Types of House Trusses

Dropped Cord

• Although impractical for some types of homes because of its required use of a load-bearing wall and beam, the dropped cord roof truss is useful in tornado- or hurricane-prone regions because it is designed to ensure the roof doesn't lift in high winds. However, the bisectional design of the primary and secondary truss can make space limited inside the structure.

Parallel Chord

• Less costly than other types of trusses, parallel chord trusses don't require a bearing wall or beam to provide structural support. They use chords made from poles instead of short pieces of wood that run across the top and bottom of the truss to provide support. This design feature makes them less labor intensive because they require less time to construct.

Raised Heel

• Raised heel trusses are made to provide the most amount of room possible for insulation while still providing adequate structural support. This type of truss is common in residential buildings because it is the most energy efficient type of truss. The truss is built high at the ends so that the eave is raised higher than in other truss designs, such as a scissor truss, which enables you to distribute insulation where it is needed.

Scissor

• Commonly used in cathedral ceiling designs where the trusses are often exposed to the home's interior, scissor trusses don't require a bearing wall or beam, and their design is ideal in areas where heavy snowfall is common because they can withstand the extra weight. Scissor trusses spread out from wall to wall to do this. However, they don't allow much room for insulation, which makes them less energy efficient than other truss types.

King Post

• King post trusses use a vertical beam, called a king post, which is located at the center of a triangle. Two angled beams extend from the bottom as well. These trusses are the least expensive type of roof truss, and they allow for adequate insulation. The bottom angled beams act as a union that prevents the walls from spreading under extra weight.

Queen Post

• Queen post trusses are similar in design and function to kings post trusses, except that instead of a vertical beam in the center of a triangle, there are two beams called queen posts on each side of the center. This allows for designs that require an open area in the middle of the truss.