Rafters are the sloped structural framing members that support the roof deck, running from the ridge down to the exterior walls.
Rafters form the skeleton of a traditional roof structure, spaced at regular intervals (commonly 16 or 24 inches apart) and sized based on span, roof pitch, and the loads they need to carry — including snow load in cold climates and the weight of the roofing material itself, which is why heavier materials like tile or slate sometimes require rafter reinforcement on homes not originally built for them.
Rafters are individual framing members installed on-site piece by piece; trusses are pre-engineered triangular structures built off-site and installed as complete units — trusses are more common in modern construction for speed and engineered consistency.
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