Roof trusses are fabricated from individual framing members so they behave as a single object. They are typically engineered, but can also be home built. Home built versions can work great for shops and barns or anything else that must clear span (no posts or beams). Just know that if your project involves building inspectors, they will frown upon home made trusses.

There are two distinct methods for making your own roof trusses. On one hand you can prefabricate the trusses on the ground and then lift them into position, or you can build them right in place. It takes considerable climbing skills and temporary walls to build the trusses in position, so we will focus on prefabricating them.

It takes a good flat work surface to build an accurate truss without too much fuss. A concrete slab floor in a garage or basement will work perfect. Make sure you can get the trusses out of the door. So what we will do on our concrete work surface is,

• Establish the bottom chord and get a line or a series of marks on our work surface.
• Calculate the top chords and mark their positions.
• Situate the webbing and mark their positions as well.

Red chalk is permanent. If you chalk lines on your work surface, then use blue or they will he there forever.

Bottom Chord

Lets start with the bottom chord. It is under constant tension. Tension is only overcome by strong fasteners. Truss manufacturers use gang nails. We will use gussets made from 3/4″ plywood and shot with 2 3/8″ ring shank nails. The chord’s length must match the width of the roof. The bottom chord will have breaks in it. The ideal way to position the breaks is to match them up with the webbing.

Top Chords

The top chord or chords are the single most important elements of a roof truss. They will serve as rafters. On a typical truss they will be made from 2 x 4’s. For trusses with longer spans, or when they are spaced very far apart for purlins, use 2 x 6’s.

Click here for our rafter calculator. You will need to know the roof pitch and the width of the building. Once its open,

• Use the number boxes in  the first section, “Roof Width”, to enter the width of the roof.
• Then select a roof pitch.
• Finally, select no ridge for the ridge.

The length of the rafter generated by the calculator is from the top to the HAP. This is very important. The HAP is where the rafter lines up with the end of the bottom chord. Let’s do an example,

• Open up the rafter calculator.
• Open up the number box below feet and enter 29.
• Open up the number box below inches and enter 5.
• Open up the drop down below fraction and select 1/2″
• Select 6/12 for the roof pitch.
• Select no ridge.

This sets the building’s width at 29′ 5 1/2″. The rafter length generated is 16′ 5 5/8″ but, it does not include an overhang.

Go ahead and make a rafter pattern. Use a framing square to add the tail. Be sure to mark a good plumb cut line at the HAP.

You can now use the rafters to establish the cuts at each end of the bottom chord. Tack them together at the top. Line up the HAP’s with the ends of the bottom chords and mark the back slopes.

Webbing

The webbing in each truss serves as braces. They can be positioned in several different manners. I personally don’t like to span over 7′ with a 2 x 4 on truss, so I base everything on that. I other words, I could build my truss with 7′ 2 x 4’s if that’s all I had.

For our example, we will use our division calculator to divide 29′ 5 1/2″ by 4. The calculator generates 7′ 4 1/4″. This is a little further than I like to span. I checked it by dividing by 5, but that complicates things. My trusses will not be supporting any ceiling load, so I elected to stay with the first.

To make a long story short, I divide up the bottom chord into 4 equal segments. Then I triangulate down from the bottom of the top chords to the nearest division on the bottom chord. I go up now to a spot that is one-third the length of the top chord, which is 5′ 5 5/8″.

You now have patterns for the top chords and the bottom. You should have good clear marks or lines on your concrete work surface and every framing member should be labeled clearly. Now you can saw all of the framing members, then put then together with 3/4″ plywood gussets on each side. The gussets should be large enough to accommodate 5 nails in each framing member without crowding them. Consider using more nails on the bottom chord. This is where the most load is on any home-made roof truss.

From the very beginning of my framing career I was fascinated by roof framing. It was obvious to me, even at such an early age, that this was not easy thing. It was clear to me right off the bat that it involved extreme climbing, heavy lumber, harsh temperatures, and unbelievable schedules (not to mention the low wages and the high competition), but for some strange reason, framing roof systems is something I wanted to master. After all, most of my family was involved in framing in some way or another. I had a bale of cousins that did it, their cousins did it, theirs cousins cousins did it, and not to mention I grew up working for my uncle along with his brother, my brother, and my closest cousins.

