There are two options that home builders have to grapple with when installing their floors, whether to install floor trusses or get joists. Floor trusses are seen by many as a better alternative because they weigh less and make it easy to install structures such as the plumbing, wiring and other ductwork. Before installing the truss, it is important to remember that every building has its own design, and buying trusses without consulting will most likely lead to serious design flaws.

Design before installation

Before installing floor trusses, they need to be engineered. This is because every house has its own blueprint, and trusses have to follow this in their configuration. A basic tray layout includes a top and bottom chord, and smaller pieces of triangular wood placed between the top and bottom piece. The engineer looks at the truss span and measures it against the load-bearing needs of the particular structure. They use this information to create the most appropriate truss structure.

Deal with the problems before they happen

When installing trusses, remember that they will carry the weight of the entire house by the end of the day. The fact that an entire floor will be installed on top also means that it is close to impossible to do proper repairs if there are flaws in the design, which could lead to a sagging floor. It is recommended that experts measure the dimensions and orientation of the foundation before the truss. As soon as you have the sill plate in place, call in the experts to make the measurements and create the trusses which will suit your building design best.

Transferring the layout properly

Another time when things go wrong during the installation is transferring the layout from the plan to the sill plate. Typically, the trusses are located sixteen inches apart from the center of one truss to the next. However, there are certain designs which may need a nineteen inch or twenty-four-inch difference. The distance depends on the load bearing needs of the house, which are determined by the engineer in charge.

Truss installation is a process which needs a lot of attention to detail. When the trusses arrive, they are generally arranged in bundles and the supplier gives you the layout plan. It is upon you to coordinate with them in checking whether you have what you asked for. The installation should be easy because trusses have numbers showing where they go in the design. With the help of truss designers, installation will be quite simple.