[viper]

We do engineering work for some local companies for wood post frame buildings. We have a need or requirement to push beyond (span/pitch/spacing/etc) what is practical for wood roof trusses. We thought we had found a solution with steel trusses but finding there are some shady people out there and the second I ask about engineering, stamped plans, etc, they get real quiet.

We would prefer to buy stamped and approved trusses because if I go through all the work of approving and stamping them, I might as well make them too. Not practical.

I did find one solution that is in MO but I nearly hit the floor when I heard the price! At his price, we might as well just switch to an I beam red iron building, which is not what the customer wants.

You can find these "steel trusses" all over ebay for a reference. I am certain the right design will work great for our needs, but I need to get right down to the manufacturer to get what we need, and our customer is not willing to pay a bunch of middle men. Which are people that don't make anything, don't install anything, just sell stuff and act important.

 

[Nealtw]

We get wood trusses directly from the manufacturer and they always come with stamped and working plans. They deliver to the top of the walls. We also get instructions on where to add lumber to them them to deal with snow and wind loads.

 

[viper]

Thank you. If I was not clear, we are exceeding the abilities of standard wood trusses and need to find a steel solution. We have explored some other glulam solutions but finding they are not exactly cost effective.

 

[Nealtw]

Thank you. If I was not clear, we are exceeding the abilities of standard wood trusses and need to find a steel solution. We have explored some other glulam solutions but finding they are not exactly cost effective.

We have a member that seemed to have a good handle on steel trusses, i will try to figure out who it was and round him up.


@3onthetree

might be able to help

 

[3onthetree]

I would guess a lot of these companies are just typical steel fabricators providing the niche pieces that others are stamping. I believe you that the ones that provide steel truss kit pole barns are probably pricey, but the good thing about them is that they all have their cups/brackets already mounted, and (assumption) they would stamp the roof diaphragm plans while dictating all the bracing just like in wood trusses.

If you hire a structural guy yourself you may be able to value engineer some cost savings, like in the girder design if any or by using bar joists instead of trusses. And maybe reuse that design in the future. All the structural guys we use talk directly to the fabricator.