OSB Roof Trusses

[Jim Hintz]

This is another first for me, today's inspection had these "OSB" Roof Trusses. Haven't been able to find any info. The only thing that keeps coming up on Google is TIJ used for roof trusses. Trusses were stamped so apparently they're engineered. The house was built in 2010 and was listed as being "Green."

[Matt Fellman]

The only thing close I've seen is the truss joists being used as rafters like you mention. I suppose it's fortunate it's such a new house.... there's got to be a paper trail through the AHJ.

Kind of funny it's a "green" house... take a normal house, add a bunch of toxic glue to the normal stick framing and "baboom", it's a green house :)

[Door Guy]

The only thing close I've seen is the truss joists being used as rafters like you mention. I suppose it's fortunate it's such a new house.... there's got to be a paper trail through the AHJ.

Kind of funny it's a "green" house... take a normal house, add a bunch of toxic glue to the normal stick framing and "baboom", it's a green house :)
It's like beauty is in the eye of the be-holder.... perception is everything. However, the "greenness" would come from using a processed "scrap" instead of full sized lumber.

[Steve Myers]

I would like to see the fire load testing reports. Did they have an UL number? I'm going to give them about 4 minutes to failure. Firefighters call this type of houses throw-aways. Marked for defensive attack only (exterior fire fighting only).

[Guy D Brand Sr]

This is another first for me, today's inspection had these "OSB" Roof Trusses. Haven't been able to find any info. The only thing that keeps coming up on Google is TIJ used for roof trusses. Trusses were stamped so apparently they're engineered. The house was built in 2010 and was listed as being "Green."

If this house is certified "Green" then all components will be documented for their quickly renewed resource, reuse of materials, MSDS sheets for VOC's, regional availability, distance to manufacturer, etc....by the Greem Building Council through the LEED Certifcation process. As far as fire ratings, then the paper trail for certification will give that. A developer/realtor saying a building is green dosen't cut it!:rolleyes:

[John Kogel]

Great. Now we will have moldy trusses to go with the moldy sheathing. Thanks, Mr Green. :D:confused::D

We've been making perfectly good trusses from second growth 2 X 4's for 40 years. Down your way, they can grow a decent size log in about 35 years. What's not green about that?

Jim, reduce your pics to 640 X 480 pixels and they will look and load better.

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

not a "B" (Board) as in OSB (such as the roof deck - or is that SIPs above, hmmm.), in the truss chord.

OSL - Oriented Strand Lumber
LSL - Laminated Strand Lumber
PSL - Parallel Strand Lumber.
SCL - Structural Composite Lumber
MEL - Machine-Evaluated Lumber
MSR - Machine Structural-Rated (Lumber)
LVL - Laminated Veneer Lumber

Distinctions with differences: Board, Lumber, Beam.


Engineered Lumber, yet a further distinctive category of the larger one, being engineered wood (products) and a potential sub-category of several others, such as SCL, etc..

For example, LP has an entire line made from "high grade" LSL, "LP SolidStart LSL", for dry environment structural applications which include:
door and window headers, beams, wall framing, rim board, truss chords and stair stringers.

You mentioned stamps were plainly visible on the structural componants, but notably failed to capture same on the (TINY!) photographs you chose to post, and failed to share the information contained therein, in your OP.

Perhaps some CE, even self-directed, to familiarize yourself with "newer" manufactured products, building methods and materials, and code acceptance of same, and some lumber and truss terminology, would be helpful as you explore and "inspect" newer construction.

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

P.S. since your "OSB" google searches weren't working for you,

I suggest you try "engineered wood products", "engineered lumber" "engineered lumber LSL" (or substitute OSL, LVL, PSL, etc. for the LSL), "engineered lumber truss" etc.; without the quotation marks.

Should those trusses be comprised of LP's truss-rated SolidStart LSL, for example, take a look at the linked (and attached) pdf and some general sales sheet type Q&A links starting here (including "why is it 'green'") here:

(clickable link) LP Building Products | Product Applications (http://www.lpcorp.com/products/floors/lsl/applications/)

and

(clickable link, this one is also attached as a pdf file) http://dev.mindreactor.com/lsl-resources/LP%20SolidStart%20LSL%20Truss%20Chord%20Q&A.pdf


You might also refer to the engineered lumber member stamps and/or truss stamps/tags you visualized, and check the manufacturer web site for additional information, as well as several manufacturer's trade associations, etc. to learn more about the specific materials and construction you recently encountered.

HTH in your endeavors.

[Bert de Haan]

MSR - Machine Structural-Rated (Lumber)

Machine Stress Rated (Lumber)

[Jim Hