# Setting trusses



## Bifferman (Jul 7, 2006)

I was wondering if someone could give me some input. I have a remodeling project that I am going to span 24'. The front of the addition is set back 2' from the front of the existing house. The rear part is going to be matched up to the existing back portion of the house. With the wall matched up and plumb the top of the plates measure 23'11" at one side and 23'10 1/2" on the other side. The trusses will be run paralell to the existing ridge. What is the best way to place the trusses so the ends come out close to even??

Thanks for your help


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

Bifferman said:


> I was wondering if someone could give me some input. I have a remodeling project that I am going to span 24'. The front of the addition is set back 2' from the front of the existing house. The rear part is going to be matched up to the existing back portion of the house. With the wall matched up and plumb the top of the plates measure 23'11" at one side and 23'10 1/2" on the other side. The trusses will be run paralell to the existing ridge. What is the best way to place the trusses so the ends come out close to even??
> 
> Thanks for your help


LOL, if I'm reading this right your fretting 1/2" in a almost 24' span??? given the number of trusses you'll be setting pull a 1/16" out of the short side per truss till your evened up, or take it out in the last few and just lose/gain a 1/4", you'll be cutting the sheeting anyways so it's not biggie. Maybe I'm missing the visual and mis understanding??


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## AtlanticWBConst (Mar 29, 2006)

By the sounds of the original question....I took it the same way you did.

I think you answered the question right Josh. 2nd that input.

-2 cents


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## vtgaetano (Mar 5, 2006)

From the sounds of it after READING and not LOLing, I would say for whatever reason it is an INCH off on one side and 1 1/2" on the other. I would keep the back all the same(matching the existing soffit/ fascia/ overhang) so you'll have a straight fascia/soffit then let the front do what it does, shim it if needed to keep your 12" soffit. Rather important to SQUARE your sills, then you wouldn't of ended up with anything out of square after you plumb and level your walls


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## Peladu (Jan 8, 2006)

Light a match and start over after the fire department leaves.


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

Peladu said:


> Light a match and start over after the fire department leaves.



Whoa, where da heck have you been?? have'nt seen ya in awhile :jester: :laughing: 

Try building an addition on a poured wall 6"....YES you read that right...6" out of square!!! Homie did not want to use my guy for the concrete work and went with somebody his brother knew, not to mention this guy was $50 cheaper than my guy Stopped by yesterday to check progress and meet this crew since they were digging trech footings and filling with mud that day, but weree only 5' out from house when I got there. Seemed like a nice guy and his crew were all nice too. 7pm last night homie calls me up and wants me to come over and give a second opinion. I could not believe what I saw have never seen trench footings in such bad shape, ground was back filling as they dug and wheel barrel with mud fell through an undercut piece of ground and opened up a large 3' crater outside of trench footing line....they ordered extra mud and just filled that area up-this is outside the addition area where grass was supposed to ultimately be planted now he has this gawd awful concrete pond so to speak and I did meaure/verify and line off east side was 6" out of square in 16' :furious: 

Basically told homie, you hired him against my wishes so you can be the one to tell him to make it right, otherwise everything I do ontop of his work will just get exagerated and left. Guess we'll see what's up tomorrow when I stop by but so far this project is not off to a good start:furious: just glad it's not my baby thus far.


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## theworx (Dec 20, 2005)

6" out of square in 16'... That's crazy!!! Does the guy own a tape measure????


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## Peladu (Jan 8, 2006)

Sadly I have seen a lot of these guys (companies) coming in, slapping it together and trying to fix it later. It’s almost as if they hope to get away with it. I walked in on one of my jobs in the city, 2000 sqft of ceramic being installed in a new home. They were around the 300 sqft mark when I finally showed and let me tell you, every vein in my neck and forehead was bulging as I yelled at the top of my lungs at these guys shoddy work. Mexicans who don’t even speak English seemed to understand every single word out of my mouth. They ended up having to pull about 200 sqft of tiles out, only after calling their boss who I refused to talk to until I calmed down hours later. But in the end the job got cheaper for me and I never did see three of the guys again on the job. Very few guys care these days, and I was taught by ‘old timers’, which means I was taught the right way.


