task are formed. Rafter legs or rafters are the main structural elements of each roof. Reliable and correct fastening of the Mauerlat and rafters to it eliminates the risk of deformation and destruction of the roof as a result of external loads and its own weight. How to attach the rafters to the Mauerlat will be described later in this article.

The main fasteners of the rafters

  1. Wire ties.
  2. Plates.
  3. WB brackets.
  4. Bolts and studs complete with washers and nuts.
  5. KR corner.
  6. Self-tapping screws.
  7. LK fasteners.
  8. Perforated tape (mounting).
  9. Nails.

Fastening the rafters to the Mauerlat is sometimes done using brackets. The use of such a connection does not provide for the manufacture of inserts in the rafters, so as not to weaken this key structural detail. Mounting brackets are available in 0.2 cm thick zinc plated steel. Brackets are attached to the Mauerlat and rafters made of wood with nails, anchors or self-tapping screws.

LK-fasteners provide excellent fastening of the Mauerlat and rafters to each other, and allows you to connect other parts of the system. When using this type of fastener, the anchorage is not used.

The use of perforated tape for mounting strengthens the joint. This tape strengthens the connections between the legs of the rafters and the Mauerlat, while the load-bearing components of the structure are not weakened, since they are not cut-in, leaving them intact. To fix the perforated tape, you need regular nails or self-tapping screws.

KR corners are a frequently used fastener for the rafter system. It is used when special reliability is needed when placing rafters on a Mauerlat. The corner additionally strengthens the connecting nodes, increasing the load-bearing properties of the structure, and also eliminates the displacement of the rafters as a result of increased external loads. Cutting the corner into the wooden parts of the rafter system is not needed; it is fixed with self-tapping screws or special nails with projections.

It is necessary to check that the metal rafter fasteners are made of high quality material, reliably protected from corrosion.

Important: it is often not easy for an untrained builder to understand a large number of various fasteners.

How to fix the rafters - when do you need a Mauerlat?

Before you figure out how to fasten the rafters, you need to determine where to install and fasten them. Most often, the rafters are fixed on a specially built foundation (base) of the roof - Mauerlat. This element is made of logs or beams, provides not only stable fastening of the rafters, but also allows you to evenly distribute the load on the main walls and even the foundation of housing construction.

In houses built entirely of wooden beams or logs, the outer wall strapping at the top performs the supporting function for the rafters, and other parts are not installed.

For houses and buildings, the main walls of which are built from such building materials as brick, gas, foam or slag concrete blocks, the Mauerlat is installed without fail. This requirement is due to the fact that walls of this type are very poor at withstanding undistributed point loads. Also, piece building materials are not strong enough for good fixation of the rafter structure, since under load the fasteners can destroy the block and will be torn out of it. Therefore, laying the Mauerlat is required for such houses.

For the most durable fastening of Mauerlat wooden beams, laid along the perimeter on the main walls of the house, it is necessary to create a reinforcing belt of concrete at the top of the walls. Fasteners for the support beams are embedded in a monolithic beam of 20x20 cm. Typically, for such fasteners, anchors or metal studs with a diameter of at least 1.4 cm are used, located in a monolithic beam strictly vertically. The lower ends of the anchors and studs are bent so that they are not torn out of the armature belt under the action of the load. Elements of such fasteners are located at a distance of no more than 1.5 m from each other.

Important: Using studs smaller than 1.4 cm in diameter will often deform loaded fasteners.

Holes are made in the bars of the Mauerlat, corresponding to the location of the anchors or studs in the walls. The bar is put on the anchor, washers are put on its threaded free part, and then the nuts are screwed on. This technology ensures the reliability of fixing the roof foundation on the walls of the house.

Before laying the beams, place a waterproofing agent (for example, roofing material) in order to prevent the destruction of the beams' tree by the action of water.

How to attach the rafters to the Mauerlat

It will be necessary to mount the rafters on support beams when erecting non-thrust and spacer rafter systems... Placing rafter or hanging legs on the Mauerlat is performed using two types of connections: rigid or sliding. How to mount the rafters on the Mauerlat is chosen taking into account all the features of the rafter structure.

To avoid loss of reliability and bearing capacity, the cut is made in the rafter, and not in the bars of the Mauerlat.

Rigid mounting in relation to each other prevents parts from completely displacing and avoiding structural problems such as shear, bending or torsion. The required stiffness of the connection nodes is obtained if the legs of the rafters are attached to the Mauerlat beams with corners with a support bar or if a special cutout is made in the rafter - "saddle". The very section of the cut in the rafter is additionally fastened with brackets, screws, bolts. In addition, a wire twist is performed, connecting the place where the legs of the rafters are attached to the Mauerlat and the anchor mounted in the main wall.

When erecting and fixing a house-building roof made of wooden elements, a special part is used - a "slide", which provides a sliding connection. The fastening unit of the rafter legs with a mauerlat, which has the possibility of a slight displacement of the rafters, allows you to avoid deformation of the roof when shrinking wooden housing from beams or logs.

How to fasten rafters using a corner

When choosing a method of attaching the rafter legs to the Mauerlat, you need to take into account the structural nuances of the roof. For example, if the rafter leg is installed with a saddle notch, then the sequence installation works will be as follows:



  1. A cutout is made in the rafter so that its horizontal part can be easily installed on a timber beam, and the angle of inclination of the rafter was necessarily the same with the angle of inclination of the slope plane.
  2. The rafter leg is fixed with 3 nails, 2 of them are nailed at an angle from opposite sides of the rafters (so that they cross in the Mauerlat bar), and 3 nails are hammered from above strictly vertically.
  3. For greater reliability, the fastening unit is fixed with staples or wire.

This attachment of the rafters to the Mauerlat has the required rigidity and strength of the fastener.

A common method of fastening is to fasten the rafters to the Mauerlat with a steel corner and a hem. The technology for securing the rafters is as follows:

  1. The rafters are cut at the correct angle so that the slope of the pitched roof surface matches the parameters specified in the roof construction project.
  2. At the edges of the Mauerlat beams, a hemming bar about a meter long is laid and fixed, while the rafter must firmly abut against it along the line of greatest load - this structure will ensure the stability of the rafter system under the thrust load.
  3. On both opposite sides, the rafter is attached to the Mauerlat using galvanized steel corners - this mounting option will ensure that the rafter does not move laterally.
  4. The finished fastening connection is additionally secured with wire.

Only the correct fastening of the rafter legs to the Mauerlat will ensure reliable and long-term operation of the roof structure. There are many options for attaching rafters and Mauerlat to each other, but there are general requirements to create such mounts:

  • when using threaded connections, it is necessary to install steel washers (plates) so that the nuts do not sag inside wooden parts, as this contributes to the gradual deformation and destruction of the securing unit;
  • the use of various linings is strongly discouraged: over time they collapse, this leads to an incorrect change in the loads of structural roofing parts and their subsequent early destruction.

It is important during installation work to make the most tight connection of all surfaces of wood parts, which will require a verified and especially careful manufacture of all the necessary parts (cuts and cuts).