IMG_0915

How To Determine Truss Strength

by Floor TrussesRoof TrussesWood Trusses San Diego

One of the primary considerations when building a truss roof is how strong the trusses will be.  Strength is measured not only in how much load the roof can hold but also in how well trusses stand up to shear, torsion and other factors.  The stronger the truss, the higher wind speeds and twisting forces it can withstand.

How To Calculate Roof Truss Strength 

Trusses are created from wooden members.  Members are pieces of wood that are connected together with metal plates to form triangles.  The locations where the pieces meet are called “nodes.”

In order for roof trusses to create a stable load distribution, it is important that the truss include support nodes.  This is done by assigning two nodes on each truss as “support nodes.”  These two nodes, once identified, can be used to calculate the load-bearing capability of the truss.

One of the support nodes functions as a “fixed” node.  This means that the truss will be secured and will not move at that point.  The other is designated a “rolling” node which can move in wind, an earthquake, or other stressors.  It is important to have some flexibility in trusses to prevent them from breaking when stress is applied.

A formula is now applied to the truss to calculate load strength.  The formula, which can be written as M+3=2*N, says that the number of members of a truss plus 3 must equal twice the number of nodes.  When both sides of this equation are equal, the roof is stable and can support stressful loads.  If these numbers are not equal, the truss will be unstable.  This means that more nodes must be added in order to achieve stability.

Once stability is established, any load placed on the load-bearing node will be offset by equal force from the other nodes. 

Why Are Trusses a Better Choice Than Rafters for Roof Strength? 

Rafters were the primary choice for roof design for many centuries, and they obviously worked.  However, once engineers realized how much stronger trusses could be made, a truss roof quickly outpaced traditional stick-built rafters in the percentage of homes and businesses which use them.

A truss roof offers a number of benefits besides better strength and stability over rafters.  A truss roof often saves significantly on building costs, because trusses are much easier to pre-build and deliver to a job site, where they can be installed quickly and with fewer workers than required for stick-built rafters.  Additionally, avoiding storage costs and problems on the job site by ordering trusses dropped on a particular date is a big benefit to many builders.

If you are interested in learning more about ordering prefabricated trusses for your next building project, contact Stone Truss today.  Our experts can help you choose the right trusses for your construction needs and will build them to order, as well as have them delivered at a designated time.  Build a stronger, safer and less expensive roof for your next building project with the help of Stone Truss!

home_truss_1

Truss vs. Rafter: The True Difference

by Floor TrussesRoof TrussesWood Trusses San Diego

There is a great deal of discussion about the best type of framing system to use for new construction and renovation.  Is it a trussed roof or stick-built rafters?  The answer may surprise you!

Advantages of a Trussed Roof over Rafters

Trussed roofs hold many advantages over rafters, including:

  • The strength of trusses over rafters is unquestioned.  In many cases, trusses are several times stronger than rafters, even when built with less material.  The secret in truss strength is in its construction.  Because a truss is built with several chords that distribute stress and shear over a larger area, they tend to stand up better than rafters, which must bear all weight and shear on a single member at a time.
  • Trusses are made of lightweight but strong wood and held together with metal splines.  This combination makes them extremely durable and rated to last for decades.  When you install a truss roof, you do not have to worry about renovating or repairing it any time in the near future.
  • Trusses save builders a tremendous amount of money when compared to stick-built rafters.  Some of this cost savings lies in the fact that trusses are pre-fabricated and delivered on site, ready to install.  Another cost savings comes from the fact that installation of trusses is much simpler compared to the calculation and building skill required for rafters.

Trussed Roof Applications 

Trussed roof systems can be used for:

  • New residential construction. One of the most common applications of truss roofing systems is the building of new residential construction.  New houses are almost uniformly built with truss systems nowadays to keep costs down and offer strength and long-lasting durability in construction.  Buyers demand both quality and cost-savings, and a trussed roof is the way to do it.
  • New business construction. Businesses also benefit from truss applications.  Trusses can be created to frame almost any shape and size of roof possible, so even large businesses and warehouses can utilize truss roofing systems to save costs in construction.
  • Pre-existing construction. Remodeling is a great time to add a trusses to an existing home or business.  Adding trusses can not only save enormously on construction costs but can also add years to the life of an old building.  With so much interest in renovating older houses these days, trusses can make it possible to stay within budget and still recover an older home and make it safe and secure.

If you are considering using trusses for your new or existing San Diego home or business, look no further than Stone Truss.  We have spent decades working with home builders in this area and have supplied roof trusses for buildings of all types and sizes.  Our experts are ready to work with you to create the perfect solution for your trussed roof needs.  Give us a call today to see how we can help you get the roofing trusses you need to complete your next project.

