Building a winged gable roof

Gable roofs are very common in colder climates that have heavy snows and rains. There are many designs for the gable roof. One of these is the winged gable roof.

This type of roof extends beyond the sides of the house, creating an overhanging eave style. Here are a few tools and materials that you will need for the construction:

Carpenter’s square
Carpenter’s pencil
Tape measure
Circular saw
Hammer or nail gun
Nails
Paper
Compass

Measurements

Decide on a slope for the roof. Measure the base of the roof triangle by measuring the distance between the walls of your house. The midpoint is at the half distance. The height of the roof can be calculated with the Pythagorean Theorem.

Frames

After you have calculated the triangle dimensions, build the joist frames. These joists will have the same dimension as those calculated in the previous step, with the sloping roof extending your desired length beyond the triangle base. For every two feet of roof length you will need one frame. Measure the bases and cut them. Do the same with the upright supports and joists and then assemble them to local building codes.

Roof joist trusses

Now it’s time to measure the space between the joists. It needs to be of 2 feet. Going along the depth of the roof line, make a mark at every two feet. These are the places where the trusses will be attached to the walls. Now raise the roof and mount the trusses.

Roofing base

It’s time to lay the base for your roofing material. The base can be made from 3/4 inch fire-rated plywood. Refer to your local authorities for the building codes. Cover the entire roof, including the winged overhang. After this you can apply the water barrier underlayment and the roofing material.