Setting roof trusses

[billgreenwood]

So now that I have the posts for my barn stood upright and some of the side girts installed I have come to the realization that I didn't think things through very well. Sixteen foot eave height is rather tall and I don't think I am capable or comfortable to try getting the roof trusses up there even with some help. Due to budget concerns I don't think renting the equipment needed is a feasible option so I will probably hire out this portion of my build.

All that being said, does anyone know of a decent company in the central Texas (Ft. Hood/Waco/Austin) area that would be able to do this and be reasonably priced? Thanks for any help y'all can provide.

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[K'ledgeBldr]

A framing contractor that does a lot of trusses- they'll probably have crane connections. That would be the easiest and overall fastest way to do it.

If the barn is open for a piece of machinery to maneuver around, they maybe able to set trusses with a lull. But that would be time consuming.

 

[spotco2]

How long are the trusses and how tall are the walls?

We've done them just by setting people on each wall and pushing them up and flipping them with long 2x4's.

 

[brownsmustang]

I've hung hundreds of trusses. Most can be done by a guy on each wall pulling the truss up with rope (the larger rope is easier on the hands). Setting the truss on the wall then a guy in the middle with a forked 2x4 flips it. Don't lolly gag with the truss flat, the move needs to be quick. If you put the forked part of your flip stick towards the truss it'll make them easier to stablize.

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[MushCreek]

Anyone attempting to DIY this needs to be careful! When we built our house, I had two volunteer helpers and hired a crane and operator. It took us about 6 hours, but we're old, inexperienced, and careful. I set up my scaffolding so I didn't have to balance on the top wall, some 20' tall on the downhill side of the house. I made spacers to space the trusses quickly and easily. I braced them as I went, as having a roof full of trusses collapse is extremely dangerous. I worker was killed near here from that, and they were supposedly 'pros'.

One thing I learned early on is that if you're afraid to do something dangerous, don't do it! Pay someone else, and live to fight another day. I thought I was going to build my own barn, until I realized the sheer size of it.

 

[billgreenwood]

How long are the trusses and how tall are the walls?

We've done them just by setting people on each wall and pushing them up and flipping them with long 2x4's.

The trusses are 30ft wide with one foot overhang on each side. The sidewalls are 16ft tall. Originally I had planned to do everything myself+friends but after standing the posts up and seeing how far up there the trusses have to go I just don't feel comfortable doing it.

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[Spoiled Bradt]

Whoever built the trusses will know some guys.

 

[billgreenwood]

Unfortunately the trusses were not locally purchased. Most of the large outbuildings in my area are red iron framed so there are not many people that work with this type of construction.

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[readhead]

A crane will be the most efficient and safe way to go. Check out some pricing and you might be surprised how inexpensive it is. A forklift will probably be more money and way slower unless you can use it for other things.

 

[T_R]

How long at the trusses? I set 24 footers alone with just a step ladder and some rope.

Renting a scissor lift or hiring a crane for a few hours is probably going to be cheaper than hiring a crew. But you never know, I would price all options first.

 

[Falcon67]

I'd rent one of these - lift the trusses up upside down, set on the plates then use the Sky Trak to flip up. After you get 2~3 in place you can use OSB decking to start building a work path across the trusses.

 

[manwithtools]

With 16 foot high walls I would not even try to set trusses manually. Get a crew with a crane, it's far less expensive than the hospital bill or the lost work time - not to mention you would still end up having to pay someone to do it for you anyway.

I'm an avid DIY guy, but I don't want to be responsible for hurting a friend, relative or myself while trying to save a few dollars. There is little room for error while setting trusses that size that high in the air.

 

[rburke65]

Gee.....how long are the trusses? ......dah. Does no one read the posts? My opinion is to hire it out, or at least hire a crane service. Be careful with this area of your build.

 

[T_R]

Gee.....how long are the trusses? ......dah. Does no one read the posts? My opinion is to hire it out, or at least hire a crane service. Be careful with this area of your build.

