I have been building stuff for a number of years.
Experience has taught me that I must give any project serious thought before I take the first step.
Each project seems to bring a unique set of circumstances or situations that must be thought about.
Making a roof for your shed building is no exception.
If you, like me, live in an area that receives a good bit of snow in the winter, it would be a good idea to make your roof pitch as steep as possible so that most of the snow can slide off rather than accumulate.
If the roof is not steep enough, the weight of the snow can cause the roof to collapse, causing the contents of your shed to be damaged or destroyed.
Because I live in snow country, I pay careful attention to the roof construction in the plans I am considering buying.
I want to be sure it meets the needs I already know about at least.
I would recommend that anyone else do the same thing.
The load the roof must support is certainly one of those things I have had to consider, especially because I live where it snows in the winter.
Snow can become very heavy and collapse a roof if it was not constructed properly.
The roof must be strong enough to hold and protect the contents of your shed.
As you look at the set of shed plans you used to construct the shed, pay special attention to the roof construction.
Determine that it meets the building codes where you live.
When you know the roof conforms to the building codes, make a trip to the local lumber yard and ask them to build the trusses for you.
This is one job I will "hire out" as often as possible.
I learned the hard way that having the trussed built and delivered to you will save you a great deal of time.
It goes without saying that for safety's sake, you should have someone help you set the trusses because they are big and heavy and difficult to hold up long enough to secure them properly.
Properly marking and placing the trusses on the wall is a critical step.
It must be exact.
Make a pencil mark on the top plate of the wall every 24" on center.
Once the marks are in place, set the first truss.
The first truss is placed on the first mark and nailed securely in place.
Just like the first truss, every truss is placed on the mark and secured with nails.
Trusses are then tied together so they support the roof loads.
Most designs calls for 5/8" decking to tie the trusses together.
When the decking has been installed, you are ready to cover it with asphalt roofing paper and then the shingles or whatever you have decided will be the outside roof material.
As a safety measure, do not deck the roof on a windy day.
Reason being, the wind can lift the decking and you off the roof before you realize what is happening.
Again, for safety's sake, get help with putting on the decking material.
Remember to match the roof of your shed to the roof of your house for eye appeal.
Some communities have a home owner's association that dictates the kind of roof you may use.
Check out the requirements there before you buy the roofing material to save yourself money and work, not to mention grief if you select something not acceptable to the association.