Safety

It couldn’t be any fun looking at a half finished roof from a wheelchair after you fell and broke your back, or burying a friend because a beam crashed down on him. Fortunately the are steps you can take to greatly reduce the chance of an accident. First and foremost, you should be working with a competent team. The men you work often have as much “control” over your safety as you do. Avoid clumsy, non-focused, or intoxicated co-workers.

Falls are the number one cause of both injury and death worldwide. The only thing you have to walk around on is the ceiling joists and walk boards. This comes natural for for most framers. The rules are simple, never step on anything that is not braced, always watch where you’re stepping, forward momentum will help to keep you balanced, and always us two joists. Most people just can’t do it fluently. It’s simply too scary. If you and your team are not completely comfortable walking around on ceiling joists, then spread out some roof decking where necessary.

Blueprints

Some roof systems are simple; some are not. The blueprints tell all. The front, right, left, and rear elevations will let you know about the cornice levels and the roof pitches. Factor in outside wall coverings and things get juicy real quick. If you are not familiar with multiple roof pitches, different cornice levels, and different wall coverings, then you better hire a professional. It is just too complicated for a beginner to get things like this right. Stick with what you know you can do. Cutting in roof systems takes a great deal of experience and the only shortcuts are my calculators. For example, if your blueprints call for a hip roof with a main roof pitch of 6/12 and a complimentary roof pitch of 12/12, then my hip roof calculator will return, the length of the common rafter, the approximate length of the hip, the length of the complimentary rafter, and the difference at the HAP.

Tools

Use an air powered nail gun and the right sized nails; its that simple. Screws are a waste of time and money. The wrong sized nail is dangerous and so is the nail that is not driven or shot properly. I prefer a Paslode framing nailer with 3 1/4″ x .131″ grooved shank nails. These fasteners hold extremely well and the nail gun is lightweight, durable, has a hook, and shoots hard. Take care of your nail gun and treat it with respect. Its hurts to have three fingers nailed together, trust me I know. One safety factor I learned over the years is to remove the spring that keeps the safety stiff. You are much better off not having to place a great force on the safety just to get the gun to shoot. A trigger that will fire both contact trip and sequential trip is best. I like to shoot the first nail after after depressing the safety and then any subsequent nails I rapid fire.

Use a high quality 7 1/4″ circular saw with a carbide tooth framing blade. Just like the nail gun, this is a tool that should not be taken lightly. Always follow these simple rules:

• Never operate a saw without a guard or with the guard scotched back.
• Wear eye protection.
• Don’t saw wood with embedded nails or any other foreign material.
• Be careful in wet conditions. Electric shocks can be painful or even deadly.
• These saws cut in straight lines only. Trying to make a course adjustment without backing up will only result in “binding”. This could cause a dangerous kickback or overheat the blade.
• Remember to keep the mark you are sawing between your eye and the saw blade. This determines which side of the blade to watch. In other words, if you are sawing a board you measured from the right to the left, then you should be watching the blade on the right side of it. Keep your eyes on the side of the saw blade that’s the same for the side of the board you want to keep.

Trusses or Rafters

There are two distinct methods for roof framing. One involves prefabricated roof trusses that transfer their loads onto the outside walls only. The other consists of stick framing. This where individual framing members are installed one at a time and they distribute the weight of the roof and ceiling load.

Trusses have the advantage of speed on simple jobs. They also span open spaces much better than stick framing. The cost may vary from region to region, but for the most part they are more expensive. If it were up to me, I would stick frame everything I could except for the long spans.

Roof Framing with Trusses

Trusses can make short work for the framing of a roof on a house, but they can also be dangerous to install. Although thy are not typically all that heavy, they are imposing because of their shear size. Add a little wind to mix and you better know what you are doing. A boom truck may be necessary, but it is also a great expense. We use our SkyTrak whenever possible by improvising an extension. This is an extreme measure and we do it only because we are so familiar with our equipment, and our task at hand.

However you decide to lift the trusses into position, you have to start somewhere. It does not really matter where you begin, it does not have to be on the gable end it can be anywhere.

Stick Framing

• You will need at least some experience.
• All cuts must fit tight.
• Rafters must not over span.
• Ridges, hips, and valleys should cover the complete plumb cut of the rafter.
• Everything has to be fastened with at least 3″ – .120″ nails. I like 3 1/4″ – .131 grooved shank round head Paslode nails.
• Don’t get killed framing your own roof system. Hanging massive ridges or other dangerous framing membrs should only be attempted by professionals.

