Truss Roof Conversion

Attic trusses have a rectangular shape inside each truss.

Truss roof conversion.

Most roofs built from the late 1960s onwards are of prefabricated trussed rafter construction with distinctive w shaped webbing. Look at this photo of the space created by attic trusses at my home. A common misconception is that truss rafter roofs are not suitable for loft conversions. Loft conversions add value and are an ideal way to invest in your home loft conversions frequently top national surveys for being the best method of increasing the value of a property.

The role of the horizontal beam is to tie the truss together and carry the load that would otherwise be sustained by the support and vertical timber also known as the king post. The conversion from a trussed roof to a trussless roof simply involves the redistribution of the roofs weight from the trusses to beams running from gable to gable. However with the help of an experienced loft conversion company truss rafters are no obstacle. A roof s pitch is determined by how much it rises vertically for every foot it runs horizontally.

These steel joints are needed to support the overall truss. I have this above my own garage. According to one recent survey by the nationwide building society adding an extra bedroom and bathroom to a three bed house can increase its value by as much as. Thus a moderate 6 in 12 roof pitch means that the roof rises 6 inches vertically for every 12 horizontal inches it runs.

If the roof slope is steeper than 9 inches in 12 inches of run it doesn t take much width to end up with a nice room 12 feet wide with an 8 foot ceiling. The more complex the truss framework is the greater quantity of these joints will be required. There are certain ways and means around them which will leave you with a very usable habitable space. If you can give them the exact chart and measurement that you like the look of they can work to those specifications.

See the image below for more explanation on rise run and pitch. Before work can begin a structural engineer will calculate the size of the steels required. Attic conversions are now possible by replacing the truss rafters with a shaped trusses or horizontal beams which in return create additional space. This process involves the installation and use of steel beams.

A 12 in 12 pitch is a steep 45 degree angle roof. Finally the truss calculator will compute the best dimensional method to connect the pieces of the truss with steel joints and a bridge. Although once regarded as hard to convert on account of their relatively slender roof timbers typically only about 30 x 70mm many lofts of this type have been successfully converted.