Truss for pole building question..

Glenn9643 · Feb 2, 2004

Chad,
Start a line of bracing on each side of the truss, as far up as you can reach from the end where you can stand. If you start with a 2x4x12 it will brace brace three trusses after the gable truss. After you get started this line of bracing on each side will stabilize it enough that you can work with it. You can add all the temporary bracing that you feel you need, but remember that it must be removed when you put down your purlins and straighten/plumb the trusses. If necessary you can add a brace across the lower web of the trusses down the center of the building to stabilize them so that you'll be more comfortable walking out on them.

Evasive1 · Feb 3, 2004

Mopower,

Like Glenn pointed out, the boards over the top of the trusses are on each side of the trusses. I did not make this clear at all. It is important that you understand what Glenn, Egon and I are saying about the 2x4's across the top. We are all saying the same thing. You will put a 2x4 across the top of the truss starting on the first truss. When you are lifting the next truss you are also lifting the 2x4's on each end of the trusses in the air. The weight of the 2x4's being lifted will help stabilize the truss as you lift it keeping it from just rolling on past center and back down again. You will attach the hurricane straps to the truss helping to hold it up, the diamond kind like the earlier link goes to h1 style. These are unbelievably strong when attached right. Then nail the temporary board on the top of the truss on both ends of the truss as high up as you can reach from ladders. Do this all the way. If you use the outside walls as a "stepladder" (you should already have your outside horizontal's on at 2' centers some builders go further apart) you can use these to stand on the outside of the building. This should give you plenty of height to put on at least the first 2 to 3 rows of purlins without ever having to stand on the trusses. You can also put the brace that runs down the center of the trusses on the top of the bottom cord in now like Glenn said.

So between the hurricane hangers, the 4 to 6 rows of purlins on (2 or 3 rows on each side depending how far you can reach up), the 2 temporary braces, and the permanent center brace, this is more than steady enough. Just dont get out there jumping around to test there strength quite yet.

When I do have to start walking out on the trusses, I walk on the bottom cord of the truss and not on top of the truss. You should have your purlin already nailed to the 1st truss that is secure and you can use this as a balance since it is secure to the first truss which is steadied by your longer 4x4 poles.

If you still don't feel safe I suggest hiring somebody to stand the trusses for you.

mopower440 · Feb 3, 2004

Duane, so you are saying to get the truss up on the top plate hanging in the center of the building, peak facing the ground, then nail the 2x4x12 to each side of the truss and let them dangle, next, take a pole and push the peak of the truss up in the air, then have the guys that are standing on the top plate swing the dangling 2x4's up and nail them to the already braced truss?

Evasive1 · Feb 4, 2004

No!!
The 2x4 will be attached to the gable truss you already have standing! As you swing the next truss from the upside down position to the upright position it will be lifting the overhanging 2x4 that is attached to the gable truss also. The weight of the "drooping" 2x4 pushing down on the truss you are lifting will help to push it down on the endplates keeping it from just rolling past center and back down again. Once your truss is in the upright position that 2x4 is already in position to be nailed into the top of the truss to hold it in place till more secure bracing can be applied. If you used a 12' 2x4 it is still overhanging the truss you just stood up by 8 feet so you can swing another truss up following the same principle.

mopower440 · Feb 4, 2004

got it, getting some scaffolding to use for sunday also, so thats good.next question, does lowes or home depot sell some kind of 'U' shaped device i can screw onto the end of a 2x4 to use to push the peak of the truss up with? When we put the gable end truss up, i cut a 'V' in the 2x4, but of course you cant cut it that big, and the guy who was pushing slipped the end off the truss and it fell and broke, so now i have another truss on the way, but DONT want this to happen again, so i would like to find something 'U' shaped to screw onto the end of the 2x4, any ideas?
thanks

Evasive1 · Feb 5, 2004

Have more than one person pushing up the truss. Each person about midway towards the middle of the truss works well. Share some of the physical labor and if one slips off it is no big deal.
As far as a wedge just nail a short board on the top of your push poles to make a T on the end for more surface area.

mopower440 · Feb 6, 2004

Ok, so basically, I brace up the first truss(gable truss) really good, then stand up the next one and brace it to the gable truss, then so on and so on, so the next few trusses are dependent on the gable truss for stability, now, how many trusses will needed to be in place before it starts becoming a structure and NOT relying so much on the firmy and temporarily braced gable truss? remember, 4' centers..

mopower440 · Feb 7, 2004

tried to edit last post but cant, so one more question to add to the last one, also, my trusses arent exactly equally spaced, i have them on each post and in between each post, they were built for 4' centers, and that is the maximum spacing i have, but a few are only 42" for each other, so as long as none are over the 4', is it ok that they are not all equally spaced?
thanks