Construction

Installation Guidelines

Question: 

Are there any associations that have recommendations for the installation of wood trusses?

Adding Tile To Existing Floor Trusses

Question: 

We are planning to add 1/2 in. cement board and 3/8 in. quarry tile to a kitchen floor. We need to know if the floor trusses will handle the additional weight. The floor trusses are 19.2 in. O.C. and the loading numbers are 40-10-0-5. What do these numbers mean?

Uplift Values On Truss Design Drawings

Question: 

I am a building inspector and I have a question on information provided on truss design drawings. What does the uplift reaction number represent? Some manufacturers are very specific and state “to provide for mechanical connection of the truss to the top plate with a connector capable of withstanding a specific load.” Others simply list the uplift reaction with no further information. These are the ones that have caused a debate as to what the number actually represents.

Continuous Lateral Bracing

Question: 

How important is continuous lateral bracing in roof trusses? Is it detrimental to the roof integrity if it is missing?

Fall Protection

Question: 

Are wood trusses designed to be fall protection anchors that would support a worker should he fall?

Fire Rating For Sloped Roof Truss Assemblies

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?)

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?

Gable End Bracing

Question: 

Manufactured gable ends are actually frames even though they are often referred to as trusses. The webs are “studs” oriented vertically and usually spaced at 12, 16 or 24 in. O.C. The gable end frame is designed to transfer vertical loads from the roof to the continuous bearing wall below. Another way gable end frames are different from trusses placed in the interior of the structure is that frames experience perpendicular wind loads. The sheathed frame transfers the wind loads to the roof and ceiling diaphragms and vice versa.

Determining Truss Manufacturer From Stamps On Lumber

Question: 

I'm trying to find out who the truss manufacturer was that built the trusses in my home. I was told that there is usually a stamp on the side of the bottom chord. All I found was “2400F 2.0E.” What am I looking for? The other chords only have material stamps. Can you tell me what kind of information I should be looking for to find out who the manufacturer was?

Drilled Hole In Truss

Question: 

I need to know how to repair a hole that has been drilled through a truss. In installing the wiring we improperly put the wires through the truss and now need to know the proper way to repair it.