A roof truss is a rigid, strong framework made up of wood members, such as 2″ x 4″s, fastened and held together by metal connector plates. This framework accounts for the shape of your roof and supports the roofing materials.
A wood trussed roof is better because lumber used by quality truss manufacturers conforms to strict state, local, and national building design criteria. Lumber for trusses is cut by machines that are mathematically calibrated and set to produce highly accurate cuts. This helps eliminate gaps when truss members are joined. Because trusses are manufactured with great precision in jigs, multiples of the same truss are identical in size, assuring uniformity throughout your roof system.
High quality metal connector plates hold wood truss members together. Their holding values and strength have been determined through years of intensive laboratory testing.
With normal maintenance and repair, your roof system should maintain its structural integrity for the lifetime of the house, barring fire or some other disaster.
Fire is a hazard that can never be ignored regardless of the kind of building system. Immediate safety precautions should be taken upon discovery of any fire. In most instances, trusses are considered separate, independent structures designed to support certain defined conditions. The structural integrity of most wood roof trusses is not dependent on other trusses. As a result, one truss may burn and even collapse while other portions of the roof remain standing. In many cases this allows additional time to evacuate the building.
A floor truss is a geometric design using wood members fastened together with metal connector plates to form a structure which supports a given floor load.
Yes, especially on single story structures where the trusses can be erected and placed manually. On multiple story structures, a crane is usually used to lift the trusses to the desired height.