How To Attach Shed Roof Trusses To Top Plate

Stand the first truss on the end of the wall flush with the outside end of the wall.

How to attach shed roof trusses to top plate.

As the workers position each subsequent truss they attach it to the wall plates and to the ridge beam. Some building codes around the country require the use of a hurricane tie also shown above to add extra reinforcement for holding down roof trusses in the event of very strong winds. Measure and mark the top plate of the walls on either side of your structure running in line with the proposed roof s ridge every 24 inches. As with rafter style roofs toenailing is one of the most common ways of attaching a truss style roof to a wall plate.

It is drilled at an angle on different ends of the rafter which prevents the nails from loosening from the roof s weight. The beam extends to the far end of the roof hanging over the trusses still sitting there. Since rafters are the most common choice for small home sheds we ll be focusing on different ways to attach beams to your shed s top plate. A classic choice for securing your rafters is toenailing involves connecting the rafter to the top plate using nails driven into the beam and the wall cap.

This is a special circumstance because some shed plans will have the top chord attach to the roof with a birdsmouth cut out. Then the end of the bottom chord was cut to allow the top chord to overhang. Another method employed by some contractors is to notch the structural post at the top and place the trusses or rafters on top of the notch. Different methods to attach rafters to the top plate 1.

How to connect trusses to the top plate. Another great way of attaching the truss end to the top wall plate is to use a simpson fastener shown in the picture above which you can find at your local lumber store. Or fasten the trusses to wall plates using hurricane brackets with 10d nails or simpson strong tie fasteners. See photo at right the truss rafter is then fastened to the post with nails or bolts.

Lay the trusses on top of each other to make sure they are all the same. However there is another way of constructing the truss. Toenail a truss into the top of the wall plate by nailing through the sides of the bottom chord at a 30 degree angle. Lift the trusses onto the top plates space them as planned and secure them to the wall plates.