Design

Fire Cuts

Question: 

What type of construction uses a fire cut truss? Could you describe a fire cut truss?

Installation Guidelines

Question: 

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

Scissors Truss Diagonal Bracing

Question: 

We are finding it difficult to design permanent diagonal bracing for scissors trusses. The truss is often only a few feet in depth, which does not provide adequate room for diagonal bracing. Has SBCA come up with recommendations for permanent bracing of scissors trusses?

Sloping Floors

Question: 

In our one-year-old home, as you approach the hallway, the floor slopes downward. Our home inspector said that this was most likely due to the fact that the walls were resting on the floor as opposed to being load-bearing walls. What has been your experience with sloping floors in a new home? The floors are very flat elsewhere until the walls start. Do you think this sloping could turn into a structural problem eventually?

Charring Of Trusses

Question: 

Our home caught fire last month and burned partly through a tongue and groove ceiling to the trusses. Some are charred. Our contractor did a moisture meter test. An engineer for the insurance company said the trusses were only smoke damaged & the moisture meter test is invalid (it can be set to read anything). I found one article on charred trusses, but it’s pretty vague. We do not feel safe with the insurance engineer’s assessment because some of the trusses are obviously charred. We hired an engineer who agreed with us.

One Hour Roof Ceiling Assembly

Question: 

I am looking for a 1-hour roof/ceiling assembly for wood truss construction. I would like to apply the drywall directly to the bottom of the truss and also have insulation for sound control. Is this possible without using channels and what UL number would I use?

Sprinkler Loading

Question: 

Does the NFPA sprinkler standard address sprinkler loading? If so, how and where do I buy it? What other information do you have on sprinkler loading? How do other truss companies price jobs for sprinkler loading the plans do not include a sprinkler layout or even say what size/type of sprinkler system will be used?

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?

Wood Three Hour Fire Assembly

Question: 

Is it possible to construct an assembly for ceiling between first and second floors using 2x with few layers of gypsum to obtain a 3-hour fire rating?

Warning Poster Caution Notes

Question: 

We are concerned with SBCA’s BCSI-B1 Summary Sheet which under “Notes” makes a disclaimer. Our concern is if there would be an accident with our trusses and we point out that the bracing was not placed correctly according to SBCA documentation, which is sent with every job. If the accident goes to court, how will our attorney respond when the opposing attorney points out the disclaimer, which infers that the bracing we recommend must be flawed, otherwise it would not be disclaimed?