Can I remove these rafters?

[thomp1983]

Hi all,

Need to know if I can remove the 2 rafters marked in the photos?.

The door was originally to the cupboard for the hot water tank, now it leads into our extension upstairs.

I need to move that door way back about 3ft and fit a full size frame so I need to remove the 2 rafters so I can alter the ceiling pitch to suit.

The original roof is a purlin design as you can see the new extension roof is a truss arrangement.

My concern is the way the new roof is tied onto the rafters I want to remove.

The ridge board on the new extension is screwed to the central rafter, could I put a horizontal rafter across the 2 rafters either side of the 2 I want to remove the a vertical piece off this to support the ridge board? A bit like below,

I'm hoping if that arrangement will work then it will also support where the roof is tied in in the background of the second photo?

Thanks
Chris

 

[noseall]

Hi all,

Need to know if I can remove the 2 rafters marked in the photos?.

View attachment 307062

View attachment 307063

View attachment 307064

The door was originally to the cupboard for the hot water tank, now it leads into our extension upstairs.

I need to move that door way back about 3ft and fit a full size frame so I need to remove the 2 rafters so I can alter the ceiling pitch to suit.

The original roof is a purlin design as you can see the new extension roof is a truss arrangement.

My concern is the way the new roof is tied onto the rafters I want to remove.

The ridge board on the new extension is screwed to the central rafter, could I put a horizontal rafter across the 2 rafters either side of the 2 I want to remove the a vertical piece off this to support the ridge board? A bit like below,

View attachment 307065

I'm hoping if that arrangement will work then it will also support where the roof is tied in in the background of the second photo?

Thanks
Chris

I'd be more concerned about the lack of lay-boards tying that roof together. That would stop you removing any rafters.

 

[thomp1983]

Had a quick Google as I've no idea what a layboard is,

Am I correct in thinking a layboard should be a board similar to a scaffold board ran roughly where the pink line is to join all the decreasing size trusses together and attach them to the original roof rafters?

Which instead the builder has decided to just cross brace between the old rafters and just screw the new trusses to them.

How much of issue are we talking this being there's 5 of the decreasing in size trusses till you get to the first main truss of the extension.

That's the other two trusses that aren't in the original pictures and then you can see where the pre made trusses start at the right.

Thanks
Chris.

 

[^woody^]

Lay boards spread the load from the new roof along the old roof.

What you have got there is point loading, which could cause random deflection of the old rafters and consequentially the new roof. It's also not clear if those noggins are actually supported, or just crudely nailed into the endgrain.

I don't understand the arrangement of those two rafters or the need to remove them. But generally, rafters can be removed if loads are transferred elsewhere.

 

[thomp1983]

There used to be a section of purlin across the doorway, those noggins ran down and we're fixed to it but it was removed quite awhile ago.

So the question now then is what's the best way of making this better? Will my idea marked in the pink earlier work?

I can tie the remaining old rafters together with either some more noggins or sheet material like osb, I just need the 2 I've marked out the way or I've no way of making a useable doorway.

 

[catlad]

I would use ply and tie as much together as you can and then remove the rafters, those pictures show poor workmanship.

 

[thomp1983]

Thought I'd revisit this with how it turned out.

So using a reciprocating saw I managed to cut across the rafters from the new roof enough to allow me to slide 2 18mm layboards in, the layboards are secured to 3 of the old rafters on each side, then the rafters secured into the layboards and noggins shown in the original pictures.

It's the best I can manage given the roof is all finished and all in place and I'd imagine by the time there's a stud wall either side of the current half door opening and a new full size door frame tied in it will all be strong enough.

Thanks
Chris