During a recent trip to our Westerly project, Kevin O’Connor caught up with builder Jeff Sweenor to discuss the rafter tail detail and how Sweenor ultimately decided to approach the build. The drawings for this Dutch Colonial call for a series of applied tails on several areas of the exterior, including along the sidewalls where the gambrel roof sits. This section of the house called for 62 rafter tails, which are spec’d to be installed along the exterior to create an eave detail.
The rafter tail detail extends well beyond this single section of the house. As Jeff Sweenor explained to Kevin during the build, the sweep detail “goes all the way…on the side, and then it returns and goes on the other side.” In total, the project calls for 150 applied rafter tails across the exterior—a testament to the level of craftsmanship involved in faithfully executing the Dutch Colonial design.
To achieve the curved profile, the team laminated two layers of 3/8-inch plywood, bending them to follow the sweep of the roof. As Jeff demonstrated on site, the process involved lining up the bottom edge, nailing it first, then pressing the center in tight—”a nail will suck it right down”—before securing the top. A fascia trim piece, dadoed out with a slot to accept the soffit, locks everything together to create a clean, finished eave detail.
The drawings specify a continuous 2×6 cleat to hold 62 rafter tails that are 14″ wide and include a soft slope. Note in the drawing (at min. 1:02) that the tails were milled so that when installed onto the 2×6 cleat, the bottom edge of the cleat aligns with the bottom of the rafter tails. This provides continuous nailing surface at the back of the soffit. Also worth noting is the beveled 2×6 ledger at the top which provides continuous nailing for the double layers of 3/8″ plywood. Finally, a beveled 2x sub fascia provides nailing for the fascia and ties the front of the rafter tails together.
Applied rafter tails like these are a hallmark of bungalow-style architecture. As Tom noted while examining the detail on site, “These are a pretty common detail with these bungalows.” However, Jeff pointed out an important distinction between this project and historical precedent: years ago, the rafter tails on those original bungalows were structural extensions of the actual rafters, whereas here they are applied decorative elements attached to a cleat system—achieving the same classic look with modern framing efficiency.
Sweenor says that to have these built on-site would have taken one of his carpenters two full days using a jigsaw and circular saw because so many needed to be made (approximately 150 tails total, including some for other parts of the house not shown here). Given the consistent results a CNC-milled product offers, and the labor savings (two days spent moving the job forward in other ways), for Sweenor this method outweighs site-built options for quality and cost. Check out the video to learn more.
Pro Tip: The precision advantage of CNC-cut rafter tails is substantial. As noted during the Westerly project, the machine cuts to “a 32nd of an inch accuracy”—a level of consistency that’s nearly impossible to replicate by hand across 150 pieces. The team estimated that two carpenters working in the field would need 8 to 10 hours to cut the rafters on site, and even then, “they probably wouldn’t be as exact.”