 

Concrete Foundation Forms

2 x 4’s and 3/4″ forming plywood works best. The form will be lightweight and strong. If they will be reused, then use treated lumber. The 2 x 4’s should be No.2 kiln dried pine simply because it is cheap, easy to work with, and holds nails very well. The plywood needs to be of forming quality. Just ask for it at your local supplier. Just know that if you spend too much money on the lumber, then you might as well hired a contractor. Use nails for fasteners. Screws are a waste of time and money.

Height and Length

Most footings are set up on the basis of 8″ step downs. This is so block layers do not have to saw there blocks. Even though we are not dealing concrete blocks, always base the height of a concrete wall form on a multiple of 8″. It would be advisable not to build the forms any taller than 4′. For taller walls build shorter forms to add to the 4′ sections.

Since plywood comes in 4′ x 8′ sheets, the forms are better off 8′ long for the most part. Its simple, just build them all 8′ long and saw them to length during assembly. That’s another advantage to using nails over screws, they don’t do near as much damage to a saw blade when you hit one.

 

Prepare the Wood for Finishing

Finishing wood begins with preparation. All wood should be clean, dry, and free from any protrusions such as nail heads. Any fasteners such as nails or trim screws need to be properly set and filled with wood putty. Use caution with wood filler. Use only small amounts and be sure to test it for color consistency with the stain. If you can not match the colors, then you will be better off just using a small amount of the polyurethane mixed with sawdust from the same type wood. Apply it very sparingly with a putty knife, and let it dry.

If the wood has to be finished in place and it meets a painted surface, then it must be finished first. Approach it just a like a good painter would; tape everything around it right off the bat.

Sanding

Sand the wood next. Always use a high quality tool such as a high amp orbital sander for large even surfaces, or an oscillating tool for irregular shapes. Begin with a coarse grit sandpaper and progress to a finer one. It is important to not to destroy the profile of any shape. Stay away from hand sanding and small tools like a Dremel, unless you are planning on displaying the piece in a museum.

Stain

Use stain from a professional supply store. These higher grade products are just so much easier to work with. This is a case where it only costs a little more to go first class and its worth it. Just know the darker the shade is, the harder it is to get right. Never expect stain to fix any preparations not properly made. It will just make things worse.

The stain can be applied with a stain brush or a rag. Apply it with the grain and never stop once you start. Whether the stain is brushed or rubbed on with a rag, it should be allowed to set for a constant amount of time. Then it should be wiped down with a lean rag to even everything out and remove excess. Don’t worry about clean up. Just throw everything away.

Polyurethane

This step will provide the wood with the important protection it needs to last. Just like the stain, always purchase the polyurethane from a paint store. The polyurethane has to be brushed on with a very fine bristled brush. Be prepared to spend  a good deal of money for a quality brush.

The main thing here is to choose whether it will be an oil based polyurethane or a water based one. The water based products available now are almost as effective and are much easier to clean up.

If more than one coat is used, then be sure to lightly sand in between coats. Do not forget breathing protection while sanding. Have fun finishing your wood!

The rough opening for a door is directly relational to its size. For prehung single doors, the formula is simple, just add 2″ for the width and 2 1/2″ for the height.

Rough Openings for Doors

The reason why the rough opening is 2″ wider than the door is because of the door jamb on each side and the room needed to set the door. Take for example a 3/0 door; the door itself measures 36″, the jambs are 3/4″ * 2 = 1 1/2″. This adds up to 37 1/2″ for the size of the unit. The other 1/2″ is to allow for room when positioning the door in the rough opening. The opening itself may not be exactly plumb so that extra 1/2″ gives you just a little bit to play with.

For anything besides a pre-hung single door, the rough opening can be more complicated. Just take a brief look at double doors. There is two jambs and two doors this time. On a double 3/0 door both of the doors add up to be 72″; the problem is that depending on the manufacturer they jambs could be thicker than 3/4″. The rough opening would not be wide enough by adding things up  for a door with one inch thick jambs and only allowing 3/4″ for them. Always consult with the supplier for the rough opening for any door besides a pre-hung single unit.

