A rafter cut short of its bearing
Bearing length is a number, not a judgement.
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In short: A rafter recorded cut short on a Gledswood Hills frame inspection.
What bearing means
The length of a member actually sitting on its support. It is specified because the load has to transfer through that contact area, and less contact means higher stress in both members.
What we recorded
A rafter cut short of its bearing at a Gledswood Hills frame inspection, alongside blocking, struts and supports through the same roof.
Why it is measurable
Bearing is a dimension. Either the member has the specified length on its support or it does not, which makes it one of the cleaner items to put to a builder.
What follows
Packing, a bracket, or replacing the member, depending on how short it is. That call belongs to the builder and, where the shortfall is significant, to their engineer.
Why it belongs in an investigation
Because it is exactly the kind of finding a builder describes as within tolerance. Measured against the specified bearing, it either is or it is not.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Gledswood Hills. Licensed building practitioners.
