I’m planning to build a 10’x16′ shed for a friend and I’m considering building trusses for the roof. The roof will have a 12-12 pitch and be sheathed with 1/2″ advantech and standard 3-tab asphalt shingles. Can anyone tell me whether or not a simple 3-chord truss built of 2×4’s with glued and nailed 1/2″ cdx gussets will be sufficient for a 10′ span?
Thank you!
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Replies
what's the drive to make/use trusses? You'll spend more time making the trusses than it would to frame a regular roof on it.
Truthfully - I've never framed a conventional roof and figured homemade trusses would be simpler. Time isn't a huge issue on this project...
Can anyone tell me whether or not a simple 3-chord truss built of 2x4's with glued and nailed 1/2" cdx gussets will be sufficient for a 10' span?
Truthfully - I've never framed a conventional roof and figured homemade trusses would be simpler
If you can build the truss, you can frame the roof since your already figuring out the rafters. It will take you 10 times longer to build trusses and then lift them up into place compared to cutting 18 rafters and a ridge, if you go 2' centers.
Joe Carola
Edited 10/31/2008 3:00 pm ET by Framer
this would be a great projet to learn on, then. Small and straight forward. Get Tauntons book on roof framing or any book on roof framing and you'll be good to go.
any other questions will get answered here.
It's funny you should suggest that - i was planning to frame a conventional roof and actually looking forward to it. Then i went and bought Taunton's book on building sheds in which most of their roof designs (maybe all of them - i can't recall) involve site built trusses. The more i thought about it, the more i liked the idea of building the trusses. However, i think you've convinced me otherwise - i will purchase Taunton's book on roof framing and build it the conventional way...Thanks again!
What size is the overhang, and what size fascia? Also, do you want the answers, or do you want to have some fun figuring out the rafter length...........;-)
Joe Carola
Edited 10/31/2008 3:25 pm ET by Framer
Give 'em a fish or teach 'em to fish, eh?
LOL - my buddy is springing for the lumber, so i guess i'll have a go at figuring this one on my own (he'll be paying for my screw-ups). Thanks for the offer though!
Oh come on, we don't have anything better to do!
I was speaking for myself as Joe is busy, I'm sure!
Edited 10/31/2008 10:57 pm ET by frammer52
Might want to consider 2x6s for yer cross ties as sooner or later someone is going to want to be storing stuff up there.Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. [Theodore Roosevelt]
I agree.
RE your buddy paying for the lumber. Check lumber prices. No better time to be learning. Lumber is dirt cheap right now.
I cant imagine using more than 2x6 rafters and if you mess up a couple of 2x6's you might be able to use them for ceiling joists or something else anyway.
The thing about those articles that say to build trusses is that generally they won't pass a BI without some sort of engineering. Yes, it's shed and may not require permitting but why bother learning a bad habit when you can build a skill?
Around here a shed has to be more than 200 sq. ft. before you need a permit. Seems like a shed would be a good place to practice on trusses, (or on regular framing, too). The thing is, a home-made truss will probably not get by a BI, so the logical place to use them would be on a non-permited shed. A ten foot long truss (12, if you put on a foot of overhang)--how hard can that be to make? And lift? We're not talking about building a cathedral or the Mackinaw Bridge!
So why learn how to build a truss when you can add basic roof cutting to your skillset and use it later?
practice on trussesTo gain what value? To me seat-pants truss making is not marketable like the skill of roof cutting. Since homemade truss making skills have a slim chance of ever passing permitting (unless an engineer is involved) why bother?
And lift?Any built up truss (2 rafters, 1 ceiling joist, maybe a king post and whaterver plates you join them with) is going to be heavier and more cumbersome than any individual ceiling joist or roof rafter, therefore harder on my back (which isn't as young as it used to be). And if it's not me doing the work and hired guns, well, it's less risk for them to be lifting smaller pieces than one large heavy piece.
and I'll repeat myself from post #6.'Yes, it's shed and may not require permitting but why bother learning a bad habit when you can build a skill?'
If you need engineering they will want engineering for your conventional framed roof too (at least in Florida). The building department will usually have a few mastered plans you can get for free tho. I have a set I can send you if you want.
All that said I made my own trusses for a 10' span shed. I already had some to look at from a real engineered shed next door and I just duplicated them.
Basically it was just the upper and lower members and a single king post in the center.
I know I was not supposed to use mender plates without the hydraulic press but they went in just fine with a steel plate and a single shot from a 16lb sledge. Just bang it straight down, using the top of the head, not the face. They look identical to the ones in my neighbor's engineered trusses.
OK call the truss police! You will never take me alive copper.
Yes, that will be sufficient. I wouldn't bother with the gussets though. I'd just nail the two rafters together at the top with a couple of spikes and then nail the bottom cords into the side.
Yes, For 10 ft, about anything will work for a shed. Have at it. Even a braced gambrel will work (barn in below)
Why 12/12??
View Image
Edited 11/1/2008 10:08 am ET by junkhound
Edited 11/1/2008 10:09 am ET by junkhound
http://esteroriverheights.com/electrical/brick_shed_house.jpg
To give you the answer for the question you were asking, yes. Even for a heavy roof load in a high snow area a 2x4 spanning 5' is more than adequate according to IRC. Even if you so chose to stick frame it and still wanted to use a 2x4 rafter you could. IRC table 802.5.1(4) with a snow load of 50psf and a dead load of 20psf with #2 syp would span up to 5'-5"