With its cross-gabled roof and decorative vergeboards, this cottage com-

plements the Gothic home to which it's appended. Photo by Kevin Ireton.

Framing a Cross-Gable Roof

One good valley rafter supports another

by Scott McBride

I n 1851 a German immigrant named Henry

Kattenhorn owned a thriving sugar refinery in
chosen for a recent addition to one of the Kat-
tenhorn cottages (photo above).
think of dormers as being subordinate in size to a
main roof. The similar size of all four gables on
the riverfront village of Hastings-on-Hudson, New When Judy Seixas approached architect Ste- this roof makes them more or less equal partners
York. Deciding that his four superintendents and phen Tilly about adding a semi-detached bed- in the deal.
their families should share in his prosperity, room suite to the back of her house, she was I have seen cross-gable roofs in Victorian hous-
Kattenhorn built cottages for them on a bluff adamant that the design be strictly in keeping es where a lower ridge flies right through the attic
overlooking the river. Bedecked with finials, dec- with the Gothic Revival style. Tilly and chief de- space under a higher ridge. But because our ad-
orative chimneys and gaily sawn vergeboards, signer Laurel Rech came up with a simple cross- dition was to have a finished cathedral ceiling, I
these small, cozy houses were prime examples of gable rectangle for the addition. An existing flat- broke the lower ridge into two discontinuous
Gothic Revival architecture. roofed screen porch would be enclosed to house sections. I considered supporting these lower
Just a year before the Kattenhorn cottages were a bathroom, the utility room and an entrance foy- ridges by hanging their inboard ends on head-
built, Andrew Jackson Downing, the leading ex- er. The converted porch would also link the bed- ers framed between the common rafters of the
ponent of the Gothic Revival style, had published room suite to the existing house. I was hired to higher gable, which is how I frame gable dorm-
The Architecture of Country Houses. In his book, build the addition, the trickiest part of which ers. But the lower gables in this case were so
Downing had inveighed "an excess of fanciful turned out to be framing the cross-gable roof. broad that we would have needed a 13-ft. header
and flowing ornaments of a cardboard charac- to span the distance, which would have been
ter," but the country carpenters who adapted the Blind valleys—My crew framed partitions in the an impractical arrangement.
style from readily available pattern books were former screen porch while the foundation for the We resorted to a supporting valley, or a blind
hard to restrain—lumber was cheap, the steam- new addition was being built. As the blockwork valley. For each of the lower gable roofs, one val-
driven jigsaw had been invented, and the sky was finished and floor framing began, I retired ley rafter would run from the wall plate to the
was the limit. to a shady spot on the driveway to lay out and main ridge (photo facing page); this is the blind
Besides gingerbread, another hallmark of the cut the principal roof members. valley. The other valley would be shorter and
Gothic Revival style was the cross-gable roof. In a pure cross-gable roof, two ridges—both at would intersect the blind valley. This intersec-
Downing also tried to temper the proliferation the same elevation—intersect at 90°. All four tion marks the terminus of the lower ridge.
of gables, lamenting that "some uneducated valleys formed by the intersection converge at a Because the addition's plan was symmetrical, it
builders...have so overdone the matter, that, turn central peak. Our addition would be a modified didn't matter which valley of a pair would run
to which side of their houses we will, nothing version, insofar as there would be a higher con- through to the ridge. But I did decide to make
but gables salutes our eyes." But the "cocked- tinuous ridge and a slightly lower ridge broken the blind valleys from opposing sides of the roof
hat cottage," as Downing called small dwellings by the intervening higher gable. It could be come together at the same point on the ridge.
with multiple gables, was precisely the form called a gable with two dormers, except that I This way, any force exerted on the ridge by one
Blind valley. Two factors complicated the framing of this roof: One pair of gables is lower than the other; and the room
below gets a cathedral ceiling. The solution was to run one valley rafter on each side of the roof through to the main ridge.
This is called a blind valley, and it carries the shorter valley and the lower ridge. The framing plan below shows a bird's-eye
view of these parts.
 Section through cornice and common So at a point on the measuring line 10 ft. in.
rafter. Although a cross-gable roof is mostly from the corner of the bird's mouth, I drew a
comprised of jack rafters, the common-rafter plumb line representing the unadjusted length
layout establishes dimensions, such as the
raising distance and the vertical depth, that of the common. To compensate for the in.
pertain to all the roof members. thickness of the ridge, I drew another plumb line
back from the unadjusted length by a -in.
shortening allowance—half the ridge thickness.
As a result of the cross-gable configuration, on-
ly the first rafters in from each corner of the main
roof were commons; the rest were jack rafters.
These commons would anchor the lookouts for
the gable overhang, though, so I doubled them.

