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Truss Definitions
DESIGN LOADING                         Top and bottom chord dead and live loads in pounds per square foot used in designing the roof or floor truss.
 
 UNIT STRESS INCREASE            This is a short term loading stress increase allowed for the lumber and any fasteners in the lumber.
LUMBER SPECIFICATIONS     Lumber size and structural grade required for each member of the floor or roof truss design.
PANEL POINT LOAD                     The uniform live and dead loads are transferred to panel points for determining axial forces.
AXIAL FORCE                                 The internal force compression or tension, acting along the length of each member.
GAGE                                              The gage of truss plates used on the truss design. It could be either 20, 18, or 16 gage.
RATING                                           The rating is the particular truss plate holding ability in pounds per tooth.
 
HEEL                                                The heel is the point on the truss where the top chord intersects the bottom chord.
 
SLOPE                                               The amount of vertical rise compared to horizontal run of floor of roof truss members.
PANEL POINTS                              The panel points of truss denote the intersections of the webs with the chords.
 
 
DROP TRUSS
A Truss designed to carry the same loading as other similar Trusses in a given structure, that is built to a given dimension shorter in overall height than the other Trusses in that run, designed to facilitate a double layer of roofing or other covering on the roof, while maintaining the same roof height throughout.
GABLE END FRAME TRUSS
A component manufactured to the profile of the mating Truss having vertical "in-plane" members fastened to the chords instead of diagonal web members. It is not a structural Truss and requires continuous support by a bearing wall or other load bearing element such as a beam along the bottom chord.
 
HIP TRUSS
A component of a hip roof system of roof Trusses affording symmetry of architectural appearance. The eave line extends to the same level around all sides of the building eliminating the use of gable ends. Normally the off site manufacture of hip Truss parts aids in speed and quality of field construction.
 
GABLE
The portion of the roof above the eave line of a double sloped (triangle shaped) roof.
 
GAMBREL
A roof having two slopes on each side, the lower slope usually steeper than the upper.
 
GIRDER  
A beam of wood or steel used as the principal support of concentrated loads at points along its span.
 
GIRDER TRUSS
A Truss designed and engineered to carry heavy loads transmitted from other structural members bearing upon it. Often a multiple ply Truss.
PURLIN A horizontal member attached perpendicular to the Truss top chord for support of the roofing (i.e., corrugated roofing or plywood and shingles) TOP CHORD BEARING The bearing condition of a parallel or sloping chord Truss that bears on its top chord extension PEAK The peak is the intersection of two separate top chords generally at the centerline of the truss. SPLICE The splice is the point where two top chords or bottom chords are butted together to form a single member. SPAN The span is the length of which the roof truss or floor truss has been designed. LADDER PANEL Prefabricated wall panel fastened to the roof eave to create a sloped overhang. PLUMB CUT The end of the top chord is cut to to provide for a vertical (plumb) installation of fascia and rain gutter.  The other common option is for the Truss tails to be square cut.
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