Trusses are up !

[George]

No strongbacks and gable bracing? Not required?

[Snag]

Had to look those terms up ... There are now 2 16' 2x4's running wall to wall on the bottom truss member , and the gable bracing will be attached to the nearly-vertical truss members at the center . We seldom get really high winds down here in The Holler , but it'll be braced for it . This is actually just the first step for our new home . I'll be adding to both ends as we can fund it out of pocket , not going into debt for this . Might not have shown , but the truss on the downhill end is a regular truss , since a large part of that wall comes out later . My wife learned the term "open concept" on one of those remodel shows , and thinks that's what she wants for the "main living area" , ie the kitchen/dining/living rooms . Fine with me , I'll build whatever she wants . Just might not be as quickly as she thinks ...

[krw]

Why? Have you cleared this with building inspectors? It needs to carry the load of the end and racking forces.

Highly recommended, particularly if you're short on space. It sure beats the cramped feeling of a lot of little rooms. Even in our house, I'd prefer that there were no wall between the family room and the kitchen. You do give up some cabinetry in an "open" kitchen, though.

[Snag]

Building inspector ? What's a building inspector ? I'm out in the woods in north central Arkansas , we don't have building inspectors . This structure is dsigned to be added to . And FWIW that end truss is a regular truss just like the ones that span the 24 foot open space . Thus there is no need for a load bearing wall under it - as long a it is integrated into the overall truss system .

This room is 16 X24 , and will nearly quadruple our current living space - right now we're living in a 25' camping trailer . As my wife says , it's a great place for one person to live . And you can do open with cabinets hanging from the ceiling , doesn't impede the "flow" and yet helps define the different areas . I mighta mentioned elsewhere that I've been in building trades for nearly

40 years , from floor mechanic to cabinet maker , and nearly everything in between . I've seen a lot of stupid over the years , and learned from other's mistakes ... Now I'm running a small machine/welding shop , kinda trying to specialize in motorcycle/ATV stuff - but I don't turn down any paying work that's within my capabilities .

[krw]

They shouldn't be. You also need something to attach and support the siding. You are siding this, right?

Yikes! That's about %10 of the size of my house. That's going to be your whole house?

That's not "open concept". Cabinets break up the "sight line". If she watches the "home improvement shows", people are ripping those things out left and right to *open* up the rooms - make them look larger than they are. If your house is that small, hanging cabinets in the middle is as bad as putting up walls. If the rooms are large enough, "open concept" is less attractive because of the loss of storage.

So you've always had someone else telling you how to build and think you can do everything yourself without input from others? Go for it.

[DanG]

Another building inspector question. I don't think you can make code with the exterior sheathing not fastened to the double plate. You might make code if you could add a nailer at the top of the sheets, but I don't think so.

[Snag]

[e-mail] wrote: A series of slurs and insults .

Ain't gonna get into a pissin' contest with you . I have experience and know what I'm doing . What I don't know I learn . Now get offa mommies computer and go back to your dolls .

[SteveB]

Snag. Hey, guy! Long time, no talk.

I learned how to filter today on this new (to me) program. I blew jonbanquer's head off. krw@dattt won't be far behind. I need to go through and kill all the old trolls. I'm surprised you actually talk to that twit.

Post some pics soon. I want to see what you're up to.

I finally got my 36x40' containers/shop painted the dirt color here. Mama took a baggie full of dirt, and they color matched it.

Sure made Mama happy after "encouraging" me to do it for two years.

Steve

[krw]

If you insist on building a tarpaper shack to live in, so be it. Have fun.

[Snag]

Good point , and one that I need to address . I was thinking about anchoring the wall to the floor framing when we dropped the sheathing down ... and then I let the guy that was helping me talk me into running it sideways . I should have insisted on vertical and alternating it up/down , which would have done both . Not too late to reinforce that join though , I have some strapping I can nail on the inside .

[Snag]

There's a link in a following thread to a photobucket page with a few shots of the truss system of our new house - well , the first room anyway . I'll probably post some pics of the post foundation and beam/joist system there too . Designed for easy expansion , which krw can't seem to wrap his head around . I just started reading/posting here , kinda had a suspicion he was a troll . Just proved it ... Oh , and all this is happening in Stone County Ar , left the oldest boy and his spawn in our place in Memphis . Got a machine shop set up , and am getting some business , it'll take time to build here because I'm "from off" . Just bought an inverter machine and learned how to TIG . And it sure is swell living out here in the woods . My deer stand is just about a hundred yards from the house ... and I have game camera pics of

10-12 point whitetails visiting the area .