As my post title says, I'm kind of interested in finding a diagram that might give me the proper terminology for my roof components and possibly an explanation of what the things do. (It's a fixer-upper)

Specifically, I'm now to the point of insulating my attic and as I crawl around up there, I've found that a few of the 1"-bys that make a "fence" along the sides are missing and some aren't connected at both ends.

And, down the middle, theoretically connecting the center beam of the house to the center beam of the roof are series of 2"-bys and a couple of them are not connected on one end or the other. I'd guesstimate that the 2xs are 8'-10' feet apart, they go straight up and down and are clearly along the center. I assume that they were supposed to serve some kind of purpose, perhaps they were supposed to keep things square, but if they aren't connected (nailed) at both ends, I have to assume they aren't doing anything. And, if that's the case, my instinct is that I might be able to temporarily remove one of them (not connected at the top) to give myself easier access for some OSB (to make a crawlline).

Any thoughts, diagrams, pointers toward dictionaries would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Post some photos on Photobucket of your project so we can get a better idea of what you are talking about.

 

Yes, pictures please - what you are describing could be anything from temporary supports used during construction to required bracing for truss roof system to struts or knee walls helping to support a conventionally framed roof.

 

Basically, there's some 1"x8"s connecting pretty much every joist to a rafter, but a few are missing or not nailed at one end or the other. I don't know what they're called or their actual purpose, but I assume that they help keep things square and that I probably should replace or repair those that need it. Though in a 55+ year old house, things have most likely settled, which ever way they are naturally going to go.

These 1"-bys run along the sides of the big middle section of the crawl-height attic.


My concern or my primary question is about the 2"x4"s that are spaced every 8' or 10' along the center. They run between the line where the joists overlap the long center beam and they're supposed to be connected to the beam along the ridgeline, but a couple of them aren't fastened at one end or another.

I need to get some OSB into the attic through a hole that I've cut into my roof.

No matter which way I angle it, I could try to work my way around these 2"x4"s, but because the one nearest my access hole isn't connected at the top and instead of being over the beam, it's actually over a block wall, I'm thinking that I could disconnect the bottom and temporarily move it out of the way.

I also don't know what these 2"x4"s are called or what there purpose might be, so I'm thinking that it wouldn't hurt if I nail the couple that are disconnected or buy some kind of Simpson-brand connector, but since some are not nailed and not really doing anything...

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ETA: When I google on "knee wall" and roof, I'm not seeing any pictures of what I'm describing. Basically, the 1"-bys are flimsy-looking pieces of scrap, though they are generally between every joist and rafter, running straight up and down and about five feet from where the joists rest on the exterior block walls.

If need be, I could throw some pics up after it gets daylight, but I'm hoping my word description will suffice and in the case of the disconnected 2"x4", I'm pretty sure that since it's not really doing anything and it's over a block wall anyway, I probably could safely move it out of the way. Though again, I'm not really sure what purpose it's supposed to serve to start and I'm kind of interested to know.

 

Here is a diagram. I Googled "roof framing diagram".

http://www.mcvicker.com/resguide/s6.gif

Here is another:

http://www.mcvicker.com/resguide/s9.gif

There are others.

 

Wirepuller: See that's where I get at a loss.

The "brace to bearing wall" in that first diagram are at an angle, but my 1"x8"s run straight up and down. As for the "blocking" in that second diagram, my 1"x8"s are like five feet from the exterior walls.

 

Please pay no attention to the mess;
Obviously, I'm working on it.

As requested, here's a pic...




The 1" boards are those running down the side and some are visible in the distance in another part of my oddly-shaped house.

There's one 2"x4" visible in this pic. After spending the day making a crawl-line out of the OSB in the foreground, fixing some things and making lists of others, I've decided that the 2" boards are probably more like 16' apart. As far as I've been able to tell thus far, they are only in the main (widest) part of the house and it looks like about half are not attached at one end or the other.

Also, while I'm asking about the purpose of the boards and whether I should worry about attaching or replacing them, if anyone has any idea why most of the house was done with 8" rafters, but that one room was done with what looks to be around 12", I'm all ears. (I suspect that maybe they wanted to use the wider boards, ran out and switched to something easier to get, but since there's a fireplace in that room and it's probably the longest, I figured that I'd ask to make sure)

Thanks, again;
I really dig these forums and all of its helpful readers.

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PS & BTW) Obviously, I did (temporarily) take down the 2"x4" that was making it difficult to get the OSB into my hole. As I said in the earlier posts, it wasn't attached at the top and it was over block wall, so I gathered that it wasn't really doing anything and thus far, I've luckily had no ill effects.