How To Attach Roof Trusses To Top Plate

The connection between the trusses and the wall top plate is essential to the strength of your new roof.

How to attach roof trusses to top plate. After setting the second truss in the same manner workers attach a ridge beam to the peak of both trusses. They are cut to the same length as the brickwork they sit on a half lap joint is great for the corners to be fixed to. In order for all the roof components to work they must be square parallel level and fixed down properly. See photo at right the truss rafter is then fastened to the post with nails or bolts.

Trusses rafters rest on a notched post another method employed by some contractors is to notch the structural post at the top and place the trusses or rafters on top of the notch. A ledger is a horizontal board that is attached to the top of the the wall. Walls that are constructed of concrete block that need to be covered with a roof will require the use of a ledger. The beam extends to the far end of the roof hanging over the trusses still sitting there.

Several connections are required to create a continuous load path starting with a hurricane tie or structural fastener connecting the roof framing to the top plates. Will all be fixed to them. Toenail a truss into the top of the wall plate by nailing through the sides of the bottom chord at a 30 degree angle. The ledger is needed to properly attach the perpendicular roof trusses to the top of the structure.

For additional information the simpson strong tie high wind resistant construction application guide f c hwrcag offers a variety of options to resist roof uplift forces. As with rafter style roofs toenailing is one of the most common ways of attaching a truss style roof to a wall plate. The trusses are then bolted or nailed to the glulam structural post. Some building codes around the country require the use of a hurricane tie also shown above to add extra reinforcement for holding down roof trusses in the event of very.