Balloon Framing, open web trusses.

1013 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Nealtw, Mar 2, 2020

Nolamill1

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2020

Hi, I’m looking for some advice/ ideas.
So I own an old farm house built back in like 1890, the foundation has been completely redone prior to me buying it, the previous owner lifted the house and put a block foundation with a poured floor. It’s a two story home, length about 33 feet, width about 24 feet. My wife and I like open floor plans and this place needs a lot of work. So I am planning on replacing some old 2x8 floor trusses with open web trusses. The home is balloon framed currently and the original floor trusses run the length ways of the house with a load bearing wall supporting them in the middle.
I am planning on going to an open web truss the width of the house (roughly 24 feet) and being able to clear span it so we can get rid of the load bearing wall on the main floor and basement. Any ideas on the size of ledger I would need to support the trusses? I plan on a 18 inch tall truss at 19.2” OC.
Any other advice for me on this?
Also, anyone have a good way to cut the notch into the wall studs for the ledger?
Thanks!

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Old Thomas

· #2 · Mar 2, 2020 (Edited)

If it is 1890s it has floor joists, not trusses.
Balloon framed houses I worked on had a 1x4 let into the wall studs to support the second floor joists. Second floor joists rested on the 1x4 ledger and were nailed through their sides into wall studs. Your spacing will make some new trusses fall between studs. In that case, the vertical load on the ledger will be more critical than if next to a stud.
I could make suggestions, but you really need a design professional like a licensed engineer involved with this one. It becomes more intense if the second floor has a bearing wall.
Put fire stop blocking in the stud bays or a fire can go through it faster than Grant through Richmond.

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