Page 889 - Chief Architect Reference Manual

Special Roof Trusses

panel of the Framing Defaults dialog.
5. Using the Roof Truss tool, draw a
jack truss from the intersection of the Because both common rafters and hip ridges
last hip truss and the hip jack to the eave. must pass over this truss, the ridge depth
should be set equal to that of the rafter depth.
6. Select the jack truss; click the Multiple
Copy edit button; and lay out jack Subgirder Hip
trusses up to the other hip jack.
Subgirders are the partial trusses that butt
into the doubled truss at the end of the main
Drop Hip or California Hip
run.
A Drop Hip, or California Hip, system uses
trusses with lowered top chords to support To create a subgirder truss system
stick frame hip ridges and common rafters.
1. Draw a Roof Truss where the hip
To create a drop hip truss system apex meets the ridge.
2. Double it by drawing a second truss on
1. Start a drop hip truss system as you
would a step down hip system. the far side from the hip section.
2. When the hip trusses are drawn, group 3. Using the Roof Truss tool, draw the
select them, open the Truss first subgirder from the hip apex out to
Specification dialog, and select the the eaves.
Drop Hip Truss checkbox. See “Gen-
eral Panel” on page 892. 4. Select it and use the Multiple Copy
edit button to make copies in both direc-
3. Use the Build Framing dialog to pro- tions. Stop when the height of the sub-
duce the common rafters, and the short girders reach a reasonable minimum.
joists at the hip end. See “Build Framing
Dialog” on page 844. 5. Finish off with hip jacks and jack trusses
as in a step down hip system.
The amount that the top chord is lowered is
derived from the rafter Depth on the ROOF

Special Roof Trusses

A number of special purpose roof trusses can raised off of the top plate with an energy
be created in Chief Architect. heel. To create a truss with an energy heel, a
vertical member is added over the supporting
Energy Heels wall and the bottom chord stops there rather
than extending into the overhang.
To provide more space for ceiling insulation
at the exterior walls, roofs are sometimes

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