How Long Should Roof Overhang Be

Mike the pole barn guru.

How long should roof overhang be.

In moderate climates there is some damage of wood decay and a roof overhang is recommended. Arid climates receive little rainfall that can cause roof decay and the least danger of decay through. However the suggested width of an overhang is between 12 and 18 for eaves and no more than 8 for rakes. Overhangs can vary from a few inches to a few feet depending on preference.

What is the maximum length of a roof overhang. Here phil explains how much overhang a roof should have at the gutter. The peak of the roof is a long way from the base of the wall so these overhangs are less effective in general than traditional eave overhangs in protecting the home. On page 365 the overhang is beyond a fascia board buildings with eave overhangs.

The steel siding is 3 4 thick which leaves 1 1 2 to 1 3 4 of overhang past the siding after it is installed. That said overhangs can extend as far as 2 without the need for external supports. A typical metal roof overhang may be 2 to 4 inches or even less. The diagonal measures are actually relatively easy to get equal as it takes very little effort to shrink a long diagonal by several inches.

Metal is usually installed on rafters or strip sheathing rather than the solid decking used under other materials. An overhang to protect the shed user on a rainy night could be relatively small whereas an overhang to provide a shaded area in front of the shed to keep the interior of the shed cool will be much larger. When the sun is higher in the sky first image a 2 feet 60 cm overhang is long enough to shade the entire wall. But the same overhang will not shade the entire window when the sun is lower second image.

They extend too far. The net resultant of each is the same and perfect for gutters if they are installed. Some slight overhang is recommended in conjunction with a drip edge flashing to prevent water from getting under the roofing and onto underlying wood. Only a 3 feet 1 meter overhang third image provides enough shade to protect the entire window for that position of the sun.

The ideal shed roof overhang depends on the purpose of the overhang the location and microclimate of the building.