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Discussion Forum

truss sheathing, nails vs staples

kkj | Posted in Construction Techniques on March 14, 2005 02:12am

I just had a framer use staples to secure 1/2″ OSB to engineered trusses.  Didn’t know anyone did that until today.  I though 8d nails, usually galvanized or cement coat was the standard.

Am I going to have problems with the staples?

 

 

 

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  1. Piffin | Mar 14, 2005 02:22am | #1

    In somne places you'll have a problem getting the inspection to pass. Don't know what is code in your area.

    Possibly OK if they are not driven half way through the plywood, and if they all hit the rafters/top chords, and if they used enough of them, and if they are alvanized, and if you are lucky.

    Fact is, I laid a buch of shuingles over stapled ply and it never diid feel like it was nailed off to me. Seemed to add to the bounce feeling.

     

     

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    1. kkj | Mar 14, 2005 02:27am | #2

      Thanks for the post.

      This will be a tile roof in the metro Phoenix area.  My experience has been in Colordo and Utah.  This is something new to me.  I am thinking that it is a high production tract home technique.  The framer is experienced and recommended, but I guess I didn't know enough questions to ask concerning this.  Like I said, never run into it until today.

      Any other comments?  I need to know whether to make an issue out of this tomorrow, or not.

       

      1. Piffin | Mar 14, 2005 02:36am | #3

        You'll have to know what is standaard and enforced there. Maybe someone will say so here tonight or early AMShort of that, just a simple frank discussion - "Say, I noticed...next time around let's figure on using nails" 

         

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        1. FramerT | Mar 14, 2005 02:54am | #4

          Staple pattern; 3" edges and 6" in the field. Usually 2" narrow crowns. Staples are used everywhere here, from cheap homes to customs.
          Next to impossible to jerk a piece of ply off that's been stapled. Just my 2 cents.
          I didn't do it....the buck does NOT stop here.

          1. User avater
            Bluemoose | Mar 14, 2005 03:02am | #5

            We stapled wall and roof sheathing in Colorado, but that would be a code violation here in Florida. Not being an engineer, I can only guess that the code regulations calling for 8d nails are to account for shearing. My practial experience tells me that it's impossible to pull stapled ply or OSB off of walls or trusses in one piece. The biggest concern is the length of the staple.

          2. kkj | Mar 14, 2005 03:08am | #6

            Thanks for the help.

            They look to be 2" long and about 1/2" wide, guess that would be a wide crown? I have no experience with staples.

            The are much denser than 3" edge and 6".  Looks to be 2" to 3" everywhere.

            I called for a roof nailing inspection tomorrow, and will also discreetly talk with the county building inspector about it.  He has been very cordial and even helpful (really!!..eat your heart out) so far.

            This is my first insulating concrete form project "ICF" and am a little over-concerned about things that I don't understand coming back to bite me.  With the weight and mass in the walls, I want to make sure the the roofing and trusses are up to the job of bracing the walls at the top.

             

             

          3. FramerT | Mar 15, 2005 01:23am | #7

            Yes, if you were in a 'high-wind or earth-quake' area like Fla. or Calf. then you'd better use nails.
            I didn't do it....the buck does NOT stop here.

          4. onthelevel | Mar 15, 2005 04:54am | #9

            I agree with Framer T. We always used staples. But that was before the nailers got to be better quality and more common. We don't anymore, we shoot em with 8's 

          5. bhackford | Mar 17, 2005 04:44am | #15

            You use 8's on 1/2? I thought it was 6's until 5/8? Are 8's code for 7/16 - 5/8?

          6. onthelevel | Mar 17, 2005 05:36am | #16

            Guess I don't know the answer to that, never had it come up. We don't have anything smaller than 8's for our guns so that is what we use. Sorry I can't answer that

  2. dIrishInMe | Mar 15, 2005 02:39am | #8

    Those are medium crown staples.  They are allowed here - in NC.  Like was said above - to get a piece of stapled OSB off in less than 5 pieces is near impossible.  I wouldn't't worry about it as long as it passes inspection - since there IS gonna be a sheathing inspection... 

    On the other hand - did you say "tile roof"?  Just out of curiosity, was the roof system (trusses & sheathing) engineered for that?  Again, just out of curiosity, are the trusses on 16" or 24" centers?

    Re your statement about galvanized nails - that would be a NO - cement coated: maybe.  

    Are you in some kind of 'high wind zone'?
     

    Matt
    1. kkj | Mar 15, 2005 07:55am | #10

      The trusses are engineered for the tile dead load and are on 24" centers.

      We are not in a "high wind" area, code requires 90 mph design however.

      My concern was whether the staples would hold down the OSB as well as nails and whether they provided enough shear for that plane of the trusses.  My concern comes from the weight in the 6" concrete ICF walls that the trusses and bracing will be helping to brace.

      My discussions today with the framer, roofer and inspector have given me a better sense of what is involved, and at this point I guess I'm okay with the staples. 

      I have come to believe that if there is a problem with staples it is the same problem that is involved with nailing.  That is, when some numbskull turns the air pressure regulator up and drives the staples/nails half way through the OSB.

       

       

      1. MikeSmith | Mar 15, 2005 02:22pm | #11

        if it's 1/2" sheathing and code allowed, then the 2" x 1/2" crown is ok...

         my question is..

         is the 1/2" sheathing  @ 24" oc  a good tile roof base ?.. i would have expected 5/8"

        with clips or T&GMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

        1. kkj | Mar 15, 2005 11:35pm | #13

          It works very well with the 24" OC and 1/2 OSB.

          Remember, we have zero snow load, and the tile weight comes under 1,000#/square.

  3. ckeli | Mar 15, 2005 03:01pm | #12

    only a problem if code won't allow it...

    ever try to do a roof tearout with the ply stapled down??  that would be enough to convince anyone that staples are ok...

    "knowledge without experience is just information."  Mark Twain

    1. kkj | Mar 15, 2005 11:40pm | #14

      Thanks for passing on your experience.  It's all over anyway , the roof is dried in and the roof loaded with tile loaded as of two hours ago, so too late to change now if I wanted to.  Still, it's nice to have someone confirm that I didn't screw up too bad.

      I have come to find since I posted the question two days ago that it is pretty much common practice here, for roof and wall shear both.

       

      Thanks for all the input.

       

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