Flared soffit

[highlandllc]

Hello All,

I am looking for suggestions and advice regarding flaring a soffit. I am working on a studio addition for a client and their existing home has soffits which are flared from the fascia to the ridge. The flare is roughly 12" (12" at fascia, 24" at ridge) as noted in the pictures. The interior of the existing home has no access to attic space so I can't verify how the roofing system has been constructed. Current fascias and rakes on the home are 8" with solid plywood soffits. In the past, depending on truss or stick built method, we have tied our overhangs into the roofing system, however this project will use a truss setup. My truss designer cannot provide us with a solution for the flare and of course we can't modify their system. I am hesitant about building a "ladder" for the overhangs due to sag. Has anyone out there solved this problem with long term success??

Thanks in advance for all the thoughts, suggestions, and help.

Thom Mandell

[IRISH]

Thomas,

What you are calling a "flare" would be termed a "prow" in my neck of the woods. Your truss company most certainly should be able to provide that design as it is not too radical being only 24" at the peak. All that designer has to do is allow for outlookers up to the third truss. Outlookers at 24" and plywood sheathing will provide the necessary strength of design for "typical" scenarios. What I mean by that is non high wind or snow loading. If either of these are relevant then you will want a structural engineer to design it.

[highlandllc]

Great!

I will let the designer know. I had a feeling it could be done and designed. Thanks for the quick response.

[David J. Potter]

I think you need to consult a local, state-licensed structural engineer and or find a truss engineer who will actually look at your plans, the existing structure and respond to your needs and not leave you in the lurch like your truss company has.

DJP

[highlandllc]

Thanks David,

I do agree on the truss company. I have already explored other local designers for the project.

[Curtis Johnson]

What sort of snow load requirements do you have? If not too much, and assuming you would frame the roof with trusses, a dropped gable truss with outlookers extending over the gable truss and anchored to the 1st truss inboard of the gable should do the trick. Once you set your spec's correctly and create your trusses, Chief will do the rest for you when you do the roof framing.

[highlandllc]

Snow loads aren't that great. Maryland hardly sees any of the white stuff. The dropped gable trusses are included in the design, just no outlookers. I spoke with the truss company and they are making modifications. Thanks for the response!

[Gene Davis]

Dropped gable-end trusses and lookouts. Speak those words to the truss engineer and he or she will do what you need.

[lbuttery]

Snow loads aren't that great.

Thomas:

ummm, they can be

I lived in Falls Church Va and about every 4-5 years we would get 2'+

Winter of 2009 the DC/MD/VA area got 3'+ - they called it Snow-maggedon

when I built my deck roof I built it to Buffalo NY snow load standards
(I grew up near Buffalo and am living near there now)

also being down south they can get the 2'+ and then rain after
which makes the load even heavier

plan for the worst+

Lew

[highlandllc]

Thanks Lew!

I agree snow maggedon was fun, atleast is was for my kids. I was in the middle of an addition project during that fiasco and spent more time shoveling the jobsite than actually building. We also try to overbuild and prepare for the worst on anything because call backs can kill you.

Thom

[jonnblaze]

All that designer has to do is allow for outlookers up to the third truss. Outlookers at 24" and plywood sheathing will provide the necessary strength of design for "typical" scenarios. What I mean by that is non high wind or snow loading......????????