The Benefits of Floor Trusses and Engineered Wood

When you think of technological advancements, your mind might automatically gravitate toward industries like cellular phones, automotive or electronics. To most people, the construction sector doesn’t generally seem like the kind of industry that has experienced a lot of technological advances, but in reality, it’s one of the most innovative industries out there.

The construction industry is constantly changing. Evolving building codes, sustainability regulations, skilled labor shortages, jurisdictional policy, environmental concerns and rising costs all put pressure on the industry to adapt. Manufacturers and suppliers have consistently responded with innovation in product development and construction techniques when confronted with these ever-changing circumstances. One example of this adaptability is emergence, growth and acceptance of engineered floor trusses in design and construction.

While engineered floor trusses are nothing new, they have continued to increase in popularity over the past couple of decades due to their exceptional strength, construction advantages, durability and reliability. If you’ve been considering using engineered floor trusses in your building projects, below are some of the key reasons why switching to an engineered wood truss can be a good idea.

Floor trusses are typically built with 2×4 framing material and can provide a solution to many common floor framing problems. First, the wide stable bearing surface makes floor trusses easy to work on and around. Contractors appreciate that the wide nailing surface because it provides for easy gluing and quick, accurate attachment of sheathing. They also appreciate that floor trusses are manufactured in a controlled factory environment, which significantly minimizes material shrinkage, warping and twisting. This is important to the homeowner because it reduces squeaks and improves the floor performance for the life of the structure.

Manufactured floor trusses are designed and engineered specifically for each individual job. This is important to architects and contractors because it allows for greater efficiency and design versatility. Floor trusses provide the opportunity for shallower or deeper depths. This allows the stiffness and strength to be designed into the floor truss creating a more solid floor and at the same time offering increased flexibility in floor plans. The longer spans and girder truss options reduce the need for intermediate bearing walls, beams columns and footings. This creates remarkable options for design while reducing installation time and construction costs.

The most significant benefit of floor trusses is the open web design. The open space between the chords and webs of the floor trusses offers tremendous advantages for contractors, architects and engineers. First, it eliminates the need for notching or boring by mechanical contractors and allows greater flexibility for plumbing, electrical and HVAC runs. This significantly improves the speed and efficiency of the construction process. The open web design also provides an economic benefit. Because floor trusses utilize smaller pieces of wood designed specifically for the job, there is also much less waste in the plant and on the jobsite. Less waste means lower disposal costs and inherent environmental and sustainability benefits to homeowner. 

If you are considering a change in your floor framing materials and techniques, we encourage you to stop by Wilson Lumber and meet with one of our engineered floor designers. They will use your blueprint to create a precise engineered floor plan that can save you time and money while improving the overall design and sustainability of the project.