If for whatever reason, the rough opening must be framed so that progress can continue, and there is no way to find out the exact size of the unit at the present time, just remember it is much easier to close an opening in than it is to open it up. When a rough opening is too small, and there is no other option except to make it larger, then there is no choice but to remove the header and jack-studs assemblies and start over. The jack-stud built-ups can be re-used, but the header will be too short. Even when trusting the dimensions furnished by the supplier, there is always the possibility for human error; the only fool-proof way to determine the size of the rough opening for anything beside a pre-hung single door is to actually measure the unit itself and add 1/2″ to it.

 

This bridge design is for driveways that must go over a creek. Its simple design features concrete foundations, steel girders, and a wooden floor.

Planning for a driveway with a bridge over a creek

Sometimes there is no option except for a driveway to have a bridge that spans over a creek. The first step is to contact the Army Corps of Engineers and find out what regulations govern the site you wish to build on. More often than not, this is little more than approval permit which grants permission to build.

It is wise to consider the spans for the girders when deciding the exact location for the bridge. The narrower the creek, the shorter the spans for the girders. This also reduces the amount of wooden flooring it will take. The only downside to this is that during flood conditions, the water travels faster where the creek is narrower. To combat this, the bridge should be built as far above the flood level as possible.

Designing the bridge can be as easy as adjusting the drawing below to fit the dimensions for your site. Beware with this however, without an engineer much of the design will be guesswork. Know that a loaded concrete truck is going to weigh in at about 80,000 lbs. This is a considerable load that should not be taken lightly. It is far easier if there is an alternate route for heavy trucks, such as driving through the creek. This way the bridge will not have to be built to support such great loads.

Bridge Design

While there are a number of options to consider when designing the foundations, using poured concrete walls is the best. The walls should be at least 12″ thick, as wide as the bridge, and a height to allow for the girders to rest on top of them. The walls must be poured directly on top of bedrock. If the bedrock is very deep, then that opens up a whole new set of problems. An engineer must be consulted if this is the case.

The foundations must also be anchored to the bedrock to reduce the chance of the bridge washing downstream during a flood. 3/4″ holes should be drilled into the bedrock at least 8″ deep. The reinforcing steel bars should be driven in tightly into the holes. The more of these pins, the better.

If the steel girders are more than 12″ wide, then it will be wise to adjust the foundation forms so the girders will rest inside of notches. This along with wedge anchors will hold the girders well.

It is obvious that the longer the span of the steel girders, then the wider they will have to be. “I” beams are the best choice. There shape makes them naturally resistant to twisting during installation, and under heavy loads. “I” beams such as these can sometimes be found at recycling centers at a fraction of the cost of new ones. It may be worthwhile to check around before spending a bunch of unnecessary money.

Consider the width of the wheels for the vehicles which will be crossing when spacing the two girders. It is best place them in a manner so that for the most part they are directly beneath the wheels. Know that very large trucks have a wheel width of around 8′ 6″, pickup trucks around 6′, and compact trucks and most cars about 5′. This becomes far more important when using a single layer of wood flooring; especially when it begins to age.

Now comes the wooden floor for the bridge. It is wise to use a minimum of 3″ x 6″ oak timbers. Bolt each board to the girders with a minimum of 3/8″ carriage bolts. For an even better result, install more planks for the wheels to roll on. This will make for a much smoother ride. Variable thicknesses in the oak boards will otherwise make for a rather bumpy crossing over the bridge. Some folks believe in treating the oak boards with a mixture of used motor oil and diesel fuel. This will enhance the lumber’s ability to repel water and insects. It also gives it a rather attractive stain.

Closing Thoughts

In the end, don’t forget what this project is all about; providing a safe, reliable, and long lasting means for the driveway to cross a creek. Remember that no matter how the bridge is built, it is still subject to mother nature. The wooden floor will decay over time, the steel girders will corrode, and the concrete will eventually crumble, but if maintained properly, none of this will happen any time soon.

Bridges are in effect a symbol of our modern technology. They save millions of gallons of gasoline each day along with countless hours on the road. Whatever your advantages will be for building a bridge, don’t forget to make it look good!

 

 

Directly compare three types of shingles against two types of metal roofing for pricing, speed, reliability,and durability. Learn the advantages and disadvantages for both applications. Also explore other factors such as how steep the roof is, and whether or not it is new construction or a tear off.

