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Building elements

Rafter

A rafter is a sloping roof beam that runs from the ridge down to the wall plate and carries the roof covering.

Also known as rafters, common rafter, roof rafter, cut roof

In a traditional cut roof, pairs of rafters are cut and fixed on site, running from the ridge board at the top to the wall plate at the eaves. Collar ties or ceiling joists hold the pairs together so the roof does not spread the walls outward.

Rafter roofs suit complex shapes and rooms in the roof space, but they take skilled carpentry time on site. For most standard roofs, prefabricated trusses have replaced rafters because they arrive ready-made and are lifted into place in hours.

Related terms
Roof trussA roof truss is a prefabricated triangulated timber framework that supports a roof and spans the space between external walls. Nail plateA nail plate is a toothed steel plate pressed into timber across a joint to connect the members of a truss or frame. Gable endA gable end is the triangular upper part of an end wall, between the two slopes of a pitched roof.
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