Roofing System Construction: Should You Choose Prefabricated Timber Trusses?
Posted on: 27 September 2017
If you are building a new roofing system for your home, you should consider ordering prefabricated timber trusses. Wood trusses are designed to provide structural support to the roof. Moreover, the framework bridges the space above the room for roofing construction. When starting your building project, you can choose onsite construction of timber trusses or order prefabricated alternatives. As implied, the former option involves building the roof framework directly onto the home on the worksite. The ready-made types are constructed in a controlled factory environment and then delivered for installation. Here are the reasons you should consider using prefabricated trusses over the other option.
Increased Structural Strength
When building a roofing system using traditional methods, there is much left to chance. In simple terms, if you choose traditional onsite construction, the carpenters will build the framework by making personal judgements on the right level of roof strength. This choice means that your roofing structure might not achieve the best level of power. On the other hand, prefabricated timber trusses are engineered in a factory to ensure maximum sturdiness. In the controlled environment, engineers can create roof trusses with particular strength because the setup allows extensive testing of the products. Also, the production of the framework in a dedicated factory ensures that your trusses will meet building standards.
Design Flexibility
Building structural roof frames onsite can be difficult. In general, if you would like to build a complex roofing system, traditional roof frame installation might not be the best choice. There are numerous design and construction factors which must be taken into account for optimal results. Consequently, achieving high success through onsite frame building is almost impossible. Prefabricated timber trusses can be built into almost any custom design and specification. After all, engineers can test different frame configurations in the factory before deciding on the ideal truss construction. Therefore, you can build roofing systems with creative features such as cathedral ceilings and cross gables without compromising structural integrity.
Lower Costs
Prefabricated timber trusses are cheaper than traditional roof frame construction. The relatively low cost can be attributed to the use of shorter lengths of lumber in factory production than the large size required when building rafters and ceiling joists. Also, there are significant labour cost savings made by choosing prefabrication. Simply speaking, the trusses can be installed on the building quickly after delivery from the factory. This efficient process reduces the need for high roof installation labour and shortens the total construction project time.
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