What Is Roof Sheathing

Roof sheathing or decking is one of those elements.

What is roof sheathing.

Roof sheathing is the material that goes on top of your roofing structure including the trusses and beams that the roofing system is constructed on. Most houses contain a weak link in the connection of the roof sheathing to the rafters or roof trusses making them vulnerable to loss of roof sheathing in severe winds but solutions to this. To stabilize the rafters support the roofing material and hold the entire roof together roof sheathing is installed. Similar to exterior wall wood sheathing roof sheathing includes plywood oriented strand board and waferboard.

Roof sheathing attaches to the surface of the rafters or trusses to form the structural skin of the roof. Osb is lightweight relatively inexpensive and strong enough to resist bending or breaking should someone walk on the roof. It spans the rafters to support the roofing and in the case of panel sheathing such as plywood or osb it acts as a diaphragm with the walls to resist horizontal loads. The trusses and beams of the roof give the roof its initial pitch and structure and then the sheathing is applied so the actual underlayment and roof covering can be applied.

When one slope is completely sheathed pop a chalk line down any slope edge as in a hip roof that needs to be cut at an angle. Sheath one slope of the roof at a time ripping the top course to the needed width at the ridge. In the u s roof sheathing is almost always composed of wood usually osb oriented strand board or plywood. Your roofer will attach your shingles to these squares or planks of wood.

A tapered piece of sheathing can be cut to fill in at the eave if necessary.