How to Measure Trusses
When building a house, the builder can choose to have the trusses made and delivered to the project. This is a faster method of construction than stick framing if the trusses arrive on site on time. The builder will need to provide precise measurements to the lumber yard for them to order the trusses in advance. Many lumber yards offer a free service to order the lumber package for your project. The do-it-yourself handyman can use this service by providing the required dimensions to the lumber yard. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Architectural drawings
- Tape measure
- Marker
- Framing square
- Shop drawings
Instructions
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Take a set of architectural drawings to the lumber yard before construction starts on the project. The lumber yard will provide a lumber package for the project. Most lumber yards will break this down into phases for delivery when needed. The lumber yard will also work up a truss package based on the drawings. This will ensure that the trusses are structurally sound enough to handle the different roof loads and be stamped by an engineer.
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Check the delivery ticket for the trusses when they arrive on site to make sure that you have received the total roof package. Refer to the shop drawings for the trusses that the lumber yard will supply.
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Measure each section of the trusses on delivery. The trusses are delivered in groups to the site, usually listed by room numbers. The overall length of the truss is the length of the bottom chord of the truss. The cord is the horizontal section at the bottom of the truss that will rest on the exterior walls and to which the ceiling drywall is attached. This dimension needs to equal the distance from the outside edge to the outside edge of the exterior walls that the truss will sit on. Refer to the shop drawings for details.
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Measure the pitch of the trusses. The pitch is the angle of the roof. Use a framing square and measure over 12 inches on the cord of the truss from left to right. Place a pencil mark at that point. Place the inside edge of the framing square at the mark and make sure that the top edge of the square is even with the top edge of the cord. Read the measurement on the square where the bottom edge of the rafter intersects with the square. This is the roof pitch and should equal the dimension noted on the architectural drawings. The pitch reads as the rise over the run, or for 12 inches of length the roof should rise a certain height. So an 8:12 pitch means that for 12 inches the roof should rise 8 inches.
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Measure the overhang of the truss. This is the amount that the truss overhangs the exterior of the wall. The overhang is where the soffit and fascia attaches to the truss. Check the architectural drawings for the dimension. Measure the distance from the end of the truss to the point where the rafter and the bottom chord of the truss intersect.
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References
- Photo Credit New home construction image by Burtsc from Fotolia.com
