3 Essential Tips for Choosing Roof Trusses That Help With Long Term Storage Needs

Storage is a necessity in homes, and if you are having a new home built, you should think about its long-term storage potential. That can benefit you directly, but it can also help to drive up the eventual resale value of your home. In particular, you may want to choose your roof trusses with storage in mind.

Here are some concepts to talk with your builder about:

1. Choose a Simple Design With Lots of Space

Roof trusses rely on their design to hold the weight of your roof. In the past, you needed to use strong beams to support that much weight, but the ingenious design of trusses allows you to use less timber to hold up the roof.

Lots of different designs can accomplish this feat, and some of them are quite complicated and fussy. Intricate designs don't leave much space for storage. Instead, talk with your builder about attic trusses, box trusses or room-in-the-attic trusses. All of these timber truss designs feature triangular patterns on the outside of the truss and a large open "box" shape in the middle of the truss. Depending on the size of the box, that gives you room for storage or even to create a room in the attic.

2. Consider Shed Dormers

Shed dormers can be designed into your attic for both practical and decorative purposes. On a practical level, the dormers often contain windows and they create extra head space in the attic. That makes it easier to use the attic as a living space or to keep your storage well lit.

In addition, because the dormer shed sits slightly above the leaves, it creates a storage space between the eaves and the wall below the dormer windows. If you decide to finish your attic, make sure to put small doors on the wall below the dormer. That allows you to access that valuable storage space easily.

3. Go With a Steep Pitch

If it works for the climate and rainfall in your area, consider going for a roof truss with a steep pitch. The steeper the pitch of your roof, the higher the tip of the roof is from the floor of the attic.That gives you more area to store your belongings. If the height of the roof isn't as high, you simply won't have as much area regardless of the style of truss you select.

To get more ideas, talk with a roof truss expert like Heyden Frame & Truss


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