FAQ’s

Category: Products/Services

Question:

What does SWC need in order to obtain a quote and have my Heavy Timber Trusses built?

Answer:

In order to get started, it is helpful for the customer to answer as many of the following questions as possible, some of which SWC may assist with:

How many trusses are needed?
What general design or truss configuration is preferred?
Are the trusses simply Decorative or also Structural?
Will an engineer’s stamped drawings, and perhaps a calculation package be required?
Is there a specific wood species preferred?
What wood finish is desired, Rough, Smooth, or other?
Any particular timber size desired?
Does customer want external connection plates & bolts or another assembly method?
What are critical truss dimensions, such as span, pitch, heel height or foot width?
These dimensions are shown on our Quote Request Form.
Do you want SWC to ship the trusses to your job site? What is the location?
What is your required delivery date?

Click here to complete a Quote Request Form

Question:		How do I decide on a truss design?
Answer:		A customer may wish to consult with his architect or builder on this, or SWC can offer suggestions utilizing photographs, CAD drawings and other reference material from previous jobs. Truss design is very much a customer preference, but is also dependent on whether or not the truss needs to be Structural in addition to Decorative. Member sizing is frequently driven by building parameters such as roof pitch, truss spacing, room span, and roof configuration. Click here to see Truss Examples.

Question:		Does SWC engineer its trusses?
Answer:		This depends on whether or not the trusses are purely Decorative, or both Decorative and Structural. All Structural trusses must be engineered. The customer may assume this responsibility by providing plans certified by his engineer, or SWC will charge a fee to have a Professional Engineer review the design. The engineer utilizes building loads provided by the customer or derived from plans. In this case, SWC will provide a stamped drawing certifying the load-carrying capability of the truss. Please note that standard engineering analysis will only take into consideration vertical loads such as dead, live and uplift roof loads. No lateral loading is considered unless specifically requested as part of the engineering scope. Trusses that are Decorative only (supporting no significant building load) are typically self-supporting and do not require a formal engineering review.

Question:		Can I use curved members such as arches?
Answer:		Yes, we frequently use curved members in truss design. In most cases, the trusses must be non-structural. Component radius and length is limited by the available width (and associated expense) of the solid beam from which the arched member must be cut. When using curved members made of glue-laminated beams, there is virtually no limit to the design and structural applications. Curved Glulams are frequently used for institutional installations such as churches, schools or recreational facilities.

Question:		What type of surface texture do the timbers have?
Answer:		Depending on the customer’s preference, we build most trusses with either a RS (“Rough Sawn” meaning band sawn or “fuzzy” textured) finish or S4S (“Smooth on Four Sides” or planed) finish. We also supply trusses built of reclaimed materials having a beautiful, naturally aged surface, or offer several faux surface textures replicating antique or reclaimed materials.

Question:		Does SWC treat, seal, stain or paint truss materials?
Answer:		For exterior applications, we frequently have raw material pressure treated prior to truss fabrication. Note that not all species (Example: Douglas Fir) can be pressure treated effectively, and that some materials (Example: Western Red Cedar) are naturally resistant to insects and moisture. As an alternative to pressure treatment, we will apply a cedar-oil based penetrant treatment (Trade name: Cedar Shield) that helps stabilize wood and provides resistance to moisture and insect-related decay. This treatment is colorless, leaves the material looking completely natural when dry, and can be painted or stained like untreated wood. We do not apply any other stains, paints or sealers at our facility. We do not recommend this because it is difficult to avoid minor cosmetic damage during shipping, handling and installation. Most trusses also experience limited exposure to the elements during framing. We have found that most clients prefer to use their painter to coordinate truss finishing with other final painting of the building near the end of a project.

Category: Materials

Question:		What material should I use?
Answer:		SWC builds most of its trusses from Southern Yellow Pine, Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Cypress or Glue-laminated materials. Material selection is driven by several factors: Customer preference Strength requirements Truss location & exposure to elements Pricing considerations Please see the website’s section on material selection for more information, or contact us for more detailed discussion.

Question:		Does SWC utilize kiln-dried materials?
Answer:		This depends on the wood species utilized. Most of our Southern Yellow Pine Product is kiln-dried. This helps minimize further shrinkage of the timber after fabrication, but sometimes causes more checking (material splitting) up front. Dried material is less prone to checking after the drying process. Unless kiln-dried material is specially ordered, our standard Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar will be green (not dried). Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar generally do not require drying because they are inherently drier species and undergo air-drying during transit from the west coast. Cypress is a more stabile material (exhibits less shrinkage and checking with time) and we use mainly green Cypress during fabrication. Please contact us for any special drying requirements which can usually be accommodated.

