How to Lay Roof Boards Using Dimensional Lumber

Dimensional lumber, which is timber cut to specific sizes, is commonly used to build walls, trusses, rafters and decks. It was once common for exterior cladding and roof decking, but it has been replaced largely by plywood and oriented strand board (OSB), a manufactured wood product. If you choose to use dimensional lumber for roof decking, installing it is a relatively simple do-it-yourself project that requires basic carpentry skills and a few carpenter's tools.

Tape measure
Carpenter's pencil
Circular saw
Nail gun or hammer
16d framing nails

Instructions

- 1
  Measure from the gable end of the roof to the center of the rafter or truss nearest the end, but don't measure longer than the length of lumber you use. If, for example, you use 84-inch long lumber and have rafters or trusses at 24 inch intervals, which is standard spacing, then measure 72 inches with a tape measure, mark that point with a carpenter's pencil and cut the dimensional lumber boards to 72 inches with a circular saw so that the boards will end at the center of a joist or truss. Joists and trusses are 24, 48, 72 96 inches and additional 24-inch increments from the edge of a roof.
- 2
  Lay a board of dimensional lumber perpendicular to the roof rafters or trusses at the peak of the roof. Place the end of the lumber flush with the end of the rafters or trusses.
- 3
  Drive two 16d framing nails through the dimensional lumber at each rafter or truss.
- 4
  Butt the next board against the first board. Nail it in place with two nails at each rafter or truss. Continue the row until your reach the other end of the roof. Place the final board so that it is flush with end of the final rafter or joist.
- 5
  Install the next row of boards adjacent to the first row of boards, proceeding back to the other end. Repeat the procedure until the entire roof is covered with the boards.

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