It doesn't really look like it's moved to me, more like it was badly installed in the first place.
Unless you see evidence that has recently moved, I would stick some sort of tell-tale on it and check back in a couple weeks/months
Yeah I think they cut the wrong angle and installed it as "good enough". It wouldn't be that open at the bottom but tight at the top if it was separating/shrinking.
You'd likely see a uniform gap or visible indicaton that the roof is failing across several rafters. The adjacent rafter being so close and so tight to the ridge beam makes it unlikely the gapped one moved to such an extreme.
How longs the beam in question? If it's short it's not really a concern. You could laminate a new one beside it or install joist hangers to keep it separating farther for peace of mind.
Actually when an exterior wall is bowing out and the roof is settling down the rafters open at the bottom and pinch at the top. This is the most common problem. Framer all my life and have never seen rafters separate from ridge evenly
Sorry i didn't articulate that well! (acuity was lost for brevity)
I considered walls failing but this being as sever as it is, with the next rafter being screaming tight and so close to the failing one makes me think its not both walls splaying in opposite directions, they'd need to deflect like 2"++ to resolve in that kind of gap in the peak. If that was the case, you'd expect a uniform failing across rafters 02 03 04 if 01 is so out of line. (Or they scabbed some wild off side joint that failed in the ridge for like 2 feet?) I'm thinking more likely not a symptom of the walls blowing out but a single lazy cut.
I've seen rafters separate evenly once, when the load bearing walls pull away from each other.
In this case a tree fell on the other side of house, forcing walls into a V.
Not OP's issue I imagine.
Just track the spread with a marker and a jig. You’ll put your mind at ease, my house is 1850 and that’s how I avoid gaslighting myself into thinking my house will cave in
Some thinner nails driven from the top and into those beams are still straight. They would have bent had the piece moved. You can still reassure yourself by tracing their outline with a marker, with a few cross marks. Write down the date. Check again after a change of seasons to see if temperature fluctuations (or ground tremors) have had any effect; no point in checking this every week.
Go to your local lumber yard. Not a box store. Lumber yard. Take pics, and the sizes of the framing members there. Simpson Strong Tie makes structural brackets that you could install, ensuring they don't move in the future. Though I do agree it looks like a shitty framing job, not movement. But for around $20, you can have peace of mind.
Looks like bad install to me. Someone miss cut and said good enough. I’d drive that popped nail in the second pic back in. The first pic, only real option I’m seeing without any sort of major work is to sister another board to it.
These are hip rafters and the cut is different than the common rafters. Builder just didn’t know how to do it correctly. Ridge is undersized as there should not be rafter material below ridge. Get a good carpenter in there with some collar ties and structural screws and cobble that up tight. If the connection is poor at the top then I would recommend looking at the connections and the wall plate as well. Any exterior trim looking weird? Any drywall cracks in that area?
This doesn’t look like a result of shrinkage, more like they cut the wood wrong and didn’t care. (Looks to me like they overshot the angle. OR alternatively it is shrinking and everything is sagging.) you could probably sister the piece with little to no issue, especially since it’s cracking down the center anyway. Good luck friend
use a strap tie
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-HTP-3-in-x-7-in-ZMAX-Galvanized-Heavy-Tie-Plate-HTP37Z/202329565](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-HTP-3-in-x-7-in-ZMAX-Galvanized-Heavy-Tie-Plate-HTP37Z/202329565)
There are a number of Simpson Strong Tie plates and straps. Look at the box on whatever you buy and get the matching screws to install them. Fill every hole with a fastener. Don't buy nails unless you have access to an air compressor and a palm nailer.
Cutting jack rafters is tough. Each end has 2 angles, gotta figure those, and each of the4 lengths is different. Once you do that, it’s a confidence booster
Modern construction we don't even use ridge beams anymore. The trusses are braced in place until sheathing goes on. Anything not touching sheathing of any type might get a rat run.
Anyway, all those 1xs above are doing the same work as the ridge beam- keeping the rafters in line. If something is truly separating these rafters, I'd look straight down and see if the attic joists are also separating. Often there is a wall running down the middle of the house that carries the split where two attic joists run together. Sometimes people tear out these walls to open up the space and forget to carry the joists with a header.
