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Truss Bracing? We Don't Need No Stinking Truss Bracing!!!

comments (8) October 20th, 2010 in Blogs, Project Gallery
TheTimberTailor Matt Jackson, member
Not what a guy wants to see on Monday morning... or any morning for that matter!
Very large, triangular, expensive dominos
Not what a guy wants to see on Monday morning... or any morning for that matter!Click To Enlarge

Not what a guy wants to see on Monday morning... or any morning for that matter!
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What WERE They Thinking?

My first thought when I drove past this train wreck was "man, I'm glad that didn't happen on my watch".  Then I felt sorry for the crew that it did happen to.  That was until I saw that all they did was scab on some 24"~30" long 2x4s from truss to truss for temporary bracing.  Then I thought "what WERE they thinking?!"

Educational Experience

A guy named Pete Seeger said wisely "Education is what you get when you read the fine print.  Experience is what you get if you don't"  Something tells me the experience the foreman got on this project earned him an education that taught him to read the fine print on the truss installation paperwork next time.  Or possibly make a decision to switch to a different line of work.

posted in: Blogs, Project Gallery, framing, safety, roofs
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Comments (8)

copio copio writes: Has anybody used the new tool for setting that is supposed to be out? Its called the Truss Setter.I have seen it on the net and Utube but not on any site.
Posted: 5:24 pm on October 27th

rubbaduck rubbaduck writes: Matt, I had to check your Bio too see if you were from Cleveland. I drove by a similar project last year on a windy day as workers fought with a crane trying to land trusses on a building in progress. On the news that evening I saw the same building but it looked like the one pictured. Unfortunately 1 or 2 men were killed on that job site. Pay attention out there!
Posted: 3:00 pm on November 2nd

semar semar writes: my guess is they did not do this to save time or money.
I think they did not know that proper bracing was necessary. Poor training - we do it all the time like that - probably led to this. They most likely wonder why could this happen?
Expensive lesson learned.

To smalld
"custom home builder". Some actually get an award for framing walls plumb straight and square. Entitles them to call themselves Quality Builder, Top Quality Builder, Superior Construction, Best Builder in the Area, Award winning Builder, We are the Best
Sqeaky floors and stairs, sticking doors, CP trim (caulk 'n paint) - all no problem, just hang a 3000 $ chandelier in the 22' high foyer and install SS appliances in the kitchen and you can sell it as one of a kind custom home in desirable neighborhood
Posted: 9:28 pm on October 25th

2jsraj 2jsraj writes: No excuses for ignoring the truss baracing plan supplied by the manufacturer. Hopefully no one was injured on this collapse. Imagine if it had happened while they were still in the trusses! Lateral, diagonal and X bracing are specified on most every plan as well as in the TBI guidlines for installing trusses. There is a reason for this and I think the picture is evidence of why.
Posted: 8:05 pm on October 25th

oscar_mann oscar_mann writes: This is nothing compared to the damage falling trusses can do. I have seen a truss set fall into a block building and EXPLODE the building like it had a bomb go off.. Blocks were thrown over 100 feet.. Total devastation.. It really was an unbelievable site..
Its never happened to me but it did happen to a friend of mine.. He was a slack bracer until he had to do that job 2x.. He payed attention after that..
Posted: 3:42 am on October 25th

smalld smalld writes: This is just another example of the common practices in a very huge part of residential construction today: the job is not one of integrity, nor professionalism, it's all about the bottom line dollar of profit and the attitude of "it's good enough". Sad for me to say this; but a majority of contractors operate not on quality but quantity of bucks, and so it is buyer/home-owner beware. Go to Southern Alberta and just drive by the homes being built for the ignorant purchaser, or look at the majority of self-proclaimed builders/renovator contractors in any burg anywhere in North America and you will find a whole lot worse than this! Makes it hard to compete, when what your competitive contractor offers is so sweet sounding by word and dollars and yet most of them deliver a disaster in waiting. Those of us that deliver on a reasonable dollar get shanghaied by those that don't deliver or those that charge outrageous rates by promoting and ensuring standards that should and could be done in the first place by any self-respecting designer or builder as something exceptional, special and unique. It's all pretty disgusting.

Regards
smalld
Posted: 12:30 am on October 25th

vtframer vtframer writes: i own a commercial framing company in vt. and we have learned to set four to six trusses and brace completely, before setting anymore. also alot of truss plans dont call for x braces we do it on any truss roof of any size at all. the argument is get them up and brace later so the crane can get out of there. How much does it cost to have the crane set them twice? we also maximise the use of the crane time by sheathing gables on the ground,building overhangs on the ground even installing fascia boards before the gables go up.if you layout bracing before the crane gets there youll be surprised how fast it goes usually can leave one man behind to brace, while a crew goes ahead with trusses. weve never lost a roof yet, came close once on a thirty foot span sixteen foot walls, only thing that saved it was the bracing we installed earlier.
Posted: 5:55 pm on October 20th

real2x4 real2x4 writes: I have seen the domino affect on a large commercial building. None of the trusses were braced properly. They were expecting and OSB delivery "soon"
Posted: 12:57 pm on October 20th

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