If it’s part of the roof it’s bound to be important isn’t it? And to be honest you’d be quite right. The roof truss is an integral part of your house and you’ve either never heard of it or you’ve not given it any thought. For the most part of your life the Roof Trusses in your home probably won’t figure that much, if at all. Unless you have a surfeit of the letter “S” when playing a game of Scrabble and you need a word to get rid of them, a roof truss, or trusses are not a high priority. They are an issue if they break and you need to replace them. So what exactly are they?
Simply put, roof trusses are what hold the roof up. It’s what the damp proof and tiles are nailed to to keep you warm and dry. They date back to the late medieval period when we were really starting to figure out that the triangle is the strongest shape in construction as opposed to just laying vertical beams. Two triangle side frames support a thick central “ridge” beam. Two or three Longitudinal beams (or “purlins” to give them their proper name, another one for that Scrabble game) connect along the sides. Common rafters are then added at regular intervals.
Easily the best ones for this type of job, especially if you are looking at getting a stylish extension. is to use a selection Oak Roof Truss from the company in the link. Oak is indeed a mighty wood for construction so much so that we’ve been using them for centuries. Hopefully your trusses should last a lifetime and beyond but if you are in the loft you might want to take a look. If your up there with a friend or family member you can now impress them with your knowledge of it!
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