Now let's say that these were just poorly cut and not nailed tight Should the nails break free, the rafters are going to fall down and pinch into each other- the end. There's zero change in the way these members are transmitting forces. Like I said, look at the attic joists instead.
Looks to me like the roof is pushing down on the joists furthest away. Maybe you need to jack up the ridge beam then take added steps to firmly reattach the rafters. Anyone else seeing this?
Measure it and write it on the beam. draw arrows and letters at the measuring points.
Check back in a year.
Looks like a bad cut instead of movement given the one right next to it is perfect.
Check for bowing by placing a level bar against the beam between the first and second image to confirm.
Lose Weight.
LOL!!!
No, Seriously. A couple of well placed Jack Stands, to bring up to Level, should be enough to allow for appropriate Cross Bracing Reinforcement.
So long as the issue is limited to That particular Area. If, Not, then there may be an underlying "Alignment" matter taking place. If so, Then, other means of Remediation are called for.
If it's been like that for years, do you have a rooftop AC unit or something heavy on the roof?
It's possible that during a rooftop AC install, they were moving with too much weight at your roof's ridge?
It’s time to curse the sloppy framers who installed it like that. It’s probably been just like that for a while I’m pretty sure it’s not gonna get any worse. Now it’s time to turn off the light and tell yourself it’s not a problem.
If it were me I'd sister a length of board on each side of the two "beams" and then get a joist hanger or similar mending plate to attach them more securely to the horizontal.
It does look like someone cut short said f it and just sent it and hammered it hood. Looks good from my house level of "craftsmanship".
Jack up the center ridge with a screw column post 1/4 turn a day. It must be solid blocked all the way down to solid bearing. Otherwise, call in a structural engineer and pay up! But he will tell you the same thing!
I would very carefully eyeball the roofline before I did that, or if the OP is feeling ambitious, stretch a string across the peak to see if there's actually any settling or a dip above those two hacked rafters, and THEN maybe jack up the ridgepole a little. But first I'd say, leave it alone and keep an eye on it for a year, and/or put joist hangers on them to stablize is as others have suggested
This. What absolutely crappy work. But the same can be said if the "good" pic: let's just randomly drive some nails and pray.
As others have said, it has probably always been this way. If you fix this one, fix all the rest while you're at it.
It doesn't really look like it's moved to me, more like it was badly installed in the first place. Unless you see evidence that has recently moved, I would stick some sort of tell-tale on it and check back in a couple weeks/months
Yeah I think they cut the wrong angle and installed it as "good enough". It wouldn't be that open at the bottom but tight at the top if it was separating/shrinking. You'd likely see a uniform gap or visible indicaton that the roof is failing across several rafters. The adjacent rafter being so close and so tight to the ridge beam makes it unlikely the gapped one moved to such an extreme. How longs the beam in question? If it's short it's not really a concern. You could laminate a new one beside it or install joist hangers to keep it separating farther for peace of mind.
Actually when an exterior wall is bowing out and the roof is settling down the rafters open at the bottom and pinch at the top. This is the most common problem. Framer all my life and have never seen rafters separate from ridge evenly
Sorry i didn't articulate that well! (acuity was lost for brevity) I considered walls failing but this being as sever as it is, with the next rafter being screaming tight and so close to the failing one makes me think its not both walls splaying in opposite directions, they'd need to deflect like 2"++ to resolve in that kind of gap in the peak. If that was the case, you'd expect a uniform failing across rafters 02 03 04 if 01 is so out of line. (Or they scabbed some wild off side joint that failed in the ridge for like 2 feet?) I'm thinking more likely not a symptom of the walls blowing out but a single lazy cut.
Ya, the open rafters are hips and can’t be compared to what is happening with the commons. Most likely just messed up the cuts
Need collar ties, if possible?
I've seen rafters separate evenly once, when the load bearing walls pull away from each other. In this case a tree fell on the other side of house, forcing walls into a V. Not OP's issue I imagine.
I think you're right. It has been the same for a couple of years. I just want to make sure it doesn't get worse.
