How To Secure Roof Trusses

The term roof truss refers to large gabled roofs that are installed as pre assembled trussed rafters.

How to secure roof trusses.

Fluctuating temperatures and humidity can stress the truss. A roof truss saves a great deal of time and labor. Nearly 80 percent of the homes built in the u s. Toe nail them into the top plate to secure them and then make sure they are braced laterally using blocking or long purlins.

Roof trusses combine rafters and attic floor joists into a modular triangular unit that replaces the traditional roof framing method. These hurricane ties came about as a result of the hurricanes causing so much destruction to roof framing members down south particularly in florida. However unlike rafters trusses are pre assembled before being installed. Trusses like rafters form the profile of the structure s roof.

Although trusses may be more expensive that a conventionally framed roof many builders use roof trusses to save time and labor costs. Once the trusses are constructed lift them into place and set them onto the top plates of the exterior walls just as you would a beam or joist. Trusses come in many configurations but basically consist of top chords rafters bottom chords ceiling joists and diagonal bracing or webbing all made from either 2 by 4 or 2 by 6 lumber. Some building codes around the country require the use of a hurricane tie also shown above to add extra reinforcement for holding down roof trusses in the event of very strong winds.

Although a roof truss may be heavier and more difficult to maneuver onto the top of the building than conventional framing lumber once there it can easily be slid into position and secured. Trusses consist of two lengths of lumber that create the upper edge of the truss a bottom chord that connects the two opposite ends of the top chord and a series of supporting webwork in the middle. Labor costs are lower than conventional rafter systems. With trusses it is possible to prefabricate the pieces needed into modular frames that can be installed every 24 inches to frame a roof with much less time.

You can build more roof systems quicker and with a greater degree of accuracy if you use roof trusses. As strange as it sounds roof trusses are designed to move as a unit to maintain the structural integrity of the roof.