Selecting the materials that you will use to construct your custom home can be challenging. There are so many choices on the market today that many homeowners find it difficult to narrow their options.

When it comes to roofing materials, you can benefit greatly from using trusses. Here are three things that you need to know about roof trusses.

1. Trusses Support Weight

Trusses are essentially joint-framed structures that are designed to support the weight of your roofing materials. Roof trusses span the open space between walls, which allows the frame of your home to become more durable.

Most of the trusses used by contractors today are made from either wood or metal. Both materials are lightweight, yet they can both support a significant amount of weight with ease.

Your contractor will be able to help you determine how much weight your roof trusses must support so that you can select the correct product for your new home.

2. Trusses Have Three Main Components

Although there are several different types of roof trusses, all trusses are made up of three main components.

The top chords are responsible for creating the upper portion of the roof truss. Top chords must maintain the correct angle to ensure your finished roof has proper drainage.

The bottom chords form the base of a roof truss. Each bottom chord is carefully selected to ensure there is no warping or damage that may compromise the strength of the truss itself.

The web bracing consists of wood or metal supports that connect the top and bottom chords. The way that the web bracing is configured will determine how much weight the truss can support.

3. Trusses are Affordable

Choosing roof trusses when building your home can help you save some money.

Trusses are manufactured off-site in a factory and shipped to the construction site. Using pre-assembled trusses can help reduce the amount of time and labor required to complete the construction of your home.

Minimizing time and labor requirements can translate into lower construction costs. You can check with your contractor to determine how much money roof trusses can save before making a final decision and purchasing roofing materials.

The more you know about roof trusses, the easier it will be to recognize the many ways that these construction materials can benefit you.

Work closely with a roofing service in your area such as Campbell Truss Company Inc to learn more about using roof trusses when constructing your custom home.