put the end rafters in first that sit near the house then make sure the distance from the outside corner is the same to both, set up a string where the top of the hip will run and measure from that

I cut the corner off the plates at 45 so it is the same width as the rafters.

A rafter square will assist with getting the angles not sure of you pitch but try 12/16 for the hip or mark a template off your string line

Looks nice though - too neat!

Great links - so my confidence in the top angle is shot!! Gulp!

Thanks for the practical bit Tony - I can't cut the main beams, but will work around it. My roof pitch is 40 degrees. I have a rafter square - just not sure how to use it!!

I think I used rise per foot for rafters and then same rise but used 17 for the going for the hips, would all come back if I was there.

Hope you are not in the UK or H n S will be after you!

Hmmm - not perfection yet! Tried a template with a bit of spare and while I got the hip rafter lined up with the main run of rafters, it wasn't sitting so well with the rafter I fixed to the wall for the start of the return hip (so to speak!). I think I'll need to add a piece of packing to the rafter on the right to move the hip over, so I can line it up with the rafter on the left. Hope that's not too confusing!

looking good. I'm surprised you didn't use douglas fir. Dont they use it much up there?

Thanks Bot de Paille - just using what I was given! It was part of the frame package from the UK.

Yes, tony, I'll trim the top of the hip once I get the thing looking right!! Forecast for heavy rain and strong winds again tomorrow, so maybe over the weekend.

What's troubling you Timber? Not sure what you mean by a platform timber frame structure - tell us more!

Posted By: TimberDepending on the answers to those questions, there may be an issue with differential movement.

Now you've got me interested, can you expand please, just so the rest of us potential timber framers are aware of the correct way of doing things?

Posted By: Triassic

Posted By: TimberDepending on the answers to those questions, there may be an issue with differential movement.

Now you've got me interested, can you expand please, just so the rest of us potential timber framers are aware of the correct way of doing things?

Well if it is platform frame construction, these types of timber frame building experience what is called differential movement. That is, the horizontal timber elements such as floor joists, plates and rails will shrink slightly as the building dries after construction. Typically a platform timber frame floor zone will shrink by about 10mm. This needs to be allowed to occur otherwise problems can occur.

The timber cladding battens in the pictures span over the floor zone. As this shrinkage occurs, the battens may end up actually holding up the first floor as the floor zone shrinks (normally the first floor walls and roof would drop down with this shrinkage). The battens spanning the floor zone can lead to all sorts of issues, not least of which gaps around the floor zone leading to air leakage. It may also lead to damage to the internal finishes and other interesting side effects.

Again, if the building isn't platform timber frame construction, then none of the above is true. Looking at the pics, the breather membrane and stuff lead me to think that it may be timber framed.

Posted By: CerisyThanks for that Timber - yes, it's a timber frame as you describe ... but the floor joists have me metal webs, so no vertical shrinkage there. They can shrink horizontally as the first floor panels are also supported on the edge beams.

The battens you can see in the photos aren't fixed to the frame ... I screwed 75 x 50 timbers to the frame to accommodate 75 deep insulation to protect the frame and then more blue fabric and then the battens, so there is an opportunity for movement between the elements without compromising the frame. Hopefully!!

Thanks for the reminder though Timber - actually doing the work means that we get too close and forget some of the basic elements. I will focus on making sure that when we start the sealing for air tightness we include enough overlaps, especially at the floor and ceiling junctions.

Back to the hips ....

Ok - An engineered timber floor zone total shrinkage is more like 6-7mm rather than the full 10 for solid timber, so still a little movement, but not as much.

Regarding the cladding - I had wondered what was going on as the lines of staples holding the breather membrane on all run horizontally - which is slightly unusual but makes sense now you say there are horizontal battens with insulation behind the breather membrane. I also was slightly confused because you can see an indent in the breather membrane where the rafter make contact with the wall - which is also unusual unless you have extra stuff like you have.

Sounds like the combo of horiz battens then verticals should allow that movement to occur without propping up the first floor walls. As for air tightness (and on the subject of floor zones) did you use a propper floor zone air tightness detail? Are you using battens to form a service void on the inside?

Anyway - sorry, well off track from your actual question :)

Job done! Just the fascia and bracing to fit before the roofer arrives monday. Hopefully we can be back to fitting cladding by the end of next week. Many thanks guys.

Well done!