Steel Roof Trusses Vs Wood Roof Trusses

Rafter boards are fastened to the ridge board at the peak and the top plate where they join the wall.

Steel roof trusses vs wood roof trusses.

Wooden trusses are labor intensive requiring hurricane clips and expensive double headers to rest on all costing time and money. In finished space insulation is placed between the rafter boards and drywall or other material is fastened to the face. The boards creating the slope of the roof are wider than lumber used to build trusses 2x8s 2x10s and 2x12s are most common in rafters vs. Steel trusses have become more popular lately but they are much more expensive than timber sometimes costing five times as much as wood trusses.

As to the choice of trusses most people are very comfortable working with wood as wood tends to be very forgiving. Not only is the raw material more expensive but installation costs may be higher as well due to increased complexity. The lumber and steel plates the trusses are constructed from have no idea how far apart they are going to be placed. Yet somewhere in the deep dark reaches of history lies the theory wood trusses must be spaced no more than 24 on center or maybe 48 or perhaps even eight or ten feet.

Choosing other roof structures with timber trusses has already become the standard choice for building construction especially for residential buildings. Cost comparison of roof rafters vs trusses. When considering steel trusses vs wood trusses wooden trusses are generally less expensive. Steel roof trusses are usually more expensive than wooden trusses but they do last a lot longer than timber and require very little maintenance.

Part of the answer to your question is what is it going to cost. Timber also is more fire resistant than unprotected steel beams because wood doesn t ignite until it reaches over 250 degrees. Attaching wood roof purlins to a steel framework is not as easy or straightforward as wood to wood. When it comes to the roof there is no doubt that there is a need for stable and high quality structure and the roof trusses offer a number of advantages in this regard as compared to for example traditional rafter solutions.

Since then this design solution for architects and engineers has evolved to support large floor areas and large roof spaces of up to and over 100 feet wide. After it catches fire it develops a protective coating. Additionally there is no need for hurricane clips as the trusses are bolted.