Thank you very much for this quality & informative video. It really clarified the actual placement of the collar ties, their frequency, fastener size, etc. Overall this video helped me prepare for a visit with my building inspector to double check about local building code. This video also helped tremendously in preparing for solar panel installation for my low pitch roof. Great video & thanks again.

Thank you for clearing that up. Thats what I thought as well. I ran into the same situation you experienced when a client of mine asked me if it was ok to raise the collar ties to create more attic space. I didn't see why not, just so long as they remained in the upper third of the rafter. So I asked a structural engineer to confirm and he told me that collar ties are installed to keep the rafters from spreading when you can't install ceiling joists, he said they won't do as much a ceiling joist but there better than nothing. I left his office shaking my head asking myself if I got my $150/hour worth from our consultation. Thank you again.

@gregvancom

9 жыл бұрын

You're welcome, but they usually are installed with ceiling joists, but I'm not going to suggest they are always installed with ceiling joists.

I'm all about overbuilding. No reason not to put a collar tie on every rafter. Great video.

@gregvancom

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, especially if it's not going to take that much longer or you're not going to spend that much more on labor and materials.

Greg can you use 2 x 6 collar ties on 2 x 8 roof rafters? Trying to reuse 2 x 6 from out original roof for this purpose.

I’ve always measured from the top plate to Bottom of the ridge for the one third measurement. I just figured it that way because you can’t put a collar tie any higher than the bottom of the ridge. But I do see now that there would be a crucial difference in height if you were trying to place the collar tie in the lowest legal position. But nevertheless, I always try to place to collar ties so they are touching the ridge.

Good job brother I love your videos. I learn so much of them they are completely excellent

@gregvancom

2 жыл бұрын

I appreciate that!

I did like he did, I used 2x10 cut to roof angle and screwed and PL glued them all in place. Then I close spray foamed and it's pretty strong. for a 12/14 pitch

@gregvancom

4 жыл бұрын

What exactly does the sprayed foam do?

Can collar ties in an attic space take weight such as attaching a pull up bar or a punch bag to them? Or are they strictly not to take any downward weight?

@gregvancom

8 ай бұрын

I think you can add stronger lumber or even bolt stronger collar ties to roof rafters, but I can't tell you to do it and if you do and it doesn't seem strong enough, then remove heavy object.

@DavidHickey

8 ай бұрын

Thank you!@@gregvancom

Hi Greg, Is there any reason to have a wall underneath collar ties? I recently moved into a house with a finished attic above the garage. There is a closet wall in the attic that sits between a load bearing wall on the first floor and some of the collar ties in the attic. Is it possible the load bearing wall is solely for overlapping ceiling joists in this case? Forgot to add that the attic has knee walls.

@gregvancom

9 ай бұрын

It would depend on the design, but I don't think the collar ties would need a wall under them. Lapping ceiling joist sound like they would.

If the roof has heavy concrete tile, not in an earthquake area and a 4/12 pitched roof, do collar ties do anything? The house does have 2x6 ceiling joists.

@gregvancom

Жыл бұрын

The roofing materials shouldn't dictate whether or not collar ties are used.

Great video. I have a 26x12 shed/garage for my boat. I need more head room. I have 4 ties going from wall to wall. The middle 2 I would like to remove for head room while I'm in the boat. Can I just raise those 2 up to the top 3rd of the ceiling but I will leave the 2 near the ends? But my 2x4 rafters don't have a header. They just meet in the middle

@gregvancom

3 жыл бұрын

I can't provide you with structural engineering information, but can suggest that the ones located in the middle are usually going to be more important than the ones located on the ends. If you do move them, then I would advise measuring the middle span of the garage and writing the number down with a permanent marker on the framing somewhere and then check it every once in a while to make sure the walls aren't spreading apart.

After you finish the roof, do you just spray the sheathing with popcorn, or is there sheet rock and the popcorn? I am trying to go back ward and get rid of the popcorn. If I scrape it off, is there anything between the popcorn, and the plywood? I have no trusses, just one big ridge down the middle and the rafters. Where does the insulation go?

@gregvancom

6 жыл бұрын

If you're trying to scrape the popcorn or acoustical ceiling off of an interior room, then it can usually be scraped off after spraying a little bit of water on it. The acoustical ceiling is usually attached to drywall or plaster, but I have seen it sprayed on plywood also.

Hi Greg, I have collar ties in my attic that are placed 6 ft high from the ceiling joist below. Can i raise them all the way up the roof, just below roof center joist, to make more head room?

@gregvancom

3 жыл бұрын

I can't provide engineering information, but can say that I've seen it done before.

@419blades7

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Greg, I'll have an engineer review all my plans before i do anything, but just wanted to some pre-lim info. Is there a certain length they have to be in relation to the length of the roof rafters?

Can you use collar ties without a ridge board in a truss style? Thank you

@cubanitolatino

9 жыл бұрын

2x6 trusses, 24"O.C. 4/12 pitch, 16' wide storage (2x4 walls)...any help appreciated.

