That’s a really interesting point about the rafters splitting. I’ve always heard “more is better” too, but I guess with old, dry lumber it’s a different story. I ran into something similar when I tried to reinforce my porch roof—ended up with a couple cracks right where I put extra screws. Maybe it’s not just the number, but also the spacing and type of fastener, like you said. Sometimes I think these old houses just have their own personalities...
That’s a fair observation about old lumber—sometimes “more” just means more places for things to go wrong. Did you notice if the cracks followed the grain, or were they around knots? I’ve seen cases where adding screws too close together actually weakens the board, especially with dry, brittle wood. Makes me wonder if sometimes we’re just trading one risk for another. Still, your roof making it through a hurricane says something about the original build, even if it wasn’t textbook perfect. Old houses really do keep us guessing...
That’s a good point about adding more fasteners causing issues. I actually ran into something similar when I was patching up some floor joists—ended up with splits right along the grain, especially in the older, drier boards. I’ve read that wood gets more brittle over decades, so sometimes what looks solid can surprise you. My place is from the 1940s and I swear every board has its own personality… knots, weird grain patterns, even old nail holes in places you wouldn’t expect.
About the roof, I’m honestly not sure if it was just luck or if the original builders just knew how to work with what they had. The rafters aren’t spaced like modern codes suggest, but somehow it all held together during last year’s storm. Maybe there’s something to be said for letting wood “settle” over time? Or maybe it’s just a roll of the dice and next time I won’t be so lucky. Either way, I’m finding out that “old house character” comes with a lot of surprises—some good, some not so much.
Funny you mention the “personality” of old boards—mine’s from the late 30s and every time I open up a wall, it’s like a history lesson. I’ve wondered about that “settled” wood thing too. My neighbor swears his beams are tougher now just because they’ve survived so long, but then again, I had a rafter just snap during a minor repair. Ever had to decide whether to leave well enough alone or reinforce something just in case? I always second-guess if I’m risking more damage by messing with it.
That “history lesson” feeling is spot on—pulled a chunk of old tongue-and-groove out of a 40s rental once and found a faded grocery list scribbled inside the wall. But about the “settled” wood thing, I’m honestly not sold. Like you said,
Sometimes it feels like leaving it alone is safer, but then I wonder: what if the next big wind finds the weak spot I ignored? Ever tried reinforcing just part of a span, or is it all or nothing for you? I get stuck overthinking that every time I patch something up.“I had a rafter just snap during a minor repair.”
