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Just got a plan with a spec’d floor system of 20″ and 26″ TJW’s and don’t have any experiece with these joists. Builder came to me with this for a rough-in bid. None of my crew members or myself have used this type of floor system yet and would like any info that could be shared. It’s a 2-story residece with a good amount of beam work. A real spiderweb.
Thanks, W.T.
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Replies
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what is a tjw?
*From the explanations I've got from the builder and my yard salesman, niether of which know hardly a thing about the product, it's an open web TrussJoist product used mainly in commercial situations...that's the extent of what I know. From the look of things, I'm going to be on the phone with the architect a couple of times and from past experience his information will be useless.
*W.T.Call the manufacture's engineer dept. They will provide you with manuals, advice and so on. They really try to help. Once you know the program, you'll really like using those products. So will your mech. subs.Luck
*I've never used them WT, but like Mark said call a factory rep- I've always found their support to be excellent...
*I've dealt with Truss Joist corporation on a few projects, and am not impressed. (We've sold a few jobs of them) I think architects spec them only because they have no idea how much they cost. Truss Joist won't prepare shop drawings without a signed purchase order. They won't schedule production until the shop drawings are returned approved. Then it takes 6 weeks to get the dang things built. If they're wrong, they're very difficult to modify in the field. To top it off, they're 2 to 2.5 times as expensive as wood webbed floor trusses. Maybe I just got a bad tast in my mouth from the company, but it just seems to me from past experience that they're arrogant and inflexible.
*The dimension of the clear span of the truss is important. You need to give the numbers to McMillan as soon as you are absolutely sure of what those numbers will be. The flange receives teco nails, and they seemed to me to be set awfully close to the inside of the face of frame. Not much room to split the difference. If you have any areas that need blocking, such as under a wall, or to transfer shear from a wall into the floor, then you'll want to study to blocking detail that comes with the info that Mark suggested. It involves drilling and carriage bolting.We were able to have the last set delivered in three weeks from date of order, but were lucky. How far does a 26" truss like this span, and what is it holding up? Seems like a big floor truss for a house...just curious.We ran our 2x6 bracing through the truss web while still bundled. Ron is right, if you mess up with a dimension, or a parallel, these things are boogers to modify. Unless your doing something unusual, I think you'll really like working them. Just think, no hangers!
*Wow! Thanks guys for your responses. My experience with TrusJoist TJI floor systems is pretty extensive-its this TJ"W" that's giving me the gut ache. I believe the last dimensional lumber floor I framed was around '93 or so, since then its been mainly TJI with a few of BCI, trusses, and 2 specs that used UFPI a couple years ago. TrusJoist Reps. have been great to me in the past with answering questions and supplying fixes("oops"), but as far as practical "tool belt" advise, they might as well stayed home. I've taken the advice and called to have information sent and should be receiving it within a day or so.Ron- It sounds like they pissed in your coffee a few times! ;) Thanks for the lead time advice!..as for the price, I don't think it matters to these folks. The plan tells a tale of,"I don't know what to do with my money!" (Makes me wish I had more problems).Nathan- The plan is outside in the truck but I remember seeing spans @ 30'+ with radiant floors and stone finish spec'd. and elevation steps via truss depth and beams. I've looked in my span tables at 16"-550-TJI's at 12"oc. and they span 32' but, with an initial dead load deflection of more than 1/3" at 40psf.live/22psf.dead...not even close! What did you use for closure/rim? Are they trimable? Were they hard to handle? Skytrack or crane for bunk placement? Odd ball tools that would be efficient? Any of this would help! and thanks for the word on tecos since fasteners are included in my bid.Once again, Thanks guys for the help. Hopefully I'll be able to return the favor! Anything you might think of don't be shy to share. I'll consider it all.W. T.
*Yes, they have "pissed in my coffee" a few times. No, they're not trimmable. (Unless things have changed in the past few months)If you're looking at a 30' clear span, make sure they're 22 or 24" deep. They may be able to make them look good at 16 or 18" deep, but they'll probably bounce like heck. I forgot one thing I don't like about the company - When the joists finally show up at the jobsite, they're just sitting on a flatbed truck and you have to unload them.
*Dosn't sound like hazelnut was an option. Wouldn't it be nice to at least choose a flavor?.....hmmm...anyway, the framing sections w/ 30'+ spans are spec'd 26" and run perpendicular or skew upto 45 degrees in a few areas to the main 20" joists with dimensional framing filling/padding upto transition areas being walls or steps.About the flatbed, they didn't dump them? I suppose dumping them would increase chances of damage, if thats the reason. Thanks again Ron,W.T.
*The TJLs I dealt with just showed up on a flatbed semi. They hired a common carrier - It wasn't their own truck.
*tecos will come with the trusses. We had a boom truck, and yes they are heavy.
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Just got a plan with a spec'd floor system of 20" and 26" TJW's and don't have any experiece with these joists. Builder came to me with this for a rough-in bid. None of my crew members or myself have used this type of floor system yet and would like any info that could be shared. It's a 2-story residece with a good amount of beam work. A real spiderweb.
Thanks, W.T.