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

theworx said:


> 6" out of square in 16'... That's crazy!!! Does the guy own a tape measure????


Well his trucks and trailers are all labeled as @# Construction so I assume somewhere in there one of them has a tape measure, but I also think it's a case of trying to go too fast as all they were concerned about was being out in 2 days. The best part of the deal....this hack on the job now was only $50 under my normal concrete guy who bids honest. The hack told homie he missed bid somewhere and was way short so he'd have to add a little bit to the final job, supposedly he bid the job for a 20x16 addition when it's a 27x16 addition....homie gave the guy the drawing with ALL specs, showed him where addition would be in relation to marks on homes siding and the hack even measured himself to verify. But for him to be $50 under my guy and supposedly only bid it at a 20'x16'??? tell me he's not trying to milk this thing out.

LikeI said, just glad I did'nt hire him and have one more person to never use.


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## Michaela521 (Feb 24, 2006)

Neat project sounds like something I am doing


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## PainterPaul (Aug 17, 2006)

vtgaetano said:


> From the sounds of it after READING and not LOLing, I would say for whatever reason it is an INCH off on one side and 1 1/2" on the other. I would keep the back all the same(matching the existing soffit/ fascia/ overhang) so you'll have a straight fascia/soffit then let the front do what it does, shim it if needed to keep your 12" soffit. Rather important to SQUARE your sills, then you wouldn't of ended up with anything out of square after you plumb and level your walls


Please explain the 1" and 1 1/2" part ...


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

PainterPaul said:


> Please explain the 1" and 1 1/2" part ...


The span is 24', the final is 1" less on one side and 1 1/2" less on the other.


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## maj (Mar 13, 2006)

Brushslingers said:


> The span is 24', *the final is 1" less on one side and 1 1/2" less on the other*.


 :no: 



> the top of the *plates* measure 23'11" at one side and 23'10 1/2" on the other side.


Add 1/2" for sheathing on each side and then one end is 24' even, while the other is 23' 11 1/2". So it is only 1/2" off. You can cheat that much when you set the trusses. After all, it's only 1/4" per side on one end. Hell, the trusses will vary that much!!!!


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

maj said:


> After all, it's only 1/4" per side on one end. Hell, the trusses will vary that much!!!!


 Maj, do you just understand the significance of what you just said??? Basically you just called out the high horse brigade and you will soon be baraged with there's no way I'd use trusses that were 1/4" out, all my stuff is so perfect it's 400% correct, we have out trusses built from #1 lumber, I'd tear down the structure and start from scratch if you out a 1/2", etc.....wonder if these horse riding fockers ever set foot in the feild and did any hands on work or are just keyboard wizards?? I think the guys that know....already know the anwser to that question:laughing: :laughing:


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## maj (Mar 13, 2006)

IHI said:


> Maj, do you just understand the significance of what you just said??? Basically you just called out the high horse brigade and you will soon be baraged with there's no way I'd use trusses that were 1/4" out, all my stuff is so perfect it's 400% correct, we have out trusses built from #1 lumber, I'd tear down the structure and start from scratch if you out a 1/2", etc.....wonder if these horse riding fockers ever set foot in the feild and did any hands on work or are just keyboard wizards?? I think the guys that know....already know the anwser to that question:laughing: :laughing:


Holy Give 'em hell Batman!!!!!


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

maj said:


> :no:
> 
> 
> 
> Add 1/2" for sheathing on each side and then one end is 24' even, while the other is 23' 11 1/2". So it is only 1/2" off. You can cheat that much when you set the trusses. After all, it's only 1/4" per side on one end. Hell, the trusses will vary that much!!!!



Was just answering his question as to how the other person got 1 and 1 1/2 inches... man you guys are harsh. :shifty:


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

Brushslingers said:


> ... man you guys are harsh. :shifty:


LOL, you've been around enough you know the deal :laughing: :laughing: 

I squared/plumbed/leveled an opening for a french door today that was soo perfect the leveling manufacturers and calculator engineer's bought out the rights to the opening to set their product bae line by:w00t: Actually this one was really special-sill needed raised 2.25" in 72" width from one side to the other. Then to plumb there was exactly 2.75" from the bottom to the top (79" height)....on the left side only!!!!:no: :laughing: this one was really special!!


