Outriggers: Supporting Your Overhang

The Lever That Wind Loves to Pull

Stand at the gable end of a house and look up at the roof overhang - that part sticking out past the wall. Now imagine hurricane wind trying to lift it. The overhang acts like a lever, and the outriggers are the pivot point. The longer the overhang, the more leverage wind has to peel it off.

Outriggers are horizontal framing members that extend from the main rafters out to support the barge rafter at the edge of the overhang. They work like cantilever beams - one end anchored to the roof structure, the other end supporting the overhang load. Wind uplift tries to rotate them upward, prying them loose from their connections.

In Monroe County, engineers pay special attention to gable end overhangs because they are in the high-pressure roof zones. A 24-inch overhang might see 80+ PSF of uplift pressure during a major hurricane. With outriggers at 24 inches on center, each outrigger could experience 300+ pounds of uplift - enough to snap poorly connected members or pull nails right out.

The safest approach for Keys homes is modest overhangs (12-18 inches), properly sized outriggers (2x6 minimum), and metal connectors at every outrigger-to-rafter connection. Some builders eliminate rake overhangs entirely on gable ends to reduce hurricane vulnerability.