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Does anyone know of an online source for viewing standard wooden roof truss designs, dimensions and capacities? Alpine Engineering has a few sample tables, but with only 3 or 4 different designs. I’m trying to become better acquainted with trusses before I decide on a style. I’d like to be able to find out, for example, how much space I’ll get from an attic truss given my building’s dimensions.
Brian
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Replies
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A don't know of any online sources for what you ask for, and I doubt it could be done. There are millions of possible combinations for attic designs. There aren't any "standard designs".
I used to save a sealed drawing of every attic truss we built, in hopes it would save us time in the design process. After a year or 2 I simply had a thick folder of paper I didn't want to look through anymore.
You can figure out a lot just by using common sense. For instance - If you want a 26' truss at 8/12 you aren't going to get a room that's 8' tall. And you can't get a 24' wide room with a 2X10 bottom chord.
Is there a specific size of truss you're looking to use ? I'd be willing to give you a rough idea of what would work. But it might be better to go to a local truss company who's familiar with your codes and loading requirements.
*Ron,I suppose you're right about the infinite variations. I'm looking for a rough estimate of the attic space I'd get with an attic truss on a 12/12 slope roof with 20' form outer wall to outer wall. The problem I run into is that I don't have enough info about my final design to get anywhere with the truss people, so I can't find out enough about the trusses to come up with a final design!Brian
*On the roof as you describe your ridge is at 10'. Now if you can visulalize every 12" you go horizontal you loose a 12" of height. There is a lot of different things you can do. You can put in dormers. Unless I knew exactly what you intentions are both on the main floor and attic space and what you want your elevations to look like it a is just a guessing game.
*I'm not sure what you mean by " I don't have enough info about my final design to get anywhere with the truss people". We answer questions like this all the time - It's part of the job.I'll attach an example of a typical attic design I might use in this area. Maybe you can print it out and take it to your local truss company to use as a starting point.
*On the same subject: Has anyone used the pre-engineered (site built) trusses marketed by Trus Joist McMillan? They look pretty cool.
*Ron,That's exactly the kind of design I was hoping existed; most of the drawings of attic trusses I've seen didn't offer nearly the usable space your design shows. I figured that having an attic truss meant I was going to have to resign myself to a little rectangular tunnel down the middle.Thanks,Brian
*Brian - I wonder if whay you were looking at previously was a standard truss with "W" shaped webs, and extra load added for storage. I would call that a "storage truss". But that's just a regional name. Where are you located at ? I might be able to refer you to someone local.
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Does anyone know of an online source for viewing standard wooden roof truss designs, dimensions and capacities? Alpine Engineering has a few sample tables, but with only 3 or 4 different designs. I'm trying to become better acquainted with trusses before I decide on a style. I'd like to be able to find out, for example, how much space I'll get from an attic truss given my building's dimensions.
Brian