Products

Alternate Nailing Patterns

Question: 

Some truss lumber repair nailing patterns call for 16d common nails. Most nail guns do not support 16d nails, but have an equivalent to a 12/10d nail. Is there a substitution guide or ESR report that could help us?

Impact Sound Transmission Through Floor Assembly

Question: 

A condominium project I am involved with is experiencing a sound transfer problem through the floor/ceiling assembly between the first and second floor. You can hear every footstep, from an adult to a child. The floor assembly consists of a carpet and pad, 3/4 in. OSB sub-flooring, 15 in. deep wood trusses at 16 in. on center, 9 in. fiberglass batt insulation and a 5/8 in. gypsum board ceiling. The trusses span 20 ft. with air/heat ducts between the trusses. Will an additional layer of 5/8 in. gypsum board attached to 7/8 in.

Truss Technician Requirements Definition

Question: 

What are the qualifications (if any) required to be considered a truss technician?

Truss Design

Question: 

Recently, I was invited to view a newly-constructed 60 ft. by 36 ft. barn, with homemade big timber trusses as follows: 36 ft. span, 12/9 pitch, construction was 26 ft. 2x12 rafters, bracing 2x6, ceiling joists were 36 ft. boxed, 6x12 out of overlapping (6 ft.), 2x12 glued and nailed center, 16 feet of joist doubled as an 8 ft. high loft, floor trusses were on 12 ft. centers atop posts deeply anchored with good footings, roof and wall cross ties were 2x6 on edge every 24 in., floor cross ties in the loft were 2x8 on edge every 16 in., 4 ft. snow load.

Sprinklers Above Gypboard Ceiling

Question: 

I have a 29 x 72 mobile office with a 2-foot deep wooden truss above the ceiling that a client is required to sprinkler. Is there any way to avoid sprinklering above the gypboard ceiling?

Unsecured Spacers

Question: 

During a home inspection, the inspector stated that the spacers were not secured at the attic trusses. What did the home inspector mean by this?

Installation Guidelines

Question: 

What are the requirements on the permanent bracing of bottom chords? Can gypsum board diaphragms be used?

Attachment Of Scissors Trusses

Question: 

What is the correct method of attaching scissors trusses to the top plate? I read recently in a trade magazine that this type of truss should be toe-nailed on one end and attached with slotted clips on the other end. According to the article, this is to allow for movement of the truss. We require PE stamped spec sheets from the truss manufacturer to verify trusses meet wind and snow loads. These sheets give bracing requirements but never give recommended attachment requirements.

Wood Framing

Question: 

I am conducting an investigation on the costs associated with building a 15,000 sq. ft. addition to an existing school building. I need to determine if wood trusses, steel bar joists or light gauge steel trusses would be the most economical material for the building system. The truss spans range from 42 ft. to 56 ft.

Truss Repairability

Question: 

Occasionally we deal with truss failures due to impact and or crushing forces such as trees falling onto roof structures. At what point can the truss no longer be repaired? Also, what should an adjuster look for when determining repair-ability? Or should a storm adjuster basically punt and call a consultant for every truss failure?