Framing Shed Roof Dormer

Building a 20 ft wide shed dormer doesn t take much more effort than building a 4 ft wide version.

Framing shed roof dormer. Mansard roofs are similar to hip roofs except that each side has two parts. After the walls ridge and common rafters are set i overlay the valley framing on top of the main roof sheathing to save from cutting a true valley. Wide about 9 ft. A steep section near the walls and a barely slanted section toward the middle of the building.

A shed dormer should not overwhelm the primary roof. Be extremely careful not to damage the existing structure. Because they can be much wider than gable dormers shed dormers can provide more headroom and therefore more usable space. A shed roof differs from a flat roof dormer only in that the roof is sloped.

Whether you re expanding a cramped attic into a bedroom office or playroom if you have any carpentry experience you can accomplish this home renovation goal yourself. Each dormer adds about 30 sq. If you feel that your house has little natural light you could think about creating a dormer with shed roof which will certainly help. In this case stepping the dormer back from the front of the house helps to soften the roof pitch.

To correct a slight dip in the floor we established a benchmark height with a laser level and nailed 2x6 squash blocks to the sides of the existing floor joists. Framing a dormer refers to the first and most important step in constructing an upper level addition to your home. Again while not especially interesting it does reduce construction cost while increasing though not maximizing as does a true flat roof dormer the space beneath. Framing a shed dormer is a simpler process than building a gable dormer.

From the floor to the peak and set back from the front wall of the house about 2 ft. Usually a dormer is made for extra light into a house. The roofing material will need to be stripped back for this step. They also give you more bang for the buck.

On the roof using the pilot holes drilled in step 1 snap the lines that will denote the opening in the roof for the dormer. Framing the dormer with the dormer roof raised and supported we cut away the part of the original roof that was still in place leaving the exposed ends of the floor joists. A dormer can soften the impact of a steeply pitched roof. If you re a little unsure of your rough framing or roofing skills hire a carpenter to help with this phase of the roof dormer project.

Framing a dormer with shed roof is a difficult process but if you take your steps correctly you will be able to handle the job effectively. It has no peak no hip and it isn t rounded. The tall face of a doghouse dormer on the other hand would have accentuated the house s height. The gable dormers we built are 6 ft.

Cut the shed dormers opening with a reciprocating saw.