Do I need these 45 degree braces?

[mikebsnyder]

I was surprised to see these and asked the builder and he said the Amish crew likes to add them and they’re “overkill” and most guys don’t keep them. I’m finishing the inside with liner panel so would like to not have them... it’s a new build attached to an existing building perpendicular.

 

[Mr. D]

Maybe a picture would help.

 

[dfiler2]

No picture but if they are on the wall and you are putting liner panel on that wall that will become your bracing and hold a lot more than a 2x4 nailed to the girts. If they are going from the poles to the rafters that's a little different.

 

[chaosracing]

If its the "Y" bracing that comes off the sides of the pole up to the 2x12 header boards, yes keep them in place, they add a great deal of strength for wind loading. If its the braces that goes from the poles to the rafters on the inside of the building, then not really. And I have yet to see an Amish crew use that style bracing, except for temporary support and they remove them themselves.

But as mentioned, a picture would be great.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Here's the picture. Imgur pictures need some trick to get them to post correctly directly from their site.

 

[8mpg]

Id take them off and put on some hurricane straps to hold the trusses to the top

 

[mikebsnyder]

Maybe a picture would help.

I’m new my post count isn’t high enough to post pics I guess. Stuart posted it for me above.

 

[mikebsnyder]

Here's the picture. Imgur pictures need some trick to get them to post correctly directly from their site.


I guess my account is too new to post pics I appreciate you posting it. In fact I just had to remove the image from your post quote reply here to reply. Post 3 need 2 more!

 

[chaosracing]

Id take them off and put on some hurricane straps to hold the trusses to the top

Builder should have put hurricane straps on. Thats why I did use Amish builders, they build the stuff to last.

Yes, you can remove them once the building is complete.

 

[mikebsnyder]

If its the "Y" bracing that comes off the sides of the pole up to the 2x12 header boards, yes keep them in place, they add a great deal of strength for wind loading. If its the braces that goes from the poles to the rafters on the inside of the building, then not really. And I have yet to see an Amish crew use that style bracing, except for temporary support and they remove them themselves.

But as mentioned, a picture would be great.

Stuart got it to post for me. But they’re the interior ones.

 

[kelpaso1]

If those can be removed (non structural) after the building is done and was just bracing for the build, then that builder is pretty lazy to not remove them before they called the job done.. WTH, how does he think the owner is supposed to do the walls and ceiling? Expect the home owner to cut/remove them? If those are structural then wtf kind of design it that?

 

[RocketScott]

Yea, you don't need those.

I also agree that some H1 clips would be a great idea.

 

[PassnThru]

In this case, I would check to make sure they nailed the trusses to the top plate? If so, why have the braces?

 

[LXCam]

Hard to confirm on my phone but it looks like they used post savers. I'd have to imagine those were installed to rack the walls plumb for some odd reason. But they certainly look to be installed identical with a great deal of care and not just tossed on like most temp bracing, very odd. OP are you able to contact the builder and ask? I'd be interested in knowing why.

 

[mikebsnyder]

Builder should have put hurricane straps on. Thats why I did use Amish builders, they build the stuff to last.

Yes, you can remove them once the building is complete.

This was an Amish crew - I’ll put on or have them put on hurricane straps and take these braces down. Thanks!

 

[mikebsnyder]

If those can be removed (non structural) after the building is done and was just bracing for the build, then that builder is pretty lazy to not remove them before they called the job done.. WTH, how does he think the owner is supposed to do the walls and ceiling? Expect the home owner to cut/remove them? If those are structural then wtf kind of design it that?

They’re not done just had the structural inspection today and I was asking the contractor about the braces. FWIW they used long 2x4’s as bracing while building these were in the crew’s mind perm I believe.

 

[mikebsnyder]

In this case, I would check to make sure they nailed the trusses to the top plate? If so, why have the braces?

I realize now you can’t see in the pic from that angle but they’re nailed to the posts as the posts extend past the top plate. Then on the non post trusses they nailed short posts to the top plate then trusses nailed to those.

 

[mikebsnyder]

Hard to confirm on my phone but it looks like they used post savers. I'd have to imagine those were installed to rack the walls plumb for some odd reason. But they certainly look to be installed identical with a great deal of care and not just tossed on like most temp bracing, very odd. OP are you able to contact the builder and ask? I'd be interested in knowing why.

