What Are Wood Trusses And Why Use Them?
Wood trusses are structural components used in construction to support the roof or floor of a building. Wood trusses are commonly used in residential, multi-family, commercial construction projects.
According to a 2021 article from the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA), 71.8% of single-family homes are constructed with trusses or a combination of trusses and rafters. Given the equipment advances in production facilities across the United States, that percentage is likely even higher today. There are many reasons that prefabricated trusses are used so predominantly in new construction.
Strength And Stability
- Strength and Stability – Triangles are the strongest shape with weight evenly distributed on all three sides. Think of the Pyramids of Egypt that have been standing for approximately 5000 years. Today, wood trusses are engineered and created using triangles for strength and stability. This enables trusses to be built specifically for regional weather conditions such as high winds or heavy snow loads.
Design Flexibility
- Design Flexibility – Wood trusses can be designed in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit many architectural goals, allowing for complex roof projects or unusual building dimensions. The sky is the limit for designing customized and unique architectural elements with the width of production equipment and shipping being the main limiting factors.
Cost Effective
- Cost Effective – Production facilities use automated equipment to streamline the building of trusses, improving the precision of cutting raw materials and eliminating unnecessary waste. A specialized team assembles the trusses in the production plant, reducing labor costs, especially when compared to on-site roof construction.
Efficient Installation
Fabricated trusses are very uniform due to the precision in the manufacturing process, allowing for easy and quick installation. Installation in the field can range from a couple hours to a couple days for a single-family residence, depending on the complexity of the project.
Energy Efficiency
Wood trusses themselves are better at insulating than either steel or plastic. In addition, raised-heel trusses are a cost-effective option and easily produced in-plant. These trusses allow for deeper and more even insulation installation, dramatically improving Home Energy Ratings (HERS).
Sustainability
The two main suppliers of our lumber are family-owned companies out of Canada. Both companies are highly committed to responsible forest stewardship and sustainable logging practices. Wood is the world’s oldest and most important renewable resource. Not only do we use it in construction, but it was the first source of energy. Today, it is still responsible for approximately 6% of the world’s energy supply.
