A beginner’s guide to oak trusses.

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What are oak trusses used for?

Oak trusses are used to provide the triangular frame support that is used in many traditional forms of roof. However, it has become increasingly common to install them as a visible design feature and in this case, the truss may not always be responsible for holding anything up.

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You may not have seen your own roof trusses, unless you have been up in the loft, but you will almost certainly have seen them on new homes that are being built. For some properties with vaulted ceilings, the trusses can be left exposed as part of the design.

Oak trusses are made in a triangular shape as this increases their load-bearing strength. They are usually created in a workshop and then transported to site and lifted into place by crane, due to their size and weight. This reduces the cost when compared to full on-site creation and also makes them quicker to install.

However, according to the Daily Mail, whilst rebuilding the Notre Dame Cathedral, the team of carpenters raised a roof truss weighing a staggering three tons into place – by hand!

Popular types of truss.

Oak trusses, such as those seen here https://www.timberpride.co.uk/oak-trusses/ can be designed in a variety of configurations. This all depends on the design of the roof, as well as the size and pitch. Popular types of truss include king post, queen post, fink and collared, but there can be many other variations, including mono pitch trusses which can be used in a lean-to roof.

Ensuring that you use skilled professionals is imperative. They can also give advice and recommend the best truss style for your roof.

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Benefits to using oak roof trusses.

Oak is often used for creating roof trusses as it is readily available in the UK. Oak is a naturally strong and durable timber, which makes it ideal to use for roof supports. As oak trees are naturally very tall, it is easy to produce longer lengths of wood and avoids the requirement to join pieces together. Oak can last a lifetime, which immediately makes it more cost effective than using cheaper materials.

For carports and locations in which the trusses may be exposed to the elements, oak is a natural choice as it is highly water-resistant. This will again make it longer-lasting and more cost effective based upon an extended lifetime.

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