Free Roof Truss Building Advice

Design

• Before you construct roof trusses, spend enough time and effort on the design process. If you're replacing an existing roof with one that uses the same material, you can produce the same number of trusses that the home originally had. However, if you're adding a heavier roof, you'll need to select places to add trusses for strength. Calculate the roof pitch and span in each section, and use these numbers to check your trusses for consistency.

Production

• The first step to building roof trusses is selecting the right materials. Soft wood, such as pine, is appropriate as long as it's pressure-treated and can endure exposure to moisture and extreme temperatures. Invest in a high-quality metal framing square to measure and mark your lumber for cutting. Even though roof trusses will be sheltered by the roof you apply later, select hardware rated for exterior use. Stack your completed trusses vertically, because they are designed to hold weight in this direction.

Prefabricated Trusses

• The majority of new homes are built using prefabricated roof trusses. Builders buy and install prefabricated trusses rather than building their own rafters to speed up the process. Prefabricated trusses also ensure structural integrity because their manufacturers have the benefit of computer-aided design and engineering experience. If your carpentry skills aren't up to the task or your roof project requires specialized trusses, buy prefabricated trusses instead of taking a chance that you won't be able to build trusses that support your roof and last once they're installed.

Safety

• Building and installing roof trusses present a number of dangers, all of which you can take simple steps to prevent. When cutting lumber for your trusses with a circular saw, wear gloves and eye protection to guard yourself against debris and wood shavings. Keep your work area clean and secure to prevent common accidents. Involve enough workers to raise the trusses into place, because the weight of a completed truss is enough to cause serious injury if it falls.