Hand Built Trusses
Question:
I am building a new shop that is 30 ft. x 32 ft. I need to free-span the 30 ft. dimension. Where can I get a load chart that recommends lumber size and strategic locations of the angle braces to support the free span? I am going to field erect the trusses and stick build them on the building.
Answer:
We recommend using trusses designed and built by a truss manufacturer (see our Members Section for truss manufacturer listings).
Hand-built trusses are certainly an option, but the local code official may require proof the trusses will work. This generally means an engineer must provide calculations and a professional stamp or seal. In this scenario, your hand-built trusses will likely end up costing you considerably more in time, money and aggravation than manufactured trusses would, because trusses produced by a truss manufacturer usually come with engineered calculations and a seal as part of the truss package.