Fewer homes today use rafters to support the roof — that’s because more new homes are built with manufactured roof trusses.

These triangular wood structures are built in a factory and delivered to the construction site for installation after a home’s walls are built.

Here’s why more home builders are switching from rafters to trusses.


    Timber roof truss on white background
    Trusses are built to meet a specific roof design’s structural needs. (DepositPhotos)

    1. They’re Engineered for Performance

    The truss is the structural framework that supports the roof and ceiling joists. Trusses are carefully constructed, as one piece, in a factory to meet an engineer’s specifications.

    The engineer makes sure that the truss can support your home’s roof design and that it meets any applicable building codes — which means the structural framework will be tailor-made, just for your home, and shouldn’t hurt your home’s resale value.


    Residential construction site with load bearing walls
    Load-bearing interior walls are crucial for roofs supported by rafters. (DepositPhotos)

    2. Trusses Require Few Load-Bearing Walls

    Manufactured trusses are designed to distribute the roof’s weight to the home’s outside walls, so fewer interior load-bearing walls are needed.

    Building a home with rafters requires more load-bearing walls because builders — always working at the construction site — physically can’t add rafters without them.

    Editorial Contributors
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    Danny Lipford

    Founder

    Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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