Roof Sheathing High Wind Areas

In areas prone to hurricanes and high winds loss of roofing materials and sheathing is a primary concern.

Roof sheathing high wind areas.

The roof to wall connection under high wind loads is subject to both uplift and shear due to positive or negative wind pressure on the walls below. Use panels rated as exposure 1 or better. For pitched roofs wear skid resistant shoes. Special wind regions and topographic factors identified in asce 7 engineered design is recommended.

Shingle and shake roofs may also be applied to solid sheathing at exposed eaves and rakes and similar locations. Underlayment in high wind areas i e where wind speeds are 110 mph or greater must be secured with corrosion resistant fasteners spaced no more than 36 inches apart. At intermediate supports fasten panels 12 inches on center. Use panels rated as exposure 1 or better.

The type and number of fasteners required for a specific application is obviously an the engineered wood association apa. When the wind pressures the roof it lifts the sheathing off the roofs structure and frame. Building codes regarding the type number and spacing of fasteners must be followed. Consult with local codes and builders for the accepted practice.

When the sheathing is solid you can choose a proper material. Increase the uplift resistance of the roof sheathing. In high wind areas more fasteners may be required. If the sheathing is properly installed there will be no damage made by high winds.

Oriented strand board osb or plywood can be used although plywood will provide higher nail head pull through resistance. High wind building codes such as sstd 10 99 and the wfcm call for structural panels to cover from the top of the top plate to the bottom of the bottom plate or mid band to meet combined uplift and shear values. Oriented strand board osb or plywood can be used although plywood will provide higher nail head pull through resistance. Sheathing type typically 15 32 inch or thicker panels are required in high wind areas.

Fasteners should be 3 8 inch from panel ends and 3 8 inch from panel edges see hints below. In some regions the common practice is to place a moisture barrier over open sheathing to keep out wind driven rain. The ability of a roof sheathing panel to resist high winds is directly related to how well it is secured to the roof framing. As a best practices approach an augmented underlayment can provide an effective secondary.

The sheathing is the fastened to the rafters it acts like a top layer of the roofing. D for the roof framing to wall connection use an h1 or equivalent connector attached on the exterior sheathing side of the exterior walls. In very windy areas solid sheathing is often used. Uplift resistance of the roof sheathing.