Knowledge Base

Hardware

 

Gusset Plates, Brackets and Saddles - SWC fabricates most all gusset plates from A36 plate. Typical plates are 1/4” thick, but larger trusses may require 3/8”, 1/2” or larger plate, which we can supply. Many times we supply 3-dimensional fabrications by bending plate on an iron worker, or by utilizing our certified welder to join components together. Examples of more complex attachment hardware are head plates with attachment tabs for ridge beams, custom-designed saddles for attachment of trusses to support beams and specialty brackets for attaching trusses or other timber members to a building’s steel structure.

Fasteners - For most trusses, 3/4” A307 Grade bolting is used. Smaller trusses may utilize 1/2” or 5/8” bolting and some of our large trusses utilize 1” bolting. A325 bolting is sometimes supplied if higher strength is required. Our standard bolting is galvanized to avoid any bleeding of oil or rust on timbers during truss installation. Fasteners may be installed with visible galvanized finish, or over-coated with black paint. Stainless steel fasteners can also be utilized for appearance or corrosion resistance purposes. Washers are used if bolt heads and nuts bear on wood (Ex: Hidden Plate or Multi-ply Trusses), but washers are omitted if the bolts bear on external gusset plates. Click here to return to Products - Timber Trusses.

Lead Times & Schedule - Lead times for a typical truss job is 2-4 weeks. Jobs requiring stamped engineering drawings typically require at least one week of lead time after order placement and before any material can be ordered.  Lead times for larger projects, or jobs having unusual design and/or material requirements, can extend up to 6-8 weeks.  It is helpful to understand the customer’s schedule requirement as early as possible.  SWC utilizes a computer-based project scheduling system and can usually provide an accurate lead time estimate at the time of order placement.  Job priority is established by the sequence in which orders are received.

Delivery - Jobs outside Houston in the state of Texas and out of state, or requiring oversize provisions are handled by a third party trucking company we utilize for all of our work.  Most trusses are delivered stacked horizontally on a trailer, fully assembled and ready for installation. Delivery dates and times can usually be coordinated to meet customer requirements.  Oversized loads are normally restricted to certain routes and travel in daylight hours.

Customers are required to have personnel and equipment adequate for handling the trusses ready at the job site for offloading. Failure to have correct equipment or personnel at the job site for unloading can result in cosmetic or structural damage to Heavy Timber Trusses. Please consult with SWC for guidance regarding handling procedures if necessary.