Fixing Uneven Roof Trusses

Generally a roof truss is composed of triangular shapes for proper support of the roof.

Fixing uneven roof trusses.

At the chimney the homeowner designed an inverted truss to straighten the sagged rafters. Overview from time to time an attic rafter will split along a knot typically after having a new roof installed because of the workers walking around on it. Determine the size of the roof truss to be repaired. If a lot of trusses are damaged or one has been significantly modified or cut then consulting a engineer is wise.

Rip the tops of the fascia boards to match the slope of your roof. I drew in a truss on the left going from the roof edge to over the bearing interior wall. The ho did the walls because that s easy didn t square up the walls and now expects the roof framer to fix it. When a truss becomes damaged cut or modified there is a chance of a structural overload or that they will not perform properly.

Trusses come in different lumber widths 2 by 6 or 2 by 8. The important aspects of this repair is the length of the split as you will need to adequately cover it. Roof trusses are engineered components. A roof truss is a frame typically made of wood to carry the weight of the roof s exterior surface.

Repairing this is called scabbing. Obviously this is not a good situation as it can cause the entire roof to fail if not addressed. Well a decent framer can fix it if he ignores the ties sets the trusses square to a wall and then works the ends with the cuts. When damaged or altered this can effect structural integrity of th e roof system.

With the inverted hinged truss in place a vertical wedge can be used to bend the sagged rafter upwards. Repairing a roof truss often requires replacing or reinforcing wood in its construction. These trusses are usually engineered by a structural engineering company to carry a specific roof load. The bottom image illustrates proper horizontal storage with blocking placed at a suffficient height beneath the stack of trusses to minimize lateral bending and to lessen moisture gain from the ground.

Localized damage to one or two trusses will typically not result in structural failure of the roof system but could cause the roof or ceiling to sag. Making the tops of your fascia boards the same angle as the roof allows you to easily place roofing material over them without creating bumps or ridges. A 2 by 6 truss will measure 5 5 inches and a 2 by 8 truss will measure 7 5 inches. The top photo above shows trusses being improperly stored on uneven ground.

Roof sag sagging roof rafter repair site built rafter spreader mid span rafter ties smooth wavy roof. Set the angle of the circular saw blade to match the slope of your roof and run the saw along the top edge of each fascia board. The overhang edge is always straight unless you use a slinky line.