How to Build Roof Trusses

Tips on how to build roof trusses for your home or garden

A roof truss is also known as a rafter in the construction business. This structure is what forms the structure of a roof. It provides support to the walls of the house, and it holds the weight of the deck and the framing of a roof.
It also provides support for the weight of the roof itself, as well as the sheathing, roofing beams, and materials which compose the ceiling in a home with more than one story. A roof truss will prevent twisting or bending in the walls. Always built in a triangular shape, trusses can be made of a variety of materials, including steel, aluminum, and wood, the most popular material of choice. Which material will be used is often dependent on the budget available.
How to build a roof truss

Most roofers and architects are trained and experienced in how to build roof trusses.

Learning how to build roof trusses

Learning how to build roof trusses is not an easy thing to do, and should probably be left to an expert. If you are insistent on learning how to build roof trusses, however, here are some helpful tips.

How to build roof trusses tips

The first step in learning how to build roof trusses is to prepare a layout for the design, usually sketched out by an architect or by using software meant specifically for designing a roof truss.

The next step in learning how to build roof trusses is to obtain the materials that will be used; generally wood, a saw, a hammer, roof truss plates made of galvanized steel and 1 ½ inch galvanized screws. The wood should be cut according to the design specifications and the roof size, and should adhere to all local building codes and standards. The most commonly used sizes of wood are 2×6 and 2×8, although the thickness should be in perspective to the size of the roof and the weight it will be supporting.
It is important when learning how to build roof trusses that you choose connector plates made of galvanized steel. This type of steel has been coated with zinc, and will prevent corrosion from occurring. These plates will join the wood together in a triangular shape, and are then fastened together with galvanized steel screws that are no shorter than 1 ½ inches in length. Depending on the thickness of the wood, you may need to use a thicker screw.
If you are learning how to build roof trusses using materials other than wood, such as tin, steel, or aluminum, this material will need to be cut according to the design specifications and roof size as well, just like with the wood truss. This method of learning how to build roof trusses can be a bit more complicated than other methods because you must take extra steps to cut gussets, which will be used to give extra strength and support to the truss.
When learning how to build roof trusses, calculating the proper strength for the base of the roofing is essential, as an improper strength could cause the structure to collapse or warp.