Certain conditions must be met before an attic truss can be built.
Cannot produce an attic truss a flat ceiling.
Roof trusses are a common means of support and load bearing.
Do your research beforehand for best results.
This will attach your frame or subfloor to the trusses and will prevent potential damage to the interior ceiling which typically can t carry a heavy load.
Screw the boards into the ceiling joists.
Scissor trusses are available for cathedral ceilings but the angle of the ceiling can t be as steep as when rafters are used.
Remember any alterations to a roof should be undertaken only with an engineer.
Use an electric screwdriver to screw through the sides of the boards down into the ceiling trusses.
If the roof slope is steeper than 9 inches in 12 inches of run it doesn t take much width to end up with a nice room 12 feet wide with an 8 foot ceiling.
Considering usable floor space.
Converting a common truss into an attic truss can improve your home s value so it s worth it if you have the skills for such a project.
Look at this photo of the space created by attic trusses at my home.
The structural webbing of trusses limits what you can do with the space beneath and between them.
Its purpose is to create flat vertical walls in the attic space.
The truss will support its own weight the gypsum ceiling below insulation and light fixtures.
Trusses move but they don t sway.
And most homes with trusses have flat ceilings.
The structure should be sufficiently wide to allow for a loft and attic spaces the loft area must be on a living floor and have attic rooms on both sides separated by knee walls a flat ceiling in the loft area and a floor below steep enough roof pitch to provide appropriate ceiling height for the loft area.
However if you want to better utilize the space in your loft you may consider changing roof trusses and going for stick framing or rafters instead.
Forget about a finished attic.
Attic trusses have a rectangular shape inside each truss.
Before you decide to modify trusses for attic space you should be aware that it s not as easy as you may think.
I have this above my own garage.
A knee wall is a partial height wall that extends from the attic floor to the bottom of the rafters.