Trusses or Rafters?
Marina Lehane
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Trusses
Rafters
Trusses supporting rafters
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Comments (16)
Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
3 years agores2architect
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoRelated Discussions
Rafter Tails....What???
Comments (10)Exposed rafter tails is a complicated system, especially with a truss layout. Even if you add the tails to the trusses, you are going to be subject to the layout of the truss in whaich you sister onto. Were doing a project, with 3 inch cedar tails (24 inch overhang), and they are thru bolted eight times in 6 feet of length onto the truss. Truss layout had to be manipulated for the final exterior appearance to be balanced and spaced equally. Even if your trusses are layed out with equal spacing, it will be skewed when you factor in the thickness of the tail, depending on which side you sister to. Along with the added expense of the tails, you will be looking at additional thickness of the roof sheathing in the overhang area, and possibly even a decorative pattern in the bottom side. The additional thickness is so that the roofing nails wont protrude thru the sheathing, into your decorative overhang. I think you are only getting started with the expense of a exposed rafter tail with decorative sheathing. The overall layout and final appearance shouldve been thought about months ago, not after the trusses were set....See MoreSunroom kits? Structual insulated panels?
Comments (3)Stay away from pre-fabricated sunrooms. I paid $54k for a 12 x 12 Joyce Manufacturing pre-fab sunroom. Alot of their marketing is false, they promote heavy use of vinyl and the only vinyl is the windows. There are a ridiculous amount of design issues with them. Heavy use of aluminum and aluminum skinned walls. Aluminum conducts cold and heat. This room, even with low-e windows and foam walls and foam advertised elsewhere, is so much colder than brick and wood, and vinyl sided and wood three seasons rooms I had in two previous homes. And their walls and roofs were not insulated. There are a ridiculous number of gaps created by the nature of the unit. Picture vertical supports made of aluminum with horizontal supports going over them. They horizontal pieces go over them - they don't lay flat. Everywhere that happens, cold air comes in. Joyce advertises low-e windows, but they don't say you've got to shove in weatherstripping along the window track because of all the cold air you can feel flowing up and in. I've spent hours and hours putting weatherstripping in all of the gaps. The installers also had to come back and rehang the exterior door three times. It hangs slightly crooked and lets cold air in. Before the 3rd time they came back, you could see daylight thru the top of the door. Pre-fabricated is a big, expensive regret. never again....See Moreremoving trusses from attic
Comments (11)You should be able to save yourself the cost of an engineer unless the structure is unusually large or complex. It would help if you told us the span and slope of the roof and if there are any intermediate bearing walls, hips, dormers and the snow load. A roof truss relies on rafter chords, a bottom chord and intermediate chords arranged in triangular patterns so that all chords are either in tension or compression. Because wood is stronger in compression & tension than in bending the size of the chords can be reduced which saves money. Of course, the strength of the connections become critical but that is solved by building the truss in a factory under strict quality control. The removal or relocation of even one chord and/or the addition of almost any unanticipated load on the bottom chord will induce BENDING moments in the other chords that they are not large enough to take. An engineer would have to look at the roof structure not as a truss but as a simple-span rafter system which would involve adding new rafters and floor joists sized for the loads. Such a structure does not not require an engineer because the framing sizes and configurations are clearly and simply shown in any building code. Any licensed builder can design it and get it accepted by the local building department. If the spans are larger than shown in the building code you will need to use LVL's or I-Joists which would require an engineer. You could hire one or use one provided by a manufacturer through a local lumberyard. The only issue not addressed by the building code is bouncyness of floors. If you don;t know how to avoid this problem just use the next larger joist size if you are close to the span limit in the code table....See Morehow to tell a load bearing wall?
Comments (6)Remembering your roof pictures on bath remodel that wall would have been load bearing. The gable end usually is not unless you have a hip roof. Then all four outer walls are load bearing. You still need proper brace/supports when tearing out walls. In our house being manufactured I know a couple of walls certainly could come down all the way as they are just partition walls. Still there are headers over the doors. Just thinking your bath remodel showed the rafter placement. and the outer edges of the rafters sit on load bearing walls as Marti said. You might be able to tell from your old pictures. Also some center walls can be load bearing because the center of the truss or rafter needs support. Not on a scissor truss the center is a point.Doubt you have those in your house. On the run last sunny day before big storm hits and I have yard work to do....See MoreDLM2000-GW
3 years agoMarina Lehane
3 years agores2architect
3 years agoMarina Lehane
3 years agoSummit Studio Architects
3 years agoGN Builders L.L.C
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoCharles Ross Homes
3 years agoGN Builders L.L.C
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoSummit Studio Architects
3 years agores2architect
3 years agoGN Builders L.L.C
3 years agores2architect
3 years agoGN Builders L.L.C
3 years ago
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