You're right I missed the reply that they are 30'. I could handle that and I am no expert builder. I did 24 alone with no helper. 16' wall height isn't that bad. Use a 16' step ladder they are stable. Grab the truss, put one end on the sidewall upside down, climb your stepladder holding one end of the truss then set it on the other side wall upside down. You stack all your trusses except the last 3 or 4 at one end hanging upside down. The last few you lay on top of each across the side and front walls. Then you put some temporary braces vertically on the rear wall and tip the rear truss up to it and nail to bracing. Stand in the center of the building on a step ladder flip the next truss up and nail it to the one before with some temporary bracing. You cut your temporary braces to size so you don't have to measure on a ladder. When you get enough up there, nail an 8' 2x4 to the trusses to further stablize them. From there you just keep on trucking down the line and raise them all. It's not hard or complicated really. I'd want a helper on this job, but if I really had too I could do it alone. It even easier with one guy on the ground with a rope to flip the trusses and a second on a stepladder to nail them. I raised trusses on a whole 24x24 building alone in half a day.

 

[gungatim]

kind of embarrassing but I helped put trusses up on a 30 ft 12 side wall garage using something I saw on Bob Villa...they made temporary ledger shelf brackets like 4 ft. wide mounted to the side of a house to make a temporary catwalk. we used that idea but added some temporary 2x along the girts then added the "jumbo brackets" with some extra uprights and plywood to make a walkway along the entire length of the 2 long edges.

then we just did the standard pull one end up, then the other, then flip with long 2x4. the walkway was nice because we could walk the entire length, and of course used the metal strapping to nail on for spacing.

when it was done we just tore them down...it was a bit more work up front but made the job much safer and nobody had to do anything we felt was unsafe.

 

[matt_i]

Can use a regular forklift too, but will have to invent a "post" to make up for the probable inability to make the mast go that high. A shooting boom forklift will have a higher range.

 

[PWC Repair]

Crane service is the way to go. Several times at different jobsites I've seen the trusses set in packs of 3 or 4 with 2x6s tying them together at the proper spacing. The crane lifts a pack at a time with wide webbed straps. They can set them all in place and be gone in a minimum amount of time on your dime.

 

[brownsmustang]

30 footers are not bad to set by hand. 2x4 trusses or 2x6?
If you hire the crane don't get in a hurry thinking about the per hour charge. The danger is still there crane or not. The only difference a crane makes is lifting the truss. You still have to scale a wall. Moving ladders and such.
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[j p smith]

My vote is to have some guys come in and do it. When we did ours they put 1 end gable up first and braced it to the ground, then 4 guys and the crane operator put up 38 more truss's. The crane & operator were there 1 hour start to finish. I like to do a lot myself but sometimes you save where you can to offset cost like a crane & 4 guys for an hour. Shop is 40 foot wide.

 

[billgreenwood]

The trusses are 2x4 construction. I appreciate the helpful ideas but I am pretty well set on hiring this out. It is not only a safety consideration but also being able to take time off from work (active military) to work around a crane operator's schedule would be troublesome.

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[spotco2]

There's no shame in subbing it out.

I did my 10' walls and was comfortable with it. 16' is not as comfortable to me even on a ladder, much less straddling a post.

 

[billgreenwood]

Yeah, I climbed up towards the top of a post on my extension ladder. I was still about 3-4 feet from the top and I was not happy about being up there.

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[manwithtools]

Smart man. Use your time wisely. I've gotten better about that as the years go by.

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[wentworth6]

Good evening,
We have 16 foot poles in ground as well. 60 x 80 shop. Our truss mfg has a boom truck to set. They also recommended a crew for 800.oo to set and install purlins. Just a thought. Best wishes this is my first post. this site is awesome .

 

[nadogail]

Welcome Aboard

 

[DTE]

I built my shop last summer and I hired 3 really good carpenters and they did the whole roof system from the top plate up. Trusses, sheeting , installed the metal and all the boxing. There is no way I could have done the quality work they did and it took 3 of them 36 hours to put the complete roof system on.

 

[billgreenwood]

I built my shop last summer and I hired 3 really good carpenters and they did the whole roof system from the top plate up. Trusses, sheeting , installed the metal and all the boxing. There is no way I could have done the quality work they did and it took 3 of them 36 hours to put the complete roof system on.

