When you are building a new home, one of the considerations you need to make is whether you are going to choose rafters or trusses for your roof. To make the decision, you will need to understand the difference between the two, and what the pros and cons of each are. Years ago, all homes were built with traditional rafters because they were easier to maneuver and easier to install. The lumber used was dimensional and they brought the roof to a peak and tied into the ridge board. Collar ties were used to hold rafters and planes together, and this is what most people are used to seeing when they look at a roof.
Over the years, trusses replaced rafters because they allow for custom designs and they are less expensive. They have smaller, engineered wood members that reduce the amount of material necessary, as well as improve the weight bearing capacity and life of the wood. Since trusses come premade, they are easier to install, and the wear and tear is more predictable over time than traditional wood rafters.
Choosing between rafters and trusses can be difficult. However, if you take into consideration the design of your new home, and the architectural details you would like to add to the interior, you can decide the best approach for designing your roof. If you have any questions about roof trusses contractors sydney, check reviews online and learn what other people think about the services provided by different contractors in your area.
Benefits of Roof Trusses
While rafters and roof trusses are structurally different, they have their own unique benefits. Here we will touch on some of the commonly sought-after design concepts and which option is best for them. Rafters are well known in the roofing business to be time consuming to install. They can take as long as a week to install all of the rafters needed for a house. Unlike rafters, roof trusses only take one day to install for an experienced carpenter. While roof trusses offer a lot of benefits, rafters still have benefits in construction. If you are planning an open layout for your home, you will want to choose rafters for your project. While rafters help create an open layout, they are not helpful in creating design appeal, like vaulted ceilings. However, with trusses you are not as free to create open layouts because of their structural limitations.
Lead Time
Another benefit to choosing rafters instead of trusses is the amount of lead time necessary to have trusses created. Ordering trusses requires engineering experience and blueprint expertise. If the project wasn’t planned in advance, having the trusses made can really throw off the timing of your project. Since trusses take a few weeks to engineer and create, so rafters would be ideal for urgent projects. By checking reviews, you will be able to decide the best contractors to contact for the work you need to have done on your new home.