Valley layout—Before laying out valleys, I prefer

to rip the backing bevel on the upper edge of the
valley stock (see sidebar, facing page). I usually
bevel two pieces and nail them together later to
make a double valley rafter with a V-trough down
the middle. The backing bevel helps me orient
the compound cheek cuts on both ends of the
valley; cheek cuts go either outward or inward
in relation to the center face of the valley.
If the ceiling below a valley is a cathedral-type,
as was the case here, the lower edges of the val-
ley stock should be beveled as well, with upper
and lower edges parallel to each other. This
keeps the underside of the valley rafter flush with
the underside of the jack rafters and makes it eas-
ier to install the drywall. The vertical depth of the
valley on both faces should be the same as the
vertical depth of the commons and the jacks.
blind valley would be canceled out by the force To figure the rafter-tail length, I referred to the (Vertical depth is the width of the rafter as mea-
of the opposing blind valley. blueprints. The architect had furnished me with a sured along a plumb line.)
Initially, we didn't want collar ties piercing the wall section showing a copper-lined Yankee gut- After ripping backing bevels on all the valley
cathedral ceiling (although we added a pair, ter, which was to be recessed into the roof at the stock, I started laying out the first blind valley. I
which I'll tell you about later). To compensate four short sections of eaves located at each cor- designated a top edge and a center face with a
for the structural loss of the collar ties and to sup- ner of the addition. I couldn't envision how this lumber crayon. At some arbitrary point on the
port the weight of the valleys, we beefed up the cornice would return into the vergeboard of the center face, I drew a plumb line using the num-
main ridge. Three 2xl0s spiked together became higher gable at one end or how the valley flow- bers and 17 on the square. I used 17 instead of
a structural ridge beam. Because of the girth of ing into the gutter would be resolved at the other 12 for the unit run because regular hips and val-
the ridge, I beveled the top and bottom edges of end. I decided to play it safe by letting the val- leys always run 17 in. diagonally for every 12 in.
the two outside 2x10s so that they wouldn't in- leys and the commons run long by a generous that the corresponding common runs perpen-
terfere with roof and ceiling planes. amount, figuring I'd trim them when I could see dicular to the plate. The rise (in this case ) re-
The ridge beam was the first roof member to things in three dimensions. mains the same.
go up. We supported it on the end walls of the After drawing the cornice section, I had the in- Measuring down from the top edge along the
higher gable and put a temporary post under the formation I needed and could then transfer that plumb line, I laid off the same raising distance I
spot where the blind valleys would meet. information to the rafter stock. Laying a piece of had found for the common rafters. Through the
rafter stock in front of me, I scribed my measur- resulting point, I scribed a measuring line parallel
Common-rafter layout—Because the ridges ing line down its length, offset from the rafter's to the rafter's edge. Starting at one end of the
were at right angles to each other, and the roofs top edge by the raising distance noted earlier. rafter, I laid off along the measuring line an al-
were the same pitch (9 in-12), I was dealing From the end of the I measured up 2 ft. for lowance for the rafter tail. I had to leave more
with regular roof framing, meaning that the com- the rafter-tail allowance and drew a plumb line. tail length for the valley rafter than for the com-
pound edge bevels on all my valley and jack Then I drew a level seat cut through the intersec- mon rafter because the valley tail, like the valley
rafters would be cut with my circular saw set at tion of the plumb cut and the measuring line. I rafter, would have a greater run.
45°. Knowing this, I decided to forego the graph- now had my bird's mouth. From the comer of Once the tail allowance was established, I drew
ic-development method I use to lay out complex, the bird's mouth, I measured the unadjusted the bird's rnouth with its corner on the measuring
irregular roofs and resorted to more direct nu- length of the rafter along the measuring line. line, using and 17 on the square for plumb
merical methods. If the rise of the roof had been a whole number, and seat cuts. From the corner of the bird's
On a clean sheet of plywood, I laid out a full- such as 5-in-12,1 could have found the rafter's mouth, I laid off the unadjusted length of the
