DIY Floor Truss Help Needed

Started by Joe Mann, June 19, 2007, 12:36:12 AM

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Joe Mann

There is a floor truss using plywood webs that resemble big square gusset plates and these ply 'squares' attach to  2x4 top and bottom chords.  The squares alternate from side to side with a space/opening between squares for plumbing or electrical.  Trouble is I can't find the specs on truss depth, length, dimensions of webs, etc.   Am. Plywood Assoc./Manufactured Wood Assoc have nothing on this.  Clearly, it's an easy do-it-yourself low cost item.  I have to span 20 to 24 feet and want to make this part of my Truss Framed House (see freepatentsonline.com)  Similar to but less cumbersome structurally than the old Rigid Frame cabin from Am Ply Assoc (old APA plan still for sale at U-bild website).  The old Rigid Frame Cabin has been around for decades, updated from time to time (by Midwest Plan Service and others) and out-dated in style, but quick and cheap.  This plywood web floor truss would work well with it or the better styled and more recently-invented Truss Framed House concept: a W roof truss which incorporates wall studs and floor joist truss all as one truss frame, each lifted on site by hand and sheathed with ply on roof, sides, floor resulting in a very strong but cheap per sq ft structure.   I want to use the Truss Framed House concept with this ply truss floor joist at a remote site, but I can't find specs on this cheap and easy plywood webbed floor truss. Help, please, anybody.  thanks (I'll take any specs/source for a diy wood floor truss anyone can provide as an alternative to the ply web truss described above).

glenn kangiser

Welcome, Joe -- I haven't seen that one.  There are some truss plans linked here - maybe in the free stuff section or links - various standard trusses as I recall - but somebody found an odd one they wanted too.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.


glenn kangiser

"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

Joe Mann

Good info from all three sites.  Thanks Glenn.  I still haven't found anything on diy floor truss, but great detailed plans in pdf's on roof trusses, truss framed house and rigid framed (straight and slant wall) building construction.  APA site especially interesting on "Nailed Structural-Use Panel and Lumber Beams" as well as several pdf's for the diy'er interested in building frames for overstuffed upholstered furniture. :D

John Raabe

The type of trusses you describe are typical for long commercial or industrial spans. Such a configuration would be overkill for most residential floor spans, so most builders use solid wood or I-joists for spans up to 20' or more.

That said you could certainly build them and they would be very strong. An 18" to 24" depth would be typical and you would use a "W" pattern for the cross-members.

See if you can find any of the old APA or Forest Product association design guides from the 1960's or 70's. Before the days of overwhelming litigation these agencies used to produce all kinds of information and plans for site built trusses and such.
None of us are as smart as all of us.