Shed Project: Trusses

[jteneyck]

Thanks everyone for the additional input.  Bill, no, I don't plan to store anything in the trusses, but never say never, right?  That's one of the reasons I designed the walls 10' high.  Had I intended to store much in the trusses, I would have used a 2 x 6 for the bottom chord.  


I've done a bunch more research since the last response and concluded that the current design is more than adequate.  That said, adding the diagonals is only a few hours work so I'm going to do it and then I'll know the trusses are overbuilt and never have to worry about the roof structure.  Plus, Howe trusses look pretty cool.  I picked up the 8, 2 x 4's I'll need and have cut all the gussets from scrap 1/2" plywood I had cluttering up my shop .  Tomorrow AM, hot weather or not, I'm going to start working on the shed again.  

Thanks again.  

John

[Stwood_]

Chasing down your shed build.
  Figured it would be all one thread.

So, your trusses are not what I would expect them to be. We always build/use V braced trusses. The V bracing holds the trusses up. Your straight up and down braces actually don't do much, unless you are not finished with them. ?

Floor looks great.

[jteneyck]

Chasing down your shed build.
  Figured it would be all one thread.

So, your trusses are not what I would expect them to be. We always build/use V braced trusses. The V bracing holds the trusses up. Your straight up and down braces actually don't do much, unless you are not finished with them. ?

Floor looks great.

Please read my last entry, just above yours.  

John

[Stwood_]

Yes, did.

Hope you use the V design, starting in the middle.

[srv52761]

Can't speak to the truss design, but I would consider doing some research to figure out a design for at least one really beefy truss. 

I doubled up one truss with wider bottom chord, added diagonal bracing,  and a 1/2" piece of ply spacer (except for a 1/2" gap in the middle for a 1/2" forged eye bolt), glued, screwed and nailed together.  

Sooner or later you will want to lift something heavy.   My doubled truss with a chain hoist has been a godsend on several occasions.   Back the pickup under it, lift the load, lower it onto a dolly or pallet.

To help,  try to come up with a design that raises the bottom chord as high as possible.

[jteneyck]

That's a really good idea to make at least one of the trusses extra beefy, but this isn't a garage and I won't be able to drive anything larger than a lawn tractor (which I don't own) in there, so I doubt I'll ever need to lift anything heavy.  But if I do I'll put a 4 x 4 through several of the trusses to distribute the load.  And the trusses will be up to the task, because they now look like this:




These are now way overbuilt for a 14' span.  Phil, the trivial amount of work turned out to be nearly 4 hours, but I don't regret it.  I'll never have to wonder about these trusses being up to the task.  

John

[Phil Thien]

Phil, the trivial amount of work turned out to be nearly 4 hours, but I don't regret it.  I'll never have to wonder about these trusses being up to the task.  

John

LOL, I think we can all agree that I'm not the first person to call you a perfectionist.

They look fantastic, keep it up.

But don't faint in the heat.

[Stwood_]

That's a really good idea to make at least one of the trusses extra beefy, but this isn't a garage and I won't be able to drive anything larger than a lawn tractor (which I don't own) in there, so I doubt I'll ever need to lift anything heavy.  But if I do I'll put a 4 x 4 through several of the trusses to distribute the load.  And the trusses will be up to the task, because they now look like this:




These are now way overbuilt for a 14' span.  Phil, the trivial amount of work turned out to be nearly 4 hours, but I don't regret it.  I'll never have to wonder about these trusses being up to the task.  

John

Much better, though a mixed system.

[CLETUS]

LOL, I think we can all agree that I'm not the first person to call you a perfectionist.

He goes overboard occasionally. But man, I like watching his work!

[jteneyck]

Much better, though a mixed system.

Care to explain?

John