How To Choose The Proper Roof Truss Style For Your Home
A wood roof truss is an ingenious structural frame of timbers primarily designed to support a roof and to bridge the gap behind a structure to the ground. These are used for framing and attaching roofs in residential and commercial buildings. Traditionally, trusses are seen at regular intervals, associated by straight timbers like purlins. The distance between each truss in the middle is called a box.
These frames can be made of different materials, like steel and aluminum. Most commonly, though, they are made of oak and iron; they are made into boards with veneers of webbing or wood slats attached at the bottom, then topped with a cover of felt or shingles. This cover, called a cap, keeps out the rain, but allows sunlight and air to penetrate into the roof and through the openings in the rafters. Roofs of this type usually have a ridge span of four feet.
A truss system consists of a horizontal braced row of beams, then joined with bracing rows of beams. The vertical shaft of each beam is supported at the head of the rafters. Webbing is often used in these systems because it is lighter and more flexible than shingles. It is so light, in fact, that some manufacturers use only a quarter-inch webbing in the rafters.
On small houses and commercial buildings, a simple truss system may use nails or screws of a few inches in length for attachment to the rafters. These are fastened to the roofing material with carpenter's nails or screws of less than an inch. But on larger buildings like apartment buildings, steel trusses are used because they are stronger and more economical. The steel rods are driven into the concrete by a machine, and the rods are assembled by hand using long screws of less than an inch in lead time. These screws provide more strength and durability.
The advantages of using trusses over the alternative of stick framing include: the elimination of the need for nail heads; no need to worry about rafters rotting under the weight of the roof material and the wind; and easy installation. On the other hand, the disadvantages of using trusses include: the need for extensive manual labor to install the system; the probability of the installation resulting in ceiling pitch and riser variations; and the possibility of the ceiling caving in during storm activity. Using traditional stick framing, you can eliminate most of these problems. Roof trusses are a great addition to any roof because they take a lot of the work out of installing a roof. However, you should know about the differences between these systems and the different types of truss styles available before you make your final decision.
If you are looking at a do-it-yourself project, the traditional nail and screw installation is something you might want to consider. Of all the options, this one has the least amount of work, and you will save money over the long run. For this option, you will need to choose a local home improvement store or hardware store where they sell trusses. They will also help you measure the roof area, take your special adhesive and explain the difference between trusses and rafters. When you purchase your materials, the staff will help you assemble the parts and give you some advice on how to put it all together.
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