Carpentry

[Tom Bender]

My basement shop is great for a wide variety of woodworking but not so good for carpentry. That's ok since I make furniture but it's finally time to build that porch roof. I am not good at carpentry so there is a lot of planning and measuring twice. I am not good at driving nails or using a circular saw. I have no chop saw. Only a few pieces of lumber will fit in my small shop. I can't seem to do anything without making a couple of trips to the shop and my legs are getting tired.

Break's over, back to work!

[Lee Schierer]

Get a speed square and your life with your circular saw will get much better. Use the speed square as a guide for your saw or at least to draw a nice perpendicular line. It can draw angles too.

With regard to driving nails, you can get a stronger assembly with construction grade screws.

[lowell holmes]

I went to Lowe's the other day and saw a 12" speed square. That and a 8" skill saw would cut up the world.

[Dave Zellers]

I am not good at carpentry.

I am not good at driving nails or using a circular saw.

I have no chop saw.

Only a few pieces of lumber will fit in my small shop.

I can't seem to do anything without making a couple of trips to the shop

And yet you're going to build a roof? Why? Perhaps your post is tongue in cheek? If not, hire someone who knows what they are doing.

[lowell holmes]

Get a book on carpentry skills, take a class, help someone that is skilled build something. That's how some of us learned.
I had building sites available to me and built houses many years ago and developed skills. I learned from experienced
carpenters that I had working for me.

[Rich Engelhardt]

but it's finally time to build that porch roofHire this out to someone that's got both the tools and the know how.
Since you live in Michigan, the threat of snow loading the roof beyond it's limits is a very real danger.

Since it's structural, you'll probably need to have an architect get involved and pull permits for it.

[Tom Bender]

I like to learn something new every day. Google is showing me how but only by doing does it become skill

And of course the exercise is good.

[Rich Engelhardt]

As do I - however - there are times when it's just not practical or advisable.

[Bradley Gray]

+1 on hiring a carpenter. You may slow him(or her) down by asking questions but you will learn a lot and be back to doing what you like in a couple days.

[Joe Adams]

Maybe it's different where you live but that sort of work on a house is generally permitted and inspected. When the house is sold someday there is a question on the homeowner disclosure about un-permitted work.

Regardless of where you are it's subject to building code. By the way, building code is the minimum standard as in "Congratulations, you got a D." When I was in the remodeling business, we built to "code plus" which is not in any book.

Most of the "Reality TV" DIY shows are completely unrealistic if not downright dangerous. Even Chip & Joanna Gaines got fined by the EPA for not following lead abatement rules on 30 something houses they televised. A pro contractor would have known that you can't work in houses built prior to 1978 without getting certified and taking special precautions.

I'm all for learning new skills but this is not the sort of thing where you just fake it until you make it. Especially if you're having trouble driving nails and using a circular saw. I would suggest hiring someone qualified that will let you help.

Good luck and be safe!

[Al Launier]

And yet you're going to build a roof? Why? Perhaps your post is tongue in cheek? If not, hire someone who knows what they are doing.

Occurred to me as well. Totally agree!

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Tom, it is a great project. I think you will like the challenge... be aware it is a more physical demanding job than usual furniture making. Take the time you need. No hurry.

With some planning it is not rocket science. Carpentry is much more forgiver than furniture making both for precision and correction for eventual mistakes.

Good luck and please let us know how it is going.

All the best.

[lowell holmes]

Go get the saw and the square, some 2X4"s, nails, hammer, and then make two saw horses. That will get you started, it did me.

[scott vroom]

By the way, building code is the minimum standard as in "Congratulations, you got a D." When I was in the remodeling business, we built to "code plus" which is not in any book.

I haven't found that to be true. IRC load and span tables for walls and roofs are proven and reliable and, if anything, are over engineered to a high sigma. Same for NEC & UPC.

[Joe Adams]

I haven't found that to be true. IRC load and span tables for walls and roofs are proven and reliable and, if anything, are over engineered to a high sigma. Same for NEC & UPC.

I don't know how things are done in Oregon but based on my experience in Texas, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree.

Tract homes here are built to just meet code and are not built particularly well. What passes inspections is scandalous.

