Roof Trusses

Question: 

I am doing research for clients who have flat roof trusses to which they are adding a second story. We are now looking for information on the trusses to determine what their load capability is. What do you need to know to help us determine this?

Question: 

I have mono trusses on either side of a firewall. I have the fire rating/wall material between them. Can I place a ridge vent above these two? Or should I use vents? How do I calculate the appropriate vent sizes and styles?

Question: 

A question has come up concerning sloped roof trusses and fire assembly ratings. Some are reluctant to rely on test results from flat (parallel chord) trusses applied to sloped roof trusses. Do you have any information regarding the suitability of the fire rated ceiling assemblies for sloped roof trusses? Does the “minimum depth” requirement of the parallel chord assembly apply to the minimum depth of a sloped roof truss (i.e., heel height?)

Question: 

I am looking for a company that can properly transport wood roof trusses on a one-time basis that are too large to fit into a box trailer. Trusses are to be fabricated in NC. Do you have any recommendations? Could be a specialty hauler or another truss fabricator in the area that has the special frame truss hauling trucks.

Question: 

What do you mean by the term “trusses”? Are there different kinds of trusses? What are their uses?

Question: 

How do you evaluate whether a metal plate connected truss is still usable after exposure to fire? Are there any recommended tests?

Question: 

I was wondering if you have any information or anecdotes relating to the deflection performance of long span scissors trusses? We recently sold a job with 70 ft. long scissors trusses. The customer is in the process of installing the trusses and doesn't like the deflections he is seeing. To make matters worse, the scissors trusses are framing into a valley set (which we provided) that is erected on 35 ft. Howe trusses. The Howe trusses are exhibiting very little deflection. Any ideas?

Question: 

I have built a 30 ft. x 40 ft. pole barn with nine 30 ft. 2x4 7/12 pitch trusses that are 5 ft. O.C. I am planning to finish out the interior and will attach 7/16 x 4 x 8 OSB sheets to the trusses for my ceiling. Along with this, I will have to add several 2x4 nailers across the 30 ft. span between the trusses to attach the sheeting to. My question is: will these trusses have any problem supporting this ceiling? I am not planning on anything being placed in the section above the ceiling and there will be no walls or supports erected between the ceiling and the floor.

Question: 

My company supplied roof trusses for a hotel project. The building inspector shut the project down because the trusses were not designed to account for additional snowdrift loading. The construction plans did not contain any snowdrift loading information. The architect is claiming it is our responsibility to determine drift loading, therefore we must fix the problem. Do you have any documentation to help us dispute the architect’s claim?

Question: 

The Gypsum Association “Fire Resistance Design Manual” (GA-600-12) lists file RC2601 with two layers of 5/8 in. gypsum wallboard (GWB) on wood joists.