Trusses - Gain Space with a Scissors Truss

By
©1993-2012 Tim Carter

        
Summary: Ask your builder about special roof trusses that will gain storage space for your home. You can mix standard trusses with scissors, attic or storage trusses, and avoid losing valuable space that is paid for but unusable. Call in a pro engineer before converting a traditional roof to a vaulted version.

Trusses - Avoid Wasted Space With a Special Truss

There is an enormous amount of wasted space in most homes that are currently being built. The primary reason I believe is that homeowners and builders alike are unaware of the many different trusses that can be used to frame the roof. A standard truss creates a large triangle of dark space up in the attic. What's more, this space is useless as a storage facility. Why? The truss web members are in the way and the truss has not really been designed to handle the weight of stored items.

Options

If you have ever been to a truss fabrication plant you will see a chart that seems to have over 100 possible truss designs. Some are highly specialized and would rarely be used on a residential home. But many others are strong candidates for your home. Be sure to look at how much space you can recapture from the common truss triangle when you use a storage truss, or an attic truss, or a scissors truss. Ask your builder to show you all of the options. The cost is well worth it in the long run.

Call a Professional Engineer

Before you think about changing a traditional roof into a vaulted ceiling, you better call in a pro. Get a residential structural engineer who is familiar with wood and roof framing. Many structural engineers commonly work with steel and concrete. You want to open your Yellow Pages and look under Engineers. Then see if there is a sub-heading called Structural. Ask questions to make sure you get a person who is a wood framing expert. The consulting fee will be several hundred dollars but it will buy peace of mind during the next wind or heavy snow storm.



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Welcome! I, Tim Carter, don't answer questions here. If you post a question here in the Comments Area, perhaps another visitor will help you. You need to go to the Ask Tim page if you want a question answered. Once there, look closely at how many weeks behind we are. Please be patient as you use this free service. If you have an emergency and need to talk to me, there is an option there for you.
qiriako
23 Aug 2008, 06:54
cool

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