Custom homes like I worked on tend to have rebar in the foundations instead of mesh or cables, Doug Fir studs instead of Southern Yellow Pine, 2x6 walls rather than 2x4, 2x10 ceiling joists instead of 2x8 or even 2x6, and 2x12 rafters instead of 2x10 or smaller, 12d nails instead of 10d, plywood sheathing instead of OSB, spray foam insulation rather than batt or chopped fiberglass, 12ga Romex instead of 14ga, and the list goes on.

All of these building practices are "code plus" versus code minimum. My point to the OP is it's hard to know what you don't know. This isn't rocket science and a whole lot of contractors are hacks but that doesn't change the importance of doing it right when it comes to homebuilding.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox. I apologize if I stepped on any toes. Carry on.

[John Gulick]

Go get the saw and the square, some 2X4"s, nails, hammer, and then make two saw horses. That will get you started, it did me.

+1, everybody started somewhere. Be safe, get some decent tools, be safe and get some satisfaction building whatever.

[Mike Wilkins]

Most local community colleges have classes on basic carpentry skills. Lots of books on the subject.
There is no substitute for hands-on experience like I had; I was able to figure out the basics of carpentry via reading and trying. Several large projects have been room additions, roofing, covered patio and eventually my wood working shop itself. Not as easy as the folks on TV make it out to be, but well within your reach if you are willing to learn.

[scott vroom]

I don't know how things are done in Oregon but based on my experience in Texas, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree.

You disagree that IRC span and load tables are not proven and reliable, and engineered with guard band? What are you basing that on?

I think you're confusing a builder's choice of materials and poor construction methods with building codes. The IRC doesn't rank the quality of framing material; instead it provides minimum standards for a number of different species/grades. There are situations where SYP is suitable and others where D fir is a superior choice. Same with OSB Vs plywood. In my area, douglas fir is the predominant framing species; in other areas it may be pine, hem fir , etc.

Upsizing everything to me is adding cost for little to no benefit. I'm particularly curious why you routinely upsize romex? Copper is expensive these days and I personally don't see the cost benefit of installing 12ga romex on a 15 amp circuit, unless you've decided to eliminate 15 amp breakers altogether for some reason.

Getting back to the OP's situation, I believe he can build his project using the IRC's prescriptive codes combined with local knowledge of best materials for his project.

[John K Jordan]

How big is the roof? Will it be open or have a ceiling? If large and/or you want a ceiling it might be easier to order trusses instead of using rafters.

A porch roof is a fairly simple carpentry job: posts secure on/in the ground, strong enough beam to support the rafters/sheathing/tarpaper/shingles, a way to fasten to the side of the house, a bunch of rafters cut the same (make one and use as a template), and a plan to keep the water out.

If the rafters will be exposed (no ceiling) I think a great look is to build it with 4x6 timbers for the rafters and 1x6 or 2x6 tongue&groove boards on top. The wood can be stained/finished/painted but we leave it natural. (We have four roofs like this on our house, one made the same way over a new sun room.)

If not experienced with carpentry, you might hire a carpenter you can work along side. This way you can learn a lot about how to go about things. I've built a number of porches, decks, and small buildings but when I can get him I often hire a highly experienced friend, especially to help with roofs since that job is a LOT easier with more than one person. I wait to do the project until I can catch him between house-building jobs.

If using nails, consider getting a pneumatic framing nail gun and a portable pancake compressor - bang, the nail is in. But I personally prefer screws for almost everything (deck screws, put in with an impact driver.) Screws are slower but changes and adjustments are so much easier.

JKJ


My basement shop is great for a wide variety of woodworking but not so good for carpentry. That's ok since I make furniture but it's finally time to build that porch roof. I am not good at carpentry so there is a lot of planning and measuring twice. I am not good at driving nails or using a circular saw. I have no chop saw. Only a few pieces of lumber will fit in my small shop. I can't seem to do anything without making a couple of trips to the shop and my legs are getting tired.

Break's over, back to work!

[Jim Andrew]

Keep your cordless drill handy, if you are using nails and have trouble driving a nail, drill a small pilot hole. When putting up rafters, I found you can minimize cracking by drilling pilot holes. I like 3 1/2" exterior screws, they don't work loose like nails do. And if you make a mistake, it is easy to unscrew them.