Shingles vs Metal Roofing

Know that there is more than one grade of shingles and metal roofing. In fact, there are many grades. The lowest grade is twenty year three tab shingles. The highest grade is standing seam metal roofing made from copper. Metal roofing is generally more expensive than shingles of any kind. The price of shingles is more directly affected by the cost of crude oil than the price of metal since shingle include petroleum by-products incorporated directly in their manufacturing. When the price of gasoline reached over for dollars per gallon a few years ago, the price of shingles soared to the point that they were no more cheaper than metal at all. Click here for our roofing cost calculator.

Need for Speed

Its simple; metal roofing goes on faster than shingles on straight run applications. When the job goes beyond three roof lines or has a bunch of hips and valleys, then the metal slows down to a crawl. Some situations demand the need for great speed such a re-roofing application; you don’t want the inside of your house to get soaked due to a freak storm. This is all dependent on just how how fast you want the job done, and how complicated it is. Three tabs are the fastest way to go in general. They are readily available and install easily as long as the weather permits. Their installation slows down considerably during very hot or very cold conditions. Consult with your roofing contractor before including this in your decision.

Reliability and Durability

Metal roofing can be more reliable than shingles during high winds, hail storms, and ice dam build ups. However, in the end it is hard to beat a forty year dimensional shingle for the ultimate in reliability. This is due to the fact that metal roofing expands and contracts much more than shingles. This can weaken the fasteners over time yielding the roof vulnerable to leaks. Even standing seam roofs if not installed properly can have the fasteners weaken over time and actually allow the metal panels to shift downwards resulting in a less than attractive roof from the right perspective.

Other Factors

It is more difficult to walk a metal roof than it is a shingled roof. This may seem like a non factor, but you must consider the fact that you may want to walk on your roof in the future, such as if you decide to install Christmas lights, clean out the gutters, or search for a leak. Just know that below a 4/12 roof pitch metal roofing performs much better.

Which looks better? This is a matter of opinion. If you like the continuous appearance of a metal roof, then no one is going to persuade you that a shingle roof is better and vice versus. Pastel colors in metal and shades of grey in shingles will pretty much match any theme you decide or are stuck with for the exterior of your house.

Energy efficiency is not really a factor. Metal roofing does a better job of reflecting the suns radiant energy back into the atmosphere than shingles do. This translates to a savings in cooling your home hot summer months when there is a great deal of sunshine. However, consider this. What about the winter? The savings you encountered during the summer will be turned around into added expenses during the winter months.

In the end, its what you want. There is no cut and dried answer to which is better. My personal preference is thirty year dimensional shingles in a shade of grey on top of a radiant barrier underlayment.

 

Use this simple lay out technique to accurately space the 1 1/2″ spindles on handrails on a deck. The building code states that a 4″ sphere cannot pass through at any point.

A common mistake when installing spindles is to use a 2 x 4 block to gauge the space between the spindles at the top and the bottom. Even the most careful of carpenters run into variations when using this technique, no matter what.

Use a 5″ Lay Out for Spindles

Its simple, just use a 5″ lay out. Once the girt (the board the spindles will nail to) has been established for the top and the bottom, hook a tape measure and pull a 5″ lay out down the length of the board. In other words, mark, 5″, 10″, 15″, 20″, 25″ and so on down the length of the girt on the top. Then repeat the exact procedure for the bottom. Mark sure and use a tiny mark only right on the edge of the side where the spindle goes.

Even though most pre-cut spindles are less than 1 1/2″, the smallest are still only about 1 1/4″. When this is subtracted from 5″, it still leaves 3 3/4″ for the space. This is below the 4″ maximum for spindle spacing.

Once there are lay out marks, installation is a snap. If you are use screws, then go ahead and start the screws at the top and bottom of each spindle at a precise position. Don’t try and eyeball this, it just look too shitty to have a wavy line of screw heads.

I personally prefer to start all of the screws first on good work table. Then I like to place the spindle for an assistant who is on his knees on the platform of the deck leaning to screw the bottom first on every spindle. Then its a simple matter of him standing up and leaning over to screw the tops. This is a very fast, accurate and easy method for laying out and fastening the spindles on a deck railing.