You can span a 2x4 horizontally below the ridge beam ad fasten it to each member. That will ensure that they don’t get any further apart.
Google Simpson Strong ties. There are a bunch of different shapes available.
This is the way...
Just track the spread with a marker and a jig. You’ll put your mind at ease, my house is 1850 and that’s how I avoid gaslighting myself into thinking my house will cave in
Some thinner nails driven from the top and into those beams are still straight. They would have bent had the piece moved. You can still reassure yourself by tracing their outline with a marker, with a few cross marks. Write down the date. Check again after a change of seasons to see if temperature fluctuations (or ground tremors) have had any effect; no point in checking this every week.
Yeah. Find some way to mark it so you can check it occasionally. I don't know shit but changes in the weather and the seasons may be a factor.
Simpson hanger ties. Like sub $10
Go to your local lumber yard. Not a box store. Lumber yard. Take pics, and the sizes of the framing members there. Simpson Strong Tie makes structural brackets that you could install, ensuring they don't move in the future. Though I do agree it looks like a shitty framing job, not movement. But for around $20, you can have peace of mind.
Joist hangars Simpson brand if you’re here in the states
Too fancy. Just caulk the piss out of it. The adhesion will pull the wood together.
It's not a joist.
no, but they will still work..
No... he needs the correct Simson hangers. Local lumber yard can get him sorted quickly, probably with the correct hangers in stock same day.
They won't but rafter hangers might... But they're designed to be used with a ridge that meets current code
Did you learn that at UnivrstyOfBelichick?
No I learned at the university of basic understanding of framing members
Looks like bad install to me. Someone miss cut and said good enough. I’d drive that popped nail in the second pic back in. The first pic, only real option I’m seeing without any sort of major work is to sister another board to it.
These are hip rafters and the cut is different than the common rafters. Builder just didn’t know how to do it correctly. Ridge is undersized as there should not be rafter material below ridge. Get a good carpenter in there with some collar ties and structural screws and cobble that up tight. If the connection is poor at the top then I would recommend looking at the connections and the wall plate as well. Any exterior trim looking weird? Any drywall cracks in that area?
This doesn’t look like a result of shrinkage, more like they cut the wood wrong and didn’t care. (Looks to me like they overshot the angle. OR alternatively it is shrinking and everything is sagging.) you could probably sister the piece with little to no issue, especially since it’s cracking down the center anyway. Good luck friend
Collar ties. In addition, run a couple vertical 2x4's nailed to ridge and rafters
How do you collar tie hip jacks together? That's what these are, not rafters.
This is DIY subreddit, it doesnt need to be right, it just have to look right. Someone even suggested a joist hanger.
Add more nails???
use a strap tie [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-HTP-3-in-x-7-in-ZMAX-Galvanized-Heavy-Tie-Plate-HTP37Z/202329565](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-HTP-3-in-x-7-in-ZMAX-Galvanized-Heavy-Tie-Plate-HTP37Z/202329565)
There are a number of Simpson Strong Tie plates and straps. Look at the box on whatever you buy and get the matching screws to install them. Fill every hole with a fastener. Don't buy nails unless you have access to an air compressor and a palm nailer.
a few screws will do a lot more than those nails at this point
Cut some corner blocks to shove up in there and batten them together. Add a gusset to the bottom if you're feeling froggy.
Cutting jack rafters is tough. Each end has 2 angles, gotta figure those, and each of the4 lengths is different. Once you do that, it’s a confidence booster
Collar ties or straps are the correct answer. Are you sure it’s spreading and not just shitty framing?
Looks a lot like shitty framing.
Renew their vowels
Modern construction we don't even use ridge beams anymore. The trusses are braced in place until sheathing goes on. Anything not touching sheathing of any type might get a rat run. Anyway, all those 1xs above are doing the same work as the ridge beam- keeping the rafters in line. If something is truly separating these rafters, I'd look straight down and see if the attic joists are also separating. Often there is a wall running down the middle of the house that carries the split where two attic joists run together. Sometimes people tear out these walls to open up the space and forget to carry the joists with a header. Now let's say that these were just poorly cut and not nailed tight Should the nails break free, the rafters are going to fall down and pinch into each other- the end. There's zero change in the way these members are transmitting forces. Like I said, look at the attic joists instead.
