Roof question for my Workshop renovation

[millssnell]

I am in the process of renovating my 12x20 shed. The original was in very bad condition due to previous termite damage, however there were no active termites and their damage did no extend to the roof or it's rafters. I have an incredibly cheap supply of rough sawn pine here near Columbia, SC, and will be spraying it when everything is completed.

My question today is regarding the proper way to tie in a roof extension to the wall studs. I have added a small addition (3.5 x 7) on the back of the shed in order to keep my lawn mower and yard tools out of the way in the shop, and have just put a temporary 2x4 as a brace where i will eventually notch out a proper rafter. I have pavers and bricks as footing and will tamp gravel to fill the space. There are big double doors that will open out once I grade the ground down a little more.

1) Is it "alright" to add an extension of roof like this (perpendicular and pitched) , or should the roof extension be gabled in the same direction and slightly smaller?

2) I was planning on doing something similar on the front side for a small covered porch, and want the two to match.

Any feedback is welcome, even on other aspects.

[Dave H]

Your plan should work fine I'm assuming you don,t get a snow load where you live in SC. this plan would not work in my neck of the woods as your upper, and lower ledger's are just face nailed to the posts on the lower side, and the rafter supports on the upper side. the shear strength of a 16d nail is about 800lbs a nail. that being said lets say you got a freak snow load you probly have enough nails to hold the load, but each one of these nails are penitrateing the 2x4 ledgers the shear of the nails will hold but the 2x4 would likely fail due to the fact the wood would split now if you put a block of 2x4 under the ledgers and put a couple lag bolts, and washers into the block( block would be called a shear block in Washington St. where I live) those blocks would make this structure bullet proof. Now all that being said if there is no snow load ever no worries it's a shed, and not a living space. now if you extended the gable ends and followed the same pitch of the existing roof line your extensions could be full width just something else to think about.

[wjffineww]

What you have pictured is fine in my opinion, I'm just curious why you don't just extend the existing roof line out as far as you want. You'd gain a lot more space, and it wouldn't be that much more work. Just a thought.

[Vic]

A shed addition is the most straight forward addition you can do. I would check local code, if you are sure how something should be done in your area, or a trusted contractor. Simpson ties will add significant structural integrity. http://www.strongtie.com/

[ChetlovesMer]

I agree with what's been said above. Extending the current roof line seems like a more attractive solution. But, having said that, I'm sure your solution will work. After all, you are only sticking your lawn mower in there.

Have you considered putting a cyclone in the extra part of the shed and storing the lawn mower in the bedroom?

[Huffster]

I just finished a 12 x 14 shed myself and I can already see, that if I had the space, I would have made it larger! If it were me, I would extend the existing roof out further and gain space which is the entire width of the shed. I agree that the simpson brackets would be an excellent way to go.