Truss Builder San Diego

Why Roof Trusses Are a Better Bargain than Rafters

by Roof TrussesWood Trusses San Diego

Many people who search for a “truss company near me” are not only trying to find the fastest way to put up a building’s roof, but are also interested in saving money and time.  Roof trusses help builders save labor costs, but they are also simply quicker to install and cheaper in overall cost than stick-built rafters.  Buying roof and floor trusses for San Diego building projects can get your buildings up faster and save you money in your overall construction costs.

A Better Bargain 

As construction prices continue to rise, contractors are looking for a better way to find quality materials and still keep their costs low.  This is becoming more challenging by the day, as construction material supplies continue to dwindle.  Sometimes, finding the raw materials to build rafters is nearly impossible, and when contractors can find these materials, they are often priced so high as to make it infeasible for a contractor to use them.

Fortunately, trusses help to solve this problem. While roof trusses manufacturers in San Diego are also feeling the pinch of higher prices, they are able to drive down costs for their finished products, particularly when they can employ volume discounting for their clients.  A good roof truss manufacturer will use every possible method to keep costs down on the finished product, passing those savings along to the builders who can in turn help their customers save money.

Why are roof trusses a better bargain than rafters?  There are several reasons:

  • Roof trusses are built in volume, allowing truss manufacturers to take advantage of bulk discounts on raw materials.  Contractors often cannot access these types of discounts, making it more cost-effective to buy pre-made trusses.
  • Roof trusses save time in labor.  Labor costs are often the biggest part of a builder’s budget, and roof trusses make it easy to put up a roof with fewer workers than rafters.  This fact alone accounts for a large part of the lower cost of roof trusses.  These savings also manifest themselves in savings on overhead costs associated with employment, helping contractors to save money throughout their budget.  With roof truss construction, builders simply save more money than with rafter designs in every part of the project.
  • Roof trusses offer simple design choices that save time and effort.  Roof trusses can be tailored to almost any application, making the time spent on planning and design much less than with stick-built rafters.  With roof trusses, contractors remove many of the problems associated with design and speed up the entire construction process without sacrificing beauty or durability of construction projects.

If you are interested in learning more about how quality roof trusses can make your job easier, contact us at Stone Truss today.  For more than 30 years, we have been serving the San Diego area with quality truss construction supplies, and we are ready to work with you to save you time, money and stress on your next building project!  Call us today for your building estimate.

roof trusses san diego

The Power of Trusses to Create Quality Construction

by Roof TrussesWood Trusses San Diego

One of the most common reasons that builders use wooden trusses for roofing and flooring applications is the fact that they are stronger and sturdier than many other types of construction applications.  With the power of cutting costs as well as the ability to create strong, quality construction products, the initial investment in trusses is well worth the price to many builders and their clients.  Trusses are durable, strong and easy to use, and they provide a great way to quickly erect strong, sturdy and cost-effective construction.

Here are a few facts about trusses that show why they are so durable and strong:

  • Because trusses are built to exacting specifications and typically in a factory setting, the quality is generally better than what you will get with conventionally framed roof systems. Trusses are engineered as a whole system to work together with all forces imposed on a building to assure strength and durability.
  • Less weight. Trusses are usually light weight and easier to install.
  • More insulation. A truss roof often creates larger volume in the attic space, allowing for more insulation to be installed. This translates into lower energy costs to the homeowner and an overall savings over the life of the roof.  In some cases, additional attic insulation can result in hundreds or thousands of dollars in energy savings throughout the year.  In addition, more insulation and lower energy demand are environmentally friendly options, something that many homeowners today prioritize.
  • Because trusses can be designed and built in almost any shape or size, the roofing possibilities with trusses are limitless.  Rather than causing homeowners to give up their dreams of an aesthetically pleasing roofline, trusses can be created to allow for gable, hip or other types of roofing styles in almost any height and pitch.  At one time, rafters were the only way to have varied, interesting roofline details, but today’s trusses allow homeowners to use their imaginations when it comes to designing rooflines with plenty of curb appeal.

At Stone Truss, we have been helping San Diego builders save money and build quality homes and businesses for decades.  Our firm prepares, builds and delivers high-quality roof and floor trusses to building sites throughout southern California. We stand behind our reputation for quality products as well as on-time delivery and helpful service.  We can help you choose the trusses you need to make your next building project simple, quick and cost-effective, while still giving your clients a quality final product.  Give us a call today to discuss your next building project, and see how much Stone Truss can help you save in costs without skimping in quality.