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## cssconstruct (Jun 19, 2006)

Not to hijack this thread, but, has anybody else noted that even the quality of trusses are going down the crapper. three of the trusses on the last house we did were out of plane. The pitch was 10/12 and three were approaching 11.5/12. The bad part was the were not side by side they were in different sections, so they can't just blame it on a glitch in one system. And then when you call the truss yard they all say "there is no way, your walls must be off" then hen their guy comes out and realizes they have screwed up again it is"well um, I will see about getting some other ones out here." That's all fine and dandy other than than they are setting everybody back, but hey what do they care. Sorry to complain but I needed to vent.


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

IHI said:


> LOL, you've been around enough you know the deal :laughing: :laughing:
> 
> I squared/plumbed/leveled an opening for a french door today that was soo perfect the leveling manufacturers and calculator engineer's bought out the rights to the opening to set their product bae line by:w00t: Actually this one was really special-sill needed raised 2.25" in 72" width from one side to the other. Then to plumb there was exactly 2.75" from the bottom to the top (79" height)....on the left side only!!!!:no: :laughing: this one was really special!!


Heh, ya and I once caught a fish <----------> this big!!!  No really though, dude was talking about running from building to building, meaning no sheathing on either side, aligning from the rear and offset from the front 2'. so it really is 1/2 off but... it's 1 inch off 24', so you rip all the roofing or pull up and overlap... I think that was his real question. Personally i'd pull up the roof and overlap for structuability.


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## PainterPaul (Aug 17, 2006)

No argumentation or challenge to any one. I think this is the confusion.

>>> The front of the addition is set back 2' from the front of the existing house.

>>> With the wall matched up and plumb the top of the plates measure 23'11" at one side and 23'10 1/2" on the other side.

>>> The trusses will be run parallel to the existing ridge.

The way I read it, the back wall is lined up, and the ridge lines match up too. Just as written, he will not span 24’… he can’t… he’s measuring 23’11” on one end, 23’ 10 ½ “… hence he will span 23’ 11" if he straightens everything up.

The plates might be square. The short end, one or both walls may be still slightly out of plum. 

Personally, I’d drop plum lines, hanging over ½” at each corner to make absolutely sure the walls are plum… ¼” off on either side makes up you missing ½”. If the above doesn’t yield respectable results… If it really bothers you… I’d consider SawsAlling the 16’s between the plate and deck, kicking out the lower offending plate making it right (23’ 11”).

Also Bifferman,

You didn’t say how long the new building is going to be (away from the house). The more I think about this, if you are truly plum, I’d kick the plate out since you have no ceiling joists to mess with you yet. Should be a simple fix. 

Good luck


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## maj (Mar 13, 2006)

Brushslingers said:


> Heh, ya and I once caught a fish <----------> this big!!!  No really though, dude was talking about running from building to building, meaning no sheathing on either side, aligning from the rear and offset from the front 2'. so it really is 1/2 off but... it's 1 inch off 24', so you rip all the roofing or pull up and overlap... I think that was his real question. Personally i'd pull up the roof and overlap for structuability.



:confused1: :wacko:


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

maj said:


> :confused1: :wacko:


You don't get my drift.. ok no problem, division. At 24' it is even for a 4' board or even an 8' board for the roofing, at -1 inch you have to decide to cut back the new, or cut back the old... personally i'd cut back the old. Clear for ya now?

edit: Nope I am never clear... ok to clarify, his question was between two structures was 24', the bridge was to be even on the rear of the building but it's 1 1/2 inches out of 24'... how to lay out the trusses to even out the difference between 1" and 1 1/2" inches yet still find the rear... start from the center, every other rear goes 1/16th out... should line up to cut back the exsisting roofing and patch in the rear to match. Sorry if I confused you.


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## maj (Mar 13, 2006)

Brushslingers said:


> You don't get my drift.. ok no problem, division. At 24' it is even for a 4' board or even an 8' board for the roofing, at -1 inch you have to decide to cut back the new, or cut back the old... personally i'd cut back the old. Clear for ya now?



Never mind.....


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