Contrary to popular belief, collar ties are not there to support rafters or to keep walls below from spreading under the weight of the roof. That’s the job of the rafter ties or the ceiling j… See more

Theoretically, no—if rafters are correctly sized and properly joined by rafter ties, and if other means to resist uplift, such as ridge straps, are present. Some engineers theorize th… See more

Located in the bottom third of the roof structure, rafter ties effectively resist the horizontal forces caused by gravity loads that would otherwise cause the roof to pancake, p… See more

Collar ties (or ridge straps) prevent the ridge from separating due to uplift pressure from wind (top drawing, right). Rafter ties or ceiling joists support the rafters and sidewalls u… See more