The post savers are all the way around - every post has one. The builder isn’t done he said that crew likes to go overkill on bracing. But I think I’ll have them do hurricane straps and remove the bracing.

 

[RocketScott]

It's not a bad idea to leave them for a bit if you can, they will help keep the building from racking.

Once the posts dry out they shouldn't move much.

 

[SimS]

Is that window really in front/behind a post?

SimS

 

[Old Man Roger]

Is that window really in front/behind a post?

SimS

Right? It looks like the whole thing is an addition to the exterior wall of an existing structure.

 

[kbs2244]

I would leave them in place.
They do two things.
Resist racking and help hold down the roof.
I do not see any anti-rack bracing in your end walls.

How much hassle is it going to be to notch some panels?

 

[Augus7us]

Here is a post I made about the exact same thing and had some useful replies.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=382001

Like this post there was some back and forth. Ultimately I'm going to cut them at the bottom cord of the truss. Mine are just toenailed in and that provides very little structural support in my eyes. Since that thread I spoke with one of my neighbors who has the same shop as mine and he had his built. He told me they said he could remove them and he is. Same as me he doesn't want to look at them or finish around them.

-Clint

 

[joe_padavano]

I would leave them in place.
They do two things.
Resist racking and help hold down the roof.
I do not see any anti-rack bracing in your end walls.

How much hassle is it going to be to notch some panels?

^^^^THIS!

Without those diagonals, you effectively have a hinge connection between the trusses and the beams that they sit on. These are to stabilize against racking. Now, I don't think you need THAT many, but you do need some. If the end wall were continuous sheeting, that would also provide stability, but with doors on the end wall, you need bracing. Depending on how long the building is, you need them periodically along the length.

Your builder clearly isn't an engineer.

 

[bobbyjean]

Here's the picture. Imgur pictures need some trick to get them to post correctly directly from their site.

i guess it is overkill...but ...can you rework those supports to be above the carrier beam(secured to post top) and use the hurricane straps as well...dunno...i'm a wood butcher

 

[bob15]

You could also leave them, box it in and use it as a raceway for electric and plumbing for air lines.

 

[mikebsnyder]

Is that window really in front/behind a post?

SimS

Yes that was my call. I’m putting a 8ft roll up door between the two new posts to the right of the blocked window - there’s a small existing shop behind there. I’ll remove the window and on the inside drywall over it.

 

[manwithtools]

I'm not sure if everyone realizes that this building is a perpendicular extension to an existing building. The structure of the existing building provides the stiffness to prevent racking for this building for at least the distance they share a wall.

I see that a minimum of 4 (probably 5 or 6) of those braces doing nothing meaningful in the way of preventing racking. The rafters do need a secure connection at the eave to prevent uplift, but those braces where the wall is shared are certainly not needed and are likely more the case of builder habit or a generic engineering plan from the building supplier.

 

[outdoorspace]

Are the trusses designed for the forces applied by those braces?

 

[RustyJunk]

I would think there are some drawings somewhere since someone had to engineer and build those trusses, what do they show for bracing?

 

[manwithtools]

I hope everyone realizes that pole building companies use generic engineering calculations for their buildings. It has very little to do with this specific application.

 

[bczygan]

Structurally I would keep them. Triangulation is everything.

Aesthetically and practically, they gotta go.

Bill

 

[PelicanPines]

I was surprised to see these and asked the builder and he said the Amish crew likes to add them and they’re “overkill” and most guys don’t keep them. I’m finishing the inside with liner panel so would like to not have them... it’s a new build attached to an existing building perpendicular.

I like them

 

[coljar]

I'm not sure if everyone realizes that this building is a perpendicular extension to an existing building. The structure of the existing building provides the stiffness to prevent racking for this building for at least the distance they share a wall.

I see that a minimum of 4 (probably 5 or 6) of those braces doing nothing meaningful in the way of preventing racking. The rafters do need a secure connection at the eave to prevent uplift, but those braces where the wall is shared are certainly not needed and are likely more the case of builder habit or a generic engineering plan from the building supplier.

This.^^ I would be curious to see an outside picture of how they done the roof line.