I know you guys have used trusses before so question is, what's the proper way to get the length? What I'm meaning to say is, are the overhangs included in the measurement? Outside wall to outside wall is 20 feet. Would I order a 20 foot truss or would it be a 22 foot truss. The extra 2 feet is a foot overhang on each side. Snow and ice has recently collapsed my dads garage roof. I've never used trusses before. Thanks.
You need 20 footers, the eaves are generally 2' and if you want 1' eaves you cut 'em down after installation.
Knothead
Are you going to build them yourself or have a truss company build them for you?
If you are going to order them, I would measure the distance from wall to wall, and discuss the options with the truss company like the optimum pitch to allow the snow to slide off the roof and the amount of overhang you want.
Hi Bullwinkle:
I've ordered trusses before. I made a sketch showing the span, overhang, and roof pitch. The truss manufacturer did the rest. Regards, John.
Tell them your building size and what the length of the overhang you want. Your final trusses will be longer then 20' . They do need to know the exact building size so the span cross braces are long enough which it sounds like will be 20' My wood shop was 20x20 so it ended up being 9 trusses and 2 gable ends. The overhead was 14'' on each side which is common here.
You can build your own. Lot sof plans online like
nomenclature is set by the truss company.
Contact your truss company. They generally have a service that will spec your project, generally for free.
Much better than guessing, or getting advice online considering the difference in terminology in different parts of the country.
The last time I ordered pre-fab trusses the maker asked me for the span, the overhang on each side, and pitch on each side. Not all trusses are symetrical.
There may be cheaper 'standard' trusses with a standard overhang that you can cut to your desired length but it may be just as cheap to have them made the way you want them.
Some building codes (like for Geauga County, Ohio) require pre-fab trusses or trusses designed by a licensed engineer.
In any case, the bearing point of the truss should NOT be anywhere along the bottom chord except where the top of the truss is attached. The wood is sized for working in tension, not bending. So you can't just take a 22 foot truss and let the ends of the triangle hang out over the end of the top plate of the wall.
-j
Looks like you got some good information but I'd like to stick another question in here if I may. Are trusses for 30' span and average pitch (haven't determined this yet) something that can be lifted and set by
2 or 3 guys or is a cherry picker necessary? Thanks - just in preliminary thought stage.Visit the truss company and discuss the job. Before taking the order, they will produce a drawing and have you sign it, to cover their ass. Get plenty of overhang. It doesn't cost much and will help keep the building from rotting.
The designer will be happy to discuss all options. Storage is easy, but usually takes a little beefing up, especially of the lower chord.
GET THREE PRICES, if possible. I see up to 25% variation around here.
I've done abotu 24'. I have only done it once... I happened to have 4 people. I would say that in my case, 3 would have been a bare minimum. I'm just a hack. I was making it up as I went along so there very well may be a better way.
Also, if there is adequate access to the site, hire a crane operator and a couple of friends. You can set the trusses in less than an hour on a building that size with a crane there to lift them up. A crane for an hour plus drive time may only run $300 or so. Have the gable ends sheeted before the crane arrives, and have some lineal tubafor on hand to brace the trusses (rat runs) For the inital bracing, i usually cut some tubafor blocks 25
1/2" long if the trusses are 24 O.C. and nail these from truss to truss as they are being set. They will hold until the rat runs are installed and sheeting put on. Hope this elps. --dave
Alright! Thanks guys to all of you. Very much good, useful information. I was really just wanting to compare prices of trusses compared to cutting rafters and joists. I wanted to see if I should ask for 20 footers, 22 footers or what. I have the pricing for the lumber to do the rafters and joists way. Now I'll call the truss place and try to get a ballpark from them. Time wise I know trusses would rule. Weather is a major contributing factor here too, so.... Also, Wilson, I'm afraid getting different prices would be next to impossible. There's only the one truss manufacturer in the town he lives in, The next closest ones are about 75 miles away. I don't think there would be a big enough price difference to make up the trucking fee. Although, I'll give it a shot, I have been known to be wrong. And Dave, I've got friends to give me a hand and I also have a couple that have a backhoe or two, so getting them up there shouldn't be a problem. But you bring up a good point about the pieces of tubafour cut to length. Where would you nail these pieces? On top of the header? Slightly below the peak? And yes it helps immensely! Once again, thanks to all you guys! And my old man will appreciate it too, I'm sure!!!
Our city too. If it does not have a manufacturers stamp, your in trouble! Greg
If ALL THREE of them are able-bodied, sure-footed and relatively fearless about heights.
If by "average pitch" you mean at or less than 6/12. Otherwise, they just wind up being too tall and top-heavy. It can still be done, but requires more guys and more, bigger ladders.
Guy A stands on top plate while B and C carry truss over and hand the end up to A.
B climbs ladder and stands on top plate. Meanwhile A has shimmied out onto an already-installed truss.
C pushes from the ground, B pulls from the top plate and A walks the end of the truss to the other wall.
C climbs ladder while B walks out into the trusses, all the while holding the truss steady.
A and C nail to the top plate, B braces with truss locks or scrap 2x lumber. Remember to use duplex nails for this. DAMHIKT.
Setting the first truss (not the gable end) goes the same way, except there's obviously no truss for A to walk across. He has to climb down a ladder, gorilla-fist the truss across the building, and back up the ladder to the opposite top plate.
Keep in mind, this is only my experience. As always, Your Mileage May Vary.
At any rate, I hope it helps.
-Phil Crow
The first time I ever placed trusses, there were4 of us putting them ON the top of the walls...I was the youngest and therefore was the only one ON the wall stacking them at the end of the house. When we actually placed them, there was 3 of us...one at each end to nail them in and I walked the wall, carrying the trusses and setting them in place, then tieing the top together with scraps of 2X's. These were 32' span 4/12 with 2' overhang.
There were two trusses that we had to have heavy equipment to place. The house is L shaped with a hip at the bend...this design called for two heavy trusses...one double plate and one triple plate. And the bottom chord on both of these was BIG...2X8 on the double plate and 2X10 on the triple.
So yes, they can be placed without a crane, IF you are...or have someone who is...young, dumb and strong. Doable, but if you've got a crane laying around, use it.
Mike
I get a kick out of watching these 100 lb Mexican framing crew members around here, either hoisting trusses, or stick building on a two story ... amazing what you can do when you're hungry. It's also worth the price of a ticket to see the last one on top come down after that last sheet of roof decking is nailed in place.
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