Do you really need fly rafters?

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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Do you really need fly rafters?

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# Posted: 4 Oct 2021 13:06
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Considering it's only a cabin, not a house, are fly rafters really necessary?

i'll have a 1 foot overhang, i'm debating weather i should be installing fly rafters or just leaving the roof overhang 1 foot

btw, my roof sheating will be 1x8 pine boards with metal roofing

Grizzlyman
Member

# Posted: 4 Oct 2021 16:25 - Edited by: Grizzlyman
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I did 1x8 pine boards as well. My answer- I don’t know but after putting it all together- I wouldn’t have felt safe out on the edges without the fly rafters and lookouts to support them. Just my .02. Also. Looks way better I think. More finished.

Mine is an 18” overhang though

All things considered/ they weren’t that much of a pain though it did take longer…

xinull
Member

# Posted: 4 Oct 2021 17:46
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thanks for your 2 cents

gcrank1
Member

# Posted: 4 Oct 2021 19:18
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Yes, I'd use them, makes for a better built job.
With only 1' overhang you might not need as many as a longer overhang would need.
After the fact you'll likely be glad you did.

Brettny
Member

# Posted: 4 Oct 2021 19:54
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I have actualy never built a building with them. Typicaly I leave the ridge board and sub facia long and use more blocking kind of like a bardge rafter. My way involves more screws but is far simpler. I dont have a pic like how I build them at the moment but can get one. I have done 12in but that's kind of punishing it with my OSB. No deflection either and we get snow.

Metal roof and 1x for sheething I wouldnt worry.

xinull
Member

# Posted: 12 Oct 2021 10:35
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Quoting: Brettny

I have actualy never built a building with them. Typicaly I leave the ridge board and sub facia long and use more blocking kind of like a bardge rafter

great...if you had a pic, that would be awesome

thanks

Grizzlyman
Member

# Posted: 12 Oct 2021 11:59
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I know asked for pics Brett’s method from above… but I thought I’d share how I did the fly rafters myself. The this was actually very easy with the “bracket” I made from OSB. I nailed it to the lookout. Then lifter one side into bracket- and the walked other side up to ridge board. Just as easy as the other rafters.

11A2B036C73A409F9.jpeg

279ECB1F18EC49809.jpeg

gcrank1
Member

# Posted: 12 Oct 2021 12:21
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Genious!
I Sooo wish I had done flys on my 1st build in '83-'84, always regretted not. Just a little bit more work and material.