Everything You Need to Know Before You Order Trusses

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In recent years, roof trusses have become one of the most popular roof construction tactics. They’re widely considered to be one of the most cost-effective, convenient ways of building modern roofs.

Before you jump into constructing your own roof trusses, there are some things you need to know. This post will give you a brief overview of the most important roof truss information, including their advantages, types, and design requirements.

1. The Advantages of Trusses

The first thing you truly need to understand is just how many advantages there are to using roof trusses rather than rafters. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they are also:

Up to 50 percent more cost-efficient than regular rafters.
Light and easy to produce quickly (but at high quality).
Simple to install in comparison to other roof elements.
Adjustable for future home and ceiling improvements.

Additionally, truss systems are great at distributing your roof’s weight into the exterior walls, rather than the interior walls. This means that you can achieve a more open feel within your home – something that is highly valued in today’s home design trends.

2. Your Home and Location Truss Requirements

Next, you need to understand what your home needs from roof trusses. Not every building has the same needs – there are many factors that influence roof truss design, including:

Local weather (especially how much snow or rain accumulates).
The building’s classification (is it a farm, home, or commercial building?).
Unique area circumstances (geographic or natural elements that need to be considered).
Location of the building site.

The average truss is designed for a traditional roof with normal levels of wind, snow, and rain. If your building experiences factors that are outside the realm of “normal,” you’ll need to speak with a truss design expert to determine how to approach the construction project.

3. The Type of Truss You Want

Lastly, using what you learn in the section above, you’ll need to start figuring out what kind of truss you want in your home – as well as which one best fits your needs.

Different roof truss designs have different pros and cons. Let’s go through a few of the top options to give you an idea of what we mean.

Simple Trusses

Simple trusses include the “King Post Truss,” as well as the “Queen Post Truss.” Both of these have a classic sense of elegance and provide a straightforward, open feel. They span great distances and allow for a unique arrangement of beams.

You’ll see simple trusses in a wide range of buildings. They’re sometimes referred to as “gable roof trusses,” and they are one of the most common roof construction styles used in the United States. Simple trusses can support large loads but still allow for personalized designs.

Arched Trusses

This style of roof design, predominantly Bowstring and Gambrel Trusses, gives your roof an arched appearance. At the same time, the truss design is strong, allowing additional support beams to be added to fully carry the weight of the building.

Single Slope Trusses

Single slope trusses are designed for flat roofs, created with parallel beams that are joined in a series of triangles. You may hear these referred to as “Flat Trusses,” and they are only used on houses that don’t need to worry about heavy levels of precipitation. You’ll often see them employed in commercial construction jobs, but not as often in residential projects.

Unless you have experience constructing roofs in different circumstances, you likely don’t know what kind of truss design you want – and that’s okay. It’s our job to know the ins and outs of proper truss design. We’ll help you decide before you launch into any construction project.

In Conclusion

If you feel that trusses are the right roof construction choice for your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Hitek Truss Design. Our experienced professional engineers will assess your building’s needs, then guide you toward the right solution to meet your aesthetic desires and structural requirements.

We’ve been constructing roofs for more than 75 years. Whatever your roofing dream is, we can help. Give us a call at (352) 656-6222 or send us a message online. We look forward to hearing from you.