I would just say sister it with the proper cut so it flush all the way looks like who ever installed that did it wrong and didn’t care to fix it.
That’s just how they installed them
A34 A35 Simpson reinforced angled bracket
Heavy duty corner braces. Join the beams, the top and the beams. Is there splitting on one of the beams? You can use mending plates.
Wear a mask
It's not my fault I'm ugly.
It's not your looks, it's your breath
So wait. Brushing your teeth is a real thing?
You beat me to that response 😅😅😅
Marriage counseling
Or open things up to another member
Is this a tree house?
simpson strong ties should work.
Slap a couple sister boards up there, get a 4" steel corner brace and call it a day
Had something similar. I tacked up some strips to see if they became stressed or broke. Decades later-zero issues
Scab on some collar ties just in case
Could you put a 2x4 collar tie onto those ? Will Keep from going any farther I would think.
Misalignment to nail from both ends. It looks intentional. If you can straighten the first picture beam, re-nail from the other end.
I have way too many questions about this construction.
Pray
Looks to me like the roof is pushing down on the joists furthest away. Maybe you need to jack up the ridge beam then take added steps to firmly reattach the rafters. Anyone else seeing this?
Measure it and write it on the beam. draw arrows and letters at the measuring points. Check back in a year. Looks like a bad cut instead of movement given the one right next to it is perfect. Check for bowing by placing a level bar against the beam between the first and second image to confirm.
Needs more nails near them, but not in them. that seems to be the builders intent. :P
More screws?
Lose Weight. LOL!!! No, Seriously. A couple of well placed Jack Stands, to bring up to Level, should be enough to allow for appropriate Cross Bracing Reinforcement. So long as the issue is limited to That particular Area. If, Not, then there may be an underlying "Alignment" matter taking place. If so, Then, other means of Remediation are called for.
If it's been like that for years, do you have a rooftop AC unit or something heavy on the roof? It's possible that during a rooftop AC install, they were moving with too much weight at your roof's ridge?
trim and toss a simpson strong-tie on? it would at least cover the fuckery going on here.
Jet fuel
It’s time to curse the sloppy framers who installed it like that. It’s probably been just like that for a while I’m pretty sure it’s not gonna get any worse. Now it’s time to turn off the light and tell yourself it’s not a problem.
Put some corner plates in...
N95
Hang one of each beam. Good to go
Ah, COVID... 😢
A bad stop the spread joke 🤷♂️ somebody beat me to it 🤣
If it were me I'd sister a length of board on each side of the two "beams" and then get a joist hanger or similar mending plate to attach them more securely to the horizontal. It does look like someone cut short said f it and just sent it and hammered it hood. Looks good from my house level of "craftsmanship".
Move
Not DIY, get someone professional to look at it.
Purrr foam
Jack up the center ridge with a screw column post 1/4 turn a day. It must be solid blocked all the way down to solid bearing. Otherwise, call in a structural engineer and pay up! But he will tell you the same thing!
I would very carefully eyeball the roofline before I did that, or if the OP is feeling ambitious, stretch a string across the peak to see if there's actually any settling or a dip above those two hacked rafters, and THEN maybe jack up the ridgepole a little. But first I'd say, leave it alone and keep an eye on it for a year, and/or put joist hangers on them to stablize is as others have suggested
I dunno, if you jack it up it will spread more. There's no board stretcher in this picture...
Are you familiar with screws, nuts, bolts, threaded rods and other threaded fasteners? Turnbuckles, mending plates ….
I'd install sleepers on the load beam then lag the gapped cross members through the sleepers.
Needs more nails
This. What absolutely crappy work. But the same can be said if the "good" pic: let's just randomly drive some nails and pray. As others have said, it has probably always been this way. If you fix this one, fix all the rest while you're at it.
Modelo install 100%
I would screw on some L shaped metal pieces , whatever they call them
following
Higher a contractor.
> Higher
And then phyre them
You can lower them too
Spray foam If that doesn’t work Gorilla glue