Using scissor trusses to form a cathedral ceiling is a much better choice than trying to build scissor trusses in place. Normally the slope of the interior ceiling is always controlled by the slope of the exterior roof pitch in traditional roof framing. With pre-built trusses you can have the interior ceiling pitch at just about any angle you want, well within the structural limits of the truss design. Scissor truss design is actually quite easy with the home truss design software available today.

Designing scissor trusses that will carry the roof loads is just a matter of plugging in the house specifications of width and desired roof slope and presto, the truss design is ready for the manufacturing process. They are called scissor trusses because the resemble an open pair of scissors. Acissor trust design

A scissors designed truss provides roof support and at the same time giving your ceiling a vaulted interior. However, the closer you get the interior ceiling slope to the actual exterior roof slope there is a negative impact of the interior truss components. A true cathedral ceiling using regular rafters rather than trusses mimics the actual roof slope because each rafter actually becomes a large beam.

It is common is modern construction to mix trusses in the roof framing. Over part of the home there can be scissors trusses, while over another part you can have common trusses such as over bedrooms or the garage. This is a good idea so you can have attic storage space above those areas. From the outside of the house the roof looks the same with the roof slope of all the trusses the same.

Framing house roofs with trusses, particularly scissor trusses for vaulted ceilings, is much easier than when the trusses had to be built on site. The trusses are set in place, either sixteen or twenty four inches on center and nailed to the wall plates.

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