Question:		Can I use treated wood?
Answer:		Treated wood is frequently used in exterior installations and is a proven way to guard against the long-term effects of moisture or insect-related decay. Certain treatments are colorless or of a tint suitable for light and medium stains. If darker staining or painting is planned, most treated wood will be unnoticeable after finishing. Care must be taken to use corrosion resistant hardware in these cases, since many treatments are corrosive to metals. Regulatory agencies also restrict the use of certain treatments in certain applications or installation locations for health and safety reasons. Please contact us if further information is required.

Question:		Can I use antique, reclaimed, or recycled wood?
Answer:		Yes, we fabricate trusses with antique or reclaimed wood to satisfy customers’ architectural or green construction objectives. There is a price premium for this material and many times, exact beam size is influenced by material availability. As an alternative, we offer several faux surface textures replicating a “reclaimed” or “time-worn” look.

Question:		What materials are used for the hardware?
Answer:		Various materials can be supplied, but our standard is A36 steel for connection plates, brackets or saddles, and A307 grade material for bolting. We are able to supply stainless steel plate and fasteners, or higher strength materials if required.

Question:		How are connection plates coated?
Answer:		Our standard A36 connection plates are delivered with one coat of black, alkyd based multi-purpose primer and finish paint. Depending on the customer’s requirements, we frequently galvanize plates that are used on exterior trusses. This is a requirement for most trusses utilizing treated wood, since the treatment is somewhat corrosive to hardware. The plate can be left as-galvanized, or painted over with the black paint above. When galvanized, the black-painted finish will have a slightly duller, textured finish because of the plating underneath. Another option is to powder coat plates, either with or without galvanizing. Powder coating is applied by an outside vendor and the surface finish is much smoother, with numerous possible colors and finishes. There is a minor price premium and slightly longer lead time associated with powder coating. Occasionally we leave plates and bolts unpainted so that a naturally rusted finish occurs. This is commonly used with interior trusses using reclaimed timbers for a more rustic appearance.

Question:		How are fasteners coated?
Answer:		Unless specified otherwise by the customer, all of our standard fasteners are galvanized. This eliminates staining of the truss members with shipping oil or rust during the installation phase of all trusses, and protects against treated materials and the elements for exterior trusses. Most fasteners are painted black over the galvanized finish and can be repainted or retouched in the field after installation.

Category: Installation

Question:		Is installation provided?
Answer:		SWC does not provide installation services. Most customers utilize their framer for this service, or we can recommend an experienced Heavy Timber Truss installer if requested. Click here for installer Green Mountain Building. Click here for crane operator Pronto Cranes.

Category: Shipment

Question:		Does SWC deliver trusses to my job site and how are they unloaded?
Answer:		Yes, we arrange for delivery of our customers’ fully assembled trusses if requested. In most cases, trusses are delivered laying horizontal on a flatbed trailer. We utilize our own trailer for smaller truss jobs in the local Houston area, and a specific third party carrier experienced in hauling our product for long distance and heavier jobs. The customer will need to provide labor and equipment at the job site for unloading. SWC can offer guidance regarding unloading/installation methods and equipment.

Question:		Are my trusses delivered assembled or in pieces?
Answer:		In most cases, trusses are delivered as one full assembly, ready to install. Occasionally, we manufacture very large trusses that must be partially disassembled (typically in halves) to allow shipping by truck within legal limits. In these cases we mark all truss components clearly for re-assembly in the field prior to setting. Trusses can also be fabricated and broken down into pieces for re-assembly in spaces where overhead access is blocked, but we need to know this in advance of the initial fabrication process.

Question:		Does SWC wrap trusses independently for shipment?
Answer:		No, we do not individually wrap trusses for shipment. This is a typical practice for Glulam beam shipment to help protect unfinished wood from the elements. It is virtually impossible to wrap the individual members of a finished truss in a waterproof manner after fabrication. This is because of joint geometry and irregular surfaces created by bolts, plates and other features. Wrapping can actually accelerate surface mildew and mold by trapping water and dampness. Our truck loads are covered with a tarp for shipping in inclement weather and we recommend customers cover truss stacks on the job site with good ventilation from below if stored for extended periods. Brief exposure to the elements during the framing stage is generally not a problem.

Category: General Info

Question:		Are cracks in my heavy timbers normal?
Answer:		Cracks or splits, generally referred to in the industry as “checking”, are fairly common in heavy timbers. This behavior occurs to a varying degree depending on several factors such as: wood species, particular timber, exposure to humidity or dryness, grain in timber cross section, beam size, drying process and other factors. Checking is caused when a piece of wood continues to transition from its live (or green) to dry state. Splits as wide as a pencil-width are possible and are permitted within certain tolerances according to standard grading criteria. These features characterize the “heavy timber look” most architects and customers are striving for. There is no need for concern unless significant checking occurs through multiple bolt holes near truss joints, which is extremely unusual. SWC will assist the customer with evaluation of any checking which is believed to be of structural concern.

Question:		What type of warranty is provided?
Answer:		SWC provides a 1-year Limited Warranty for all supplied trusses. Click Here for more details regarding this warranty.