scale section of the cornice (drawing above). length in a rafter table such as the one found blind valley. I got this number by using the
Next I drew in the top edge of the 2x8 common stamped on the blade of my framing square. But HIP/VALLEY key on my Construction Master.
rafter and the measuring line, which is parallel to because the pitch was in-12,1 fell back on my With this key, I converted the length of the com-
both edges and originates at the outside corner of trusty Construction Master calculator (Calculated mon rafter to the length of the valley rafter.
the plate. The distance along an imaginary Industries, 22720 Savi Ranch Pkwy., Yorba Linda, From the unadjusted length, I stepped back
plumb line reaching from the measuring line to Calif. 92687; 800-854-8075). The Construction one half the thickness of the ridge measured at
the top edge of the rafter is the raising distance—a Master "speaks" in rise-per-foot rather than in 45°. In this case, the diagonal thickness of the
key measurement that would remain constant sine/cosine, so you don't have to know trigonom- thick ridge was in., so I pulled the ac-
for all the commons, the valleys and the ridges in etry to use it. I came up with an unadjusted rafter tual plumb cut back half that, or in., from
the roof frame. length of 10 ft. in. the unadjusted length. This adjustment, like all
 Two methods of finding backing bevels Graphic-development
method—The graphic-
bisecting line in both directions
until they hit the plate lutes at
Beveling the top and bottom edges of a valley (or hip) ratter keeps development method is the same points A and B. The distance from
them coplanar with the roof and the ceiling, which simplifies the process as the scrap-block A to B is analogous to the
installation of roof sheathing and drywall. I use two methods to method, but it's performed in two thickness of the valley. With a
find the backing bevels of hips and valleys: the scrap-block method dimensions. Suppose the pitch of compass at point X, swing the
and the graphic-development method. — S. M. the valley is -in-17. Starting original perpendicular line down
with the same plan—a 90° angle n
i an arc to hit the bisecting line
bisected by a 45° line—apply a and connect the resulting point C
Scrap-block method—To use either side. If the valley is to be framing square with 17 at the with A and B. Now imagine
the scrap-block method, begin by doubled, set one face of the block vertex and on the bisecting you're looking at the end gram of
bisecting the angle formed by the on the bisecting line. line (drawing below). Scribe the square cut you made on the
adjoining walls where the rafter From the point where the along the 17 side. This is the scrap block; lines BC and AC
will sit. n
i the case of regular roof outside face of the block crosses slope line and is essentially a represent the lines you drew
framing, that means bisecting a the plate line, scribe a line on view of the scrap block pushed connecting the downhill side of
90° comer at 45°. You can do the face of the block parallel to over on its side. Next, draw a the backing bevel to the uphill
this on the actual plates, but I the block's edge. This line perpendicular line at any point side. Angle ACX is the circular-
usually just draw on a sheet of indicates the downhill side of the along the slope line, until it hits saw tilt angle.
plywood or a piece of paper a backing bevel. The uphill side of the bisecting line. This is a side For an irregular plan, when
90° corner with a 45° line the bevel will be either a center view of the square cut you made the walls intersect at some angle
running through it. line drawn down the top edge of on the scrap block. other than 90°, the bisecting line
Next, I cut a scrap block with the block (in the case of a single Where the perpendicular line will not be 45°. Otherwise, the
the level seat cut of the valley at 2x valley rafter) or the upper hits the bisecting line-point X- procedure for finding the backing
the lower end and a square cut at corner on the opposite face of the extend lines perpendicular to the bevels is the same.
the upper end. The block doesn't block (in the case of a double
have to be the same width as the valley rafter). The angle is the
actual valley, but it must be the same in either case.
same thickness. Set the block on On the end grain of the
the drawing, with its point on the square cut, connect the downhill
vertex (photo below left). If the side of the backing to the uphill
valley is a single 2x, the block side (photo below right). This is
should straddle the bisecting line, the ripping angle for your
with its two faces offset in. to circular saw.

