Rustic Carpentry

by Unknown

Fig. 161.—Section through Centre of Lean-to Summer-house.

It will be noticed that the ends of the rafters are made to project so as to give a good breadth of eaves—a desirable feature in so narrow a building, alike for shade, shelter, and the appearance of cosiness. If, however, the roof should be thatched, the projecting rafters will be unnecessary, as the thatch alone will form sufficient eaves.

Down the "valleys" at the juncture of the main roof and the entrance gable a strip of zinc will, of course, be nailed before the shingles are put on, whilst along the ridges a strip of zinc will be nailed upon the shingles; and this latter will need painting to match the colour of the wood.

Various suggestions may be given for finishing the inside of the roof. Supposing that round or half-round larch stuff has been used for the rafters (the latter is to be preferred for shingles, as giving a level surface to board upon), the space between the rafters may be covered with bark—virgin cork or otherwise—the chinks being stuffed with moss. But if this is done it will be well to fix the bark with screws, as the vibration caused by driving nails would displace or loosen the shingles.

A second plan under the like circumstances would be before nailing the boards upon the rafters to stretch matting across the latter—either ordinary garden bast matting or, better, the more substantial rush matting, both of which are very inexpensive. These have a pleasant natural colour (the last-named especially, of a greenish hue), and are so unartificial in their structure as to appear in no way out of place among rustic work.

Or it may so happen that suitable larch stuff is not to hand, and that ordinary sawn scantling has to be used for the rafters. If so, the whole roof may be hung with ling; or the rush matting may be stretched across the lower side of the rafters and tacked there, being afterwards more completely secured and finished by nailing a split hazel or other rod down the middle of each rafter. This last plan makes a neat and pleasing roof.