Thank you for this video. I'm building a shed/workspace and want to build without a ceiling for "openness" and for better air flow. My shed is 12x22. I have 2 questions after watching it: 1) the longest 2x8 I can find locally is 16 feet, how do I combine 2 pieces to reach the 24' (1' overhang on either side) 2) i learned from you (other video and comments) and collar ties keep the rafters attached to the ridge board and rafter ties keep the walls from bowing out. This video does not show rafter ties. Are they always needed?

@gregvancom

7 жыл бұрын

Yes rafter ties would be needed unless a ridge beam was installed with supports of both ends. I live in California and lumber can be found in lengths up to 30 foot long and some engineered lumber even longer, up to 50 feet long. You might want to contact a lumber yard instead of a home improvement center for more information in your area. You might not be able to use a 22 foot long 2x8 for a roof rafter without some type of supports in the center.

@danilo352

7 жыл бұрын

gregvancom thank you very much for the thorough reply.

I have a 1926 house w/ true 2x4 trusses and joists but no collar ties. The ridge board is a 1x4. Appx. 5 ft. Height in attic. Would you suggest 2x6 boards to install as collar ties? Also, you mentioned 16d nails, would 4" construction screws be acceptable? Thanks!

@gregvancom

8 жыл бұрын

+Michael McCarthy I'm pretty sure you're allowed to use 1x6, but I would use two by fours with 16 D nails, unless you could find a screw approved by an engineer. Most screws seem to break off under stress or movement easier than nails.

Any videos or info on pulling a rafter back into place that has separated and inch or so from the ridge beam? or some kind of hardware that can be used to reinforce it?

@gregvancom

7 жыл бұрын

If the rafter separated from the ridge beam, then there's a structural problem that might need to be addressed. This would be my first concern. Feel free to send me some pictures and by email address can be found at our website for more information.

Can i beef up collar ties and get rid of ceiling joists to increase ceiling height? If so what is there a rule of thumb to follow?

@gregvancom

7 жыл бұрын

This video might help kzread.info/dash/bejne/jJ6Npquek8iWc7w.html let me know if it doesn't.

A1 Roofing Class.

@gregvancom

9 жыл бұрын

I figured this video might help someone, but I'm trying to provide some information for a woman who asked me a question about strengthening her garage so she can store more stuff in her attic. Thanks again for watching.

if you have collar ties do you need rafter ties. 2 car detached garage 21x33. right now there are 2x4 ceiling joists 16oc attached to top plate. I'd like to open it up as much as possible. if I do have to have rafter ties what's the max distance between each I can go if I use 2x6 or bigger. thanks

@gregvancom

8 жыл бұрын

+BigEsmalls91 Collar ties prevent the rafters from separating from the ridge and the rafter ties prevent the walls from spreading apart. It's hard for me to answer your question about the rafter tie spacing, because I don't know much about the design of your building, but can tell you that we used to space them 48 inches on center.

@BigEsmalls91

8 жыл бұрын

+gregvancom my framing is almost exactly like in the video except I don't have collar ties and have 2x4 ceiling joists that at located at the bottom of the rafters. I plan to add collar ties and would like to remove ceiling joists and replace with 2x6 rafter ties at the highest spot of the bottom 1/3. could I space out every third rafter if I used 2x6 or larger

Thank you

@gregvancom

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome

I don't know any engineers or architects. I get my advice from gregvan on KZread.

Can you remove mid ties and install collar ties where they didnt exist to get a bit of head room in an attic?

@gregvancom

4 жыл бұрын

You would have a difficult time removing anything that didn't exist, but I'm guessing that you're just simply asking if they can be relocated and yes you can remove collar ties and raise them. Let me know if this didn't answer your question.

Explain how you hold up that center beam without support underneath?

@gregvancom

5 жыл бұрын

What center beam are you referring to?

@HyattBludCleanupCrew

5 жыл бұрын

The ridge beam gets two rafters resting against it. Look up "keystone in an arch" to understand. The ridge does not support the rafters the rafters support each other and kick out force at bottom support. Think two playing cards resting against each other to form a triangle shape.

@MoneyManHolmes

Жыл бұрын

You can put temporary supports to hold the ridge up during construction if needed.

Tornados can also cause upward motion.

@gregvancom

Жыл бұрын

Great point and thanks for sharing.

@letsbuildsomethingNOW

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the video. I’m remodeling a 70 year old house with a shallow pitch roof. It had randomly sized collar ties placed somewhat haphazardly, to my view. Making the attic usable for re-wiring, re-plumbing & mini-split installation, I’m removing the collar ties but replacing them with a 2x4, on each side of the rafters at every rafter, mostly with tornadoes in mind. I’m doubling them because of 24” centers & the fact that I’m placing them as high as possible to make crawling through the attic possible for my nearly fifty year old bones. Your video is the first I’ve seen that indicated that doing so was okay, structurally.

Collar ties are for upward force. The downward force is resisted by the floor system or walls in this case. And the only upward force is not an earthquake…😂 Wind blowing over your roof at high velocities causes low pressure and and uplift like an airplane. That is the most common force that collar ties are meant to combat.

@gregvancom

4 ай бұрын

Interesting

Good.