The Difference Between Rafters And Trusses

When it comes to holding up the roof for your home, you can choose between rafters or trusses. There are differences between the two that are crucial to your home’s structure, and it pays to be informed about them. In this post, the trusted roofing contractor Barth Roofing Company, Inc. discusses the difference between rafters and trusses.

Rafters

Rafters are a series of sloped structural wooden pieces that extend from a ridge area to the plate of a wall or an eave. A pair of rafters is referred to as a couple. Rafter construction in roofs is called “stick framing”. Rafters are designed to support not only the roof but also its associated loads.

Rafter Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Rafters provide more attic space. The construction leaves the attic a void space. If you like some extra room or storage space, consider choosing rafter.
2. As rafters leave a big space, elaborate ceiling designs are also possible with this roof construction. 
3. The open space may also be convenient if you’re planning on installing insulation in the attic. Installing a solar in your roof would be easy with the extra space in the attic for the wiring. Make sure to talk with a roofing contractor or a solar roof company. They can help you with a suitable efficiency barrier for your home. 
4. Rafters are built on-site, so there less lead time and planning is needed.

Cons:

1. Stick-building the rafters on the construction site is time-consuming and costly. A large residential home may take a week. 
2. It requires a lot of skilled workers on-site. The method of rafters construction needs craftsmen that are hard to find nowadays.

Trusses

A truss is an assembly of beams that creates a rigid structure. It is usually a wooden structure that forms a triangular webbing to provide support for the roof. It connects the roof and the outside walls of your home. It is designed to distribute the weight of the roof over a broad area.

    Pros:

1. Trusses are normally made in a certified indoor factory. They are cut by computer-aided saws and equipment. Quality control is assured and consistent.
2. The trusses can be arranged to be delivered on the exact day it’s needed. On-site storage is not required so other materials can be accommodated. 
3. An entire residential roof can be trussed by skilled workers in less than a few days. Truss is popular for its fast construction.
4. Truss is designed to strongly support a wider area. The triangle structure utilized cost-effective lengths of wood. This makes truss roof construction less expensive. 

Cons

1. The triangular webbing structure of trusses does not leave any space for an attic.
2. The construction may be cost-effective but manufacturing the trusses is expensive. Finished trusses are bulky, needing big trucks for delivery. 

For professional roof repair and services, Barth Roofing Company, Inc. has you covered. Call us at (209) 833-9917 or fill out our contact form to book an appointment.