How to Cut Truss Ends

When constructing a roof, many carpenters will elect to build trusses because the roof can be completed quickly since they can be built on the ground and lifted into place. A truss is a wooden structure that gives the roof support. It is constructed using a series of triangles, which makes it very sturdy. The wooden members are connected by plates that can be wood or metal. Cutting a truss end so it will have the proper angle may seem a daunting and confusing task, but it is not complicated if you use the following procedure.

Framing Square
Pencil
Circular Saw
Saw Horses

Instructions

- 1
  Place the truss on two saw horses.
- 2
  Place the framing square on the end of the truss to be cut and mark the rise over run you used to build the truss. The rise over run, or slope, is the number of inches the roof will rise for every 1 foot of length or run. Example: If you have 4 inches of rise per 12 inches of run, it means that for every 1-foot length the roof will rise 4 inches.
- 3
  Use a pencil to mark a line showing the rise over run on the framing square.
- 4
  Use the circular saw to cut the end of the truss along the line. If you want to check the angle of the cut, lay it down on top of the top end cut. They should be the same angle. You can also check by putting the framing square on the rise over run selected and lay it close to cut to see if the angle is correct. It is a good idea to double check the angle before cutting. If the angle is cut incorrectly it will have to be cut again with another board.

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