Birdsmouth joint
Encyclopedia
In light frame construction, a birdsmouth joint is a woodworking joint
that is generally used to connect a roof rafter
to the top plate of a supporting wall. It is an indentation cut into the rafter which consists of a "seat cut" (the face of which rests on the top plate) and a "heel cut" or "plumb cut" (the face of which lies parallel to the supporting wall), forming a shape resembling a bird's mouth. The indentation should not be too deep (less than a third of the rafter's thickness) in order to maintain the structural integrity of the rafter. The joint is generally fastened with nails.
Woodworking joints
Joinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining together pieces of wood, to create furniture, structures, toys, and other items. Some wood joints employ fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, while others use only wood elements. The characteristics of wooden joints - strength, flexibility,...
that is generally used to connect a roof rafter
Rafter
A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members , that extend from the ridge or hip to the downslope perimeter or eave, designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads.-Design:...
to the top plate of a supporting wall. It is an indentation cut into the rafter which consists of a "seat cut" (the face of which rests on the top plate) and a "heel cut" or "plumb cut" (the face of which lies parallel to the supporting wall), forming a shape resembling a bird's mouth. The indentation should not be too deep (less than a third of the rafter's thickness) in order to maintain the structural integrity of the rafter. The joint is generally fastened with nails.