Market Education

60 Ft Truss Span Installation Dangers

Question: 

How do I, as a truss manufacturer, adequately advise my customer against the dangers of 60 ft. and over truss span installations?

Truss Span Tables And Details

Question: 

Are there any typical wood truss span tables for roofs and floors available? Standard framing details for use in preliminary design?

Truss History

Question: 

How long has the truss industry been around and where did it start?

Standard On Center Spacing

Question: 

What is the recommended standard spacing for open-web wood joists? I have seen them placed 24 in. O.C. Is this acceptable for a customer who will have an exercise room with 500 pounds of free weights? I understand there are problems with bouncy floors with 24 in. spacing. Is this true?

Topping Off Ceremony

Question: 

What is the history of the topping off or topping out ceremony when the top floor is completed and a tree is placed on the roof?

Multi Ply Girders

Question: 

Girders are trusses specially designed to carry extra loads that are a result of the structural framing members they support. Sometimes a single ply girder truss is insufficient to carry the entire load, so the truss designer designs a multiple-ply girder. This is where identical trusses are built and fastened together to act as one unit to support the load. ANSI/TPI 1 states that girder trusses up to three plies thick can be fastened together with nails. Girders over three plies must be pre-drilled and bolted rather than nailed.

Industry Standards

Question: 

I am currently putting together a set of truss specifications for a set of structural plans. I am interested to know of the most current publication that may specify industry standards in truss components (i.e. metal connector plates, wood quality and connection quality). Do you have any suggestions?

Sound Rating Information

Question: 

Do you have sound rating information for floor truss assemblies (i.e., STC and IIC ratings)? We are looking specifically for ratings for 12 in. floor trusses, with 1 and 1/2 in. concrete topping and without the topping. We are looking to meet the minimum code rating of STC 45 and IIC 45.

Ubc Truss Marking Provision

Question: 

I stamp the bottom chord of my trusses with my company name and the name of my third-party inspector. Recently, my local building inspector requested another stamp with the on-center spacing, the total design load and the load duration factor. I have never heard of this before and I was wondering if you had any further information on this requirement.

Long Term Deflection

Question: 

Has there been any research or studies on long-term deflection of metal plate connected wood trusses? How much deflection is allowed?