Please tell me you are in central Texas? I haven't been able to find anyone locally so far.

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[DTE]

No I am in NC, is there no new house construction going on around you ? that would be a way to find some framers , or a small lumber yard where they buy their supplies at , I don't blame you for staying on the ground, the guys that done mine are friends but they do it every day and they walked around on the trusses like a cat, I have no interest in being up there.

 

[billgreenwood]

Well that is unfortunate. There is new construction but not much quality work, most of it is the cookie cutter suburbia from hell type houses.

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[holdover]

Here is what I did.. 40' truss

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107589

 

[billgreenwood]

Holdover,

I remember reading through your thread several months ago when I was doing research for my shop. That is a great way to set trusses and I would love to do that. When are you brining your tractor and truss attachment over to my place? But in all seriousness, I don't have a tractor to even be able to fab a bracket for in the first place. Anyone want to donate to my new tractor fund?

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[NUTTSGT]

There's no shame in subbing it out.

I did my 10' walls and was comfortable with it. 16' is not as comfortable to me even on a ladder, much less straddling a post.

I agree, no shame whatsoever. 16' is a decent height to work from, especially if you're not used to it. If you don't feel safe either hire it out and take a deep breath and go for it. Either way, you do what you have to do as a 16' fall can really (permanently) mess you or some lucky guys would get up and dust themselves off.


If you hire it out, you might to price them to sheath the roof also or atleast put the first course of plywood/osb up.

 

[cj7jeep81]

I would also recommend getting all the side girts installed prior to setting the trusses. Makes it a lot safer/easier as they guys on the sides don't need ladders that way (just stand on the girts).

This is just us setting the truss carrier/header on the sides, but same deal for setting the trusses. My sidewalls are nearly 17', so very similar to yours (although we set 40' trusses). If you stand on the girts like that (one leg hooked in front), it is surprisingly stable. Once you get used to it, it's no problem to use both hands to work/lean back/etc.

 

[billgreenwood]

I am currently working on hanging the side girts from the bottom up. I am trying to get prices for putting the trusses up but once the girts are finished I will re-evaluate being up that high and working on the trusses.

Still trying to find a company in central Texas that will do this.

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[K'ledgeBldr]

Contact:

http://www.foxgal.com/locations/waco-tx/

Bell Structural Solutions
Mansfield, Texas 76063
(214) 605-3673

ProBuild Round Rock, Texas 78665 (512) 759-1942

I'm sure that between these 3 you'll find a framing crew/truss crew that can knockout the job quickly.

 

[2old2soon]

I just set my trusses about three weeks ago, only 10’ side walls and was planning to set them off of ladders. I quickly realized that was a bad plan as I didn’t feel we could do it safely. I called my nephew and he stopped by with one of his cranes and knocked it out in just over an hour. He is in the monument business and he uses these cranes to set monuments in cemeteries. Look around and you may be surprised at who has cranes that you may be able to hire during their slack time.

 

[swamp donkey]

I have to agree with feeling uncomfortable up that high. My walls are 12' and being up that high with not much to hang onto can give an uneasy feeling for sure. We rented an Aerial Boom lift to do my trusses. This machine was a time and life saver. I will admit though, once you are up there for a while it gets a lot more comfortable. Now I'm not afraid to climb around at those heights. I would not look down on you for subbing it out. It can be scary work if you're not used to it. Good luck!

 

[billgreenwood]

So we ended up renting a boom lift with a basket on the end for a person to stand in. We strapped the trusses to the front of the basket and zig-zagged back and forth between the girts up to the top. I did end up buying a safety harness kit for when I was putting the purlins up.

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[Justanoldguy]

Due to budget concerns I don't think renting the equipment needed is a feasible option so I will probably hire out this portion of my build.

Kind of a contradiction going on here.

 

[billgreenwood]

Originally I was looking at renting a telescoping forklift such as a skytrack and that was way out of our price range. My wife ended up finding a rental company that had a towable boom lift that was lower in price and also didn't have a delivery and pick-up fee. We got the towable lift for a week at the price it would have been for a day with a skytrack.

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