Can a "racked" twisted roof be fixed?

**zwitter** · 26th Feb 2013, 09:13 AM

Hi
I recently bought a house and the free standing garage roof has racked. Lack of diagonal bracing means the ridge has moved about 100mm back longitudinally. The roof is 10m long and 6m wide with ridge in middle. Walls are single brick with engaged piers. Walls 9.3m apart

The roof is tiled with concrete tiles. Frame is all 2x4s in the old terms. Rafters spaced about 450mm apart and a ceiling joist/ rafter tie next to every second rafter. Wood is mostly oregon and about 50 years old. No sarking.

Option 1
Am I kidding myself to think I can straighten the frame? I am thinking 50mm webbing straps from the top ridge diagonally to top plate at opposite corner of each side and apply tension. When straight, fit speed bracing to under side of rafters.

Would be nice to remove tiles but is an enormous job.

Option 2
The alternative is remove tiles and straighten frames, brace, sarking/ roof blanket and colourbond sheets.

Option 3
Remove the lot and fit trusses, brace, sarking/ roof blanket and colourbond.

Any advice?

Any builders, roof people in Sydney ?

Thanks

James

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**Bloss** · 26th Feb 2013, 12:06 PM

Pics would be good.

This should be able to be straightened up and using decent sized tie-downs should do the job. A better option might be a cable winch as used on 4WD recovery, but try the tie-downs first.

You need to set up with in a way to make sure you do not over step the effort and cause more problems - you need to have some bracing in the opposite direction ie: the to place a limit on how much you straighten at each time and not allow any chance of moving too far the other way.

As with all straightening levelling etc the trick is to take things carefully and smoothly and to fix off at each move ie: straighten say halfway then tie off to make sure it can't move back. Once you have the ends perpendicular you can use diagonal cross bracing (steel bracing or timber) to hold it in place.

**intertd6** · 26th Feb 2013, 11:06 PM

To be safe the roof should be unloaded ( remove roof tiles ) the reason being that because the roof is racking that means fasteners are failing & could completely fail. In that situation it's always a good idea not to get under a suspect structure to fix or make rectification, that can be done after the load is removed.
regards inter

**zwitter** · 26th Feb 2013, 11:26 PM

Thanks Bloss and Inter

Yes i understand the risk and agree the outcome would be better if the tiles removed.

I think age of tiles and not really wanting to walk on the roof means there will be breakage removing them and therefore unlikely the tiles would be sufficient to go back on.

I am looking for some one to do the job one way or other. I know I can fix it but not the time and need it done very soon.

The more I look the worse it seems. There is a window 1500mm wide and doorway 1750mm wide both with no lintels! Just a top plate 100x50 spanning the gap. The oregon seems very dry and brittle.

I know what should be done and how to do it but ....

I would prefer the new truss and blanket and colourbond option. Just hoping there was a simpler quicker way.

James

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**zwitter** · 5th Mar 2013, 11:24 AM

Ok
I have bitten the bullet and have about a third of the roof off. Found some small evidence of termites and rot but that did not cause the problem. Hope to have rest off this week and then straighten the frame and fit colourbond.

Will take photos and try to post.

James

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