Roof truss change.

Jun 07, 2021 Last reply: 5 years ago 4 Replies

For 5m span, front of concrete prefab. It was a simple king post truss design, with the bottom of the king post also bolted via a bracket to a vertical post netween the two sets of opening doors (1 pair each side) where the word "then" in the pic. is.



The new truss reduces the height of the apex, as well as raising the eaves height for headroom inside. It will probably also be fixed to a vertical central post under to floor.



Rough sketch at:

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Any ideas for new bracing? It's in 30mm by 30mm by 3mm equal angle.


There is a prefab "low profile" truss design that adds extra height at the eves and uses a shallower pitch to give less ridge height. That does use a number of extra bracing members to achieve the stiffness. There is a picture of one here:

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(1st graphic, second row, 5 down)

An extra row of block on top of the wall might be another option...

That looks very Howe-like. I now have a modified king-post/Howe design, which I have tested empirically by dangling off it. I'll see if I can post a picture somewhere.

Prefab concrete (sectional). Planning, costs are relevant.

You can post pictures on the wiki if you want... (drop me an email if you need an account created)

If you are making it higher at the eves, I doubt it matters much how you do it from a planning PoV. (and blocks are probably cheaper than timber

- although I understand the current wall thickness might be rather limited).

Not sure how, but:

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(lifting into place)

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(in place)

The original trusses started at the top of the concrete sectional walls, and reached 2670mm at the apex. I cut and re-worked them as shown. The building would otherwise not be "permitted development" as it's only

750mm from the property boundary so must be 2500mm or lower. The maximum height of the building is what matters (although it was cut into a slight slope, so theoretically 2670mm measured from the highest adjacent ground should have been OK. I called planning to discuss, the bloke had no idea, and would not advise anyway. Useless.

Anyway, next hing is to finish off the trim above the concrete, fit the two pairs of doors in the front, and buy Stirling board and box profile plus odds and ends.

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