Strengthening Existing Roof Trusses

2 beam fastened to posts.

Strengthening existing roof trusses.

How to strengthen trusses step 1. Temporary bracing to accommodate the load of the existing roof boarding and roof materials. Put on the adhesive as you would caulk. Examine the trusses in your attic and determine which ones need to be repaired or strengthened.

Measure the length and width of the truss. Using a caulking gun apply a 1 4 inch bead of wood adhesive along the intersection of the roof deck and the roof. Your truss system is designed specifically to hold up the roof and to a lesser degree tie your walls together. In this situation the walls of a finished attic space or room would go with the roof line.

2x4s spanning 28 with breaks are clearly not up to the task of holding up plywood and sleepers parenthetically not sure why sleepers seem like a good idea but i digress much less whatever stuff you and future occupants load. Standard size trusses are either 5 5 inches or 3 5 inches in width. Sean o connor of robbins engineering in tampa fl designers plate fabricators and truss system engineers explains that roof trusses create a stronger roof structure because they are. Divide this measurement in two and mark the spot.

Cut the 2 by 4 in line. Measure from the center of the truss to the outside corner. Lay a 2 by 4 across the truss with its bottom end on the top edge of the lower cord and centered on the mark. Apply construction adhesive along the edge of the truss to strengthen the connection to the plywood roof deck.

Stiffen trusses by joining them with 2x4s running from one end of the house to the other. Extra support for the trusses can be made by placing a 2 by 4 inch piece of lumber from each truss on one side to the truss on the other side high enough to provide head room but low enough to provide support for the trusses. Most houses contain a weak link in the connection of the roof sheathing to the rafters or roof trusses making them vulnerable to loss of roof sheathing in severe.