Graphic development of backing bevel. You

can use a form of descriptive geometry called
graphic development to find backing bevels while
The scrap-block method. Beveling the edges of a valley rafter makes you're sitting at the drawing table.
it easier to nail on plywood and drywall. Here, a scrap block cut with
the seat cut of the roof pitch is used to find the correct angle.

shortening adjustments, was made in a horizon- in their correct relationship to the center face; extrapolated via calculator (the HIP/VALLEY key
tal direction, not along the measuring line. the two halves were opposite in this regard. again) from the length of the lower-gable com-
I now had the valley rafter's true length, but I I cut another pair of rafter halves for the blind mon rafter instead of from the upper-gable com-
still needed to ascertain the direction of the valley on the other side of the roof. This pair was mon rafter. This relationship is evident in the
bevels for the rafter's two compound plumb the mirror image of the first, with the bevels going framing plan on p. 47.
cuts—the first one located at the back of the bird's in the opposite direction. When both pairs of You can also see from the plan that the short
mouth where it would fit up against the edge of blind valleys were cut and nailed together, we valley butts squarely into the blind valley, which
the plate, and the other at the top of the valley hauled them up to the roof for the acid test. I got seems peculiar if you're used to the oblique ori-
where it would bear against the ridge. After a lot of grief from the crew for all my ciphering, entation of most valleys. Consequently, the
checking the plan, I looked down on the edge so I was relieved when both valley rafters plumb cut at the top of the rafter was made with
of the valley rafter and visualized its position in dropped perfectly into place. the saw set square, as for a common, and the
the completed frame. I then made crayon marks shortening allowance was half the thickness of
to indicate whether the bevels would go inward Short valleys, low ridges and jacks—The the blind valley rafter measured at 90° (not the
or outward from the center face. I cut one half of short valleys were laid out in much the same way 45° thickness).
the double valley and used it as a template for as the blind valleys into which they would butt, The inboard ends of the short lower ridges,
the other half, being careful to orient the bevels though with a few differences. Their length was where they nuzzle into the intersection of the
A slight adjustment. Where the blind valley
extends above the lower ridge, the backing
bevel had to be reversed on one side (the left
side in the photo above) so that it wouldn't
break the plane of the roof. The author scored
this section of the rafter with a saw and used
an ax to hew it flush with the roof.

A little insurance. To strengthen the con-

nection between roof and walls, steel brack-
ets were added between the top plates and the
longest jack rafters, which were doubled up Cathedral ceiling. The careful framing of the roof makes possible the crisp lines of a cathedral
and were the only rafters with collar ties. ceiling. Exposed collar ties keep the walls from spreading. Photo by Kevin Ireton.

blind valley and the short valley, got a double ridges would have been necessary. But the plan We vented the ridges with a concealed shin-
45° bevel cut made square across their faces. was rectangular, and we worried about the val- gle-over type ridge vent. We vented the framed
Once the short valley rafters and lower ridges leys pushing against the long walls a couple of rake overhang by replacing one course of the
were nailed in place, I had to make an adjust- feet in from the comers. A stronger ridge was one yellow-pine wainscoting used as soffiting materi-
ment to the blind valleys. Where the blind val- alternative, but strengthening the ridge would al with a strip of aluminum soffit vent.
leys extend above the lower ridge, the backing have been difficult without making it deeper and The pierced and sawn vergeboards (photo
bevel had to be reversed on the side closest to bringing it below the ceiling planes. So to tie the p. 46) are the dominant features of the exterior
the short valley. I scored it with a saw and used opposing long walls together, we bolted clear fir (for more on vergeboards, see Finishing Touch-
an ax to hew it flush with the main roof (top left collar ties between the longest pair of jack rafters es, pp. 86-87). We made the vergeboards from
photo, above). at each end (photo above right). We used steel clear kiln-dried redwood 2x12 because any knots
A cross-gable roof is mostly jack rafters, or "fil angle brackets, cut from heavy angle stock, to or checks would likely cause the delicate, short-
as they're referred to on the West Coast. Although strengthen the connection between the jacks grained pendants to break off. We laid out the
methods exist for cutting sets of jacks in dimin- and the walls (bottom left photo, above). design using a single-repeat template traced from
ishing progression, I find that the accumulation the existing house, adjusting the spacing to get an
of error produced by this system makes it more Vents and vergeboards—Venting a cross-gable even number of pendants. Sawing them out was
trouble than it's worth. I just lay off the positions roof that has a cathedral ceiling is problematic a chore, even with a heavy-duty jigsaw.
of the jacks on the ridge and on the valley, then because there's little or no eaves soffit to provide Instead of a finial, the vergeboards meet at a
measure in between. With a lumber crayon, I cool-air intake. We had only one bay at each end simple square shaft, turned catty-corner and sus-
scribble the measurements on the ridge beam vented at the eaves, but by taking a notch out of pended from the peak. I wanted to go wild with
large enough to read them from the ground. the top edge of each jack rafter toward its lower an ornate spire, but the architects held me back.
If the addition's plan had been a square, the end, we managed to get at least a little draft in Some things haven't changed in 140 years.
outward thrust of the valley at each corner would the bay's bordering valleys. I also could have re-
have been resisted by a pair of walls perpendic- cessed the top edge of the valley in relation to Scott McBride is a builder in Sperryville, Va., and a
ular to each other. If the walls were adequately the jacks, as I sometimes do with hips, but this contributing editor of Fine Homebuilding. Photos
tied together, neither collar ties nor structural would have reduced its strength. by the author except where noted.