Business Logistics

Deck Ledger Boards

Question: 

Is it possible to attach deck ledger boards to the ends of floor trusses? If not, are there any modifications that would make this possible?

General Truss Question

Question: 

What do you mean by the term “trusses”? Are there different kinds of trusses? What are their uses?

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?

Locating A Local Wood Truss Designer

Question: 

I am planning a 36 ft. x 60 ft. clear-span horse barn with posts set 12 ft. O.C. If I use 2x6 verses 2x4 wood trusses what would the proper spacing be? The roofing is 29 ga. K-panels metal with insulation, and winter snowfall is minimal in our area.

Create A Ceiling Vault In Existing Rafter Roof

Question: 

Is it possible to retrofit a standard rafter/joist style roof to a scissors truss configuration without replacing the existing construction?

Raised Heels

Question: 

How high is a high heel?

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.

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?

Floor Vibration

Question: 

We have designed a custom home that needs a good solid floor, with low vibration perceptibility. The system we have specified consists of 2 in. of gypcrete over 1 and 1/8 in. thick plywood or OSB. The floor trusses are 20 in. deep at 16 in. O.C., spanning 31 ft. 6 in. The preliminary truss design shows a double top and bottom chord with a total load deflection of 1.30 in. (l/290) and a live load deflection of 0.65 in. (l/581). The basement ceiling will be 1/2 in. gypboard nailed to the bottom of the trusses.

Retrofitted Shed Dormer

Question: 

I own and live in the middle unit of a one-story tri-plex that has a truss-framed roof. The interior has high ceilings that would potentially allow the addition of a second floor room. I am contemplating adding a shed dormer to create a second story bedroom. Do you have any suggestions as to how a shed dormer could be added? I am familiar with how to frame up a shed dormer if the original framing were rafters and a ridge board, but the truss construction has thrown me for a loop.