Hello. I am building a new house and would like to know if anyone knows about the pros and cons to an exposed rafter "look". I want to keep this real and not fake. In other words, I don't want to glue or nail rafter tails on. <br> <br>I'm interested if anyone knows how to achieve this look and costs involved in today's construction. <br> <br>Thanks!

I am building a craftsman house right now and have exposed rafters. They are part of the structure and not added on. It wasn't an issue with the builder. The main concern is priming and painting the ends well so they don't rot. Good luck on your project.

First your framing will be stick framed or hand frame to get the correct look. This method looks the same as all the old constuction used to build bungalows. Some rafters went out 6 feet on a 5/12 pitch. Great look if done right. Large timber is a must and will be $$$$$$$$$$$$

Whomever posted the reply to my original question and is now building a home with exposed rafters, please contact me at jsd356@yahoo.com I'd like to ask you a couple of questions if you're willing to answer them. Thanks.

Just a side note here. One might assume that back in "the day", rafter tails were done the "right" way, e.g. part of the infrastructure. and not just tacked or glued on. <br> <br>However, when we recently had our roof reshingled, stripping the old shingles revealed that, in fact, our raftertails had been tacked on like a bad game of pin the droopy tail on the donkey. either that, or sometime between 1926 and 1970's, someone sawed all the rafter tails on, and someone else tacked them back on later. Hard to believe. <br> <br>I have photos on my web page.

I just poked my head up above the porch beadboard, and the rafter tails are curved pieces lapped to the structural rafters with a shim on top to form the lower curve on my roof eave.

How about the reverse? There's a new development in Iowa City that is being built as a "retro" neighborhood. I drove the other day to see garages /lofts that have knee braces on the wrong side of the house: <br> <br>Peninsula Neighborhood <br> <br>The above is from this page: <br>http://www.thepeninsulaneighborhood.com/building_it_details.shtml <br> <br>-Mike <br> <br>

That would be funny if it weren't for the fact that those houses will be sold for ridiculous amounts. Even with the cheap-o snap on muntins and shingles that seem to have been thrown on the walls.

The builder must've been holding the plans upside down and didn't realize it.

Wow, what a cool idea! I wonder if I put shutters on my garage doors......

About 1/3 of our rafter tails had to be replaced due to termite damage. You can't get a "termite clearance" here in San Diego unless you replace the damaged portions of wood. The rafter tails were "sistered" onto the undamaged portions, and were cut at the ends to match the original detail. And we insisted and payed for matching the wood size (rough-cut lumber, not modern 1.5" x 3.5" 2 x 4's) and finish (not surfaced on all 4 sides). <br> <br>Another thing: Many bungalows around here (including our last home) have expoed, cantilevered "beams" that look like the vegas on a Santa Fe adobe. In fact, they are non-structural decoration that is toe-nailed on to the framing, and the fascia is cut around them so that they stay in place. Even when they inevitably sag, I still like 'em.