repairing the bottom chord

wood479 · 12-08-2012, 11:06 PM

I need help on what I should do. Now I wouldn't necessarily call it a bottom chord because they were not connected to the trusses, 2x4's were laid from top plate to top plate with supports going to the top chord. My trusses were made on site and are constructed of 2x6's The ceiling was sagged bad so I pulled down all the plaster and removed the 2x4 supports. Now I am trying to rebuild. I am going to use 20' 2x6 to span the width of the room and run new supports in a w. My question is should I attach the 2x6's to the side of the truss or the bottom. My ceiling is over 8 foot so connecting it to the bottom wouldn't be a problem and I'm building a w for support. The problem I have with connecting them to the side is I worry about proper insulation because I live in northern WI.

mbryan · 12-09-2012, 12:32 AM

Worry about proper insulation? Care to expand on that?

The strength of the wood is in the width of the wood and not the thickness. Install the new board vertically attached to the current chord with adhesive and nails. You running these from sill to sill?

wood479 · 12-09-2012, 01:02 AM

There is no current bottom chord. What i mean by insulation is if you attach the bottom chord to the side of the truss or upper chord and have it sit on the top plate I would have to cut the insulation around it, which in not a problem but if I attach it to the bottom of it would lay in their allot nicer. Yes I am running the 2x6 from still to still but that is my question should the bottom chord be placed sitting on the top plate screwed to the side of the top chord or can it be attach to the bottom to the top chord with screws and plates?

mbryan · 12-09-2012, 09:38 AM

You do realize that the bottom chord is kinda important to the function of the truss right? What caused you to decide to remove it completely?

hand drive · 12-09-2012, 09:43 AM

a pic will help us to figure out what exactly you are talking about and what you plan to do.

wood479 · 12-09-2012, 10:32 AM

Here I will explain again. There was no bottom chord there was just 2x4s laid from top plate to top plate not attached to the truss at all. They had meg shift supports going from the top chord to the 2x4s. Here is what my trusses look like. Here is the link I couldn't figure out how to post a pic

https://mail-attachment.googleuserco...1pfsco6wFJPVOg

joecaption · 12-09-2012, 10:42 AM

Attachment does not work.

wood479 · 12-09-2012, 10:49 AM

GBrackins · 12-09-2012, 02:43 PM

have you tried this for posting photos? http://www.diychatroom.com/f19/

**Gary in WA** · 12-11-2012, 11:36 PM

Wood, I hope you are still here.

"There was no bottom chord there was just 2x4s laid from top plate to top plate not attached to the truss at all. They had meg shift supports going from the top chord to the 2x4s"--- sounds as if you have rafters and rafter ties, with some struts (webbing) for help because of over-span (I sure hope the are connected); Figs. 9, 10A: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...RMyCq7zQ737mAg

Or, pp.14: http://www.awc.org/helpoutreach/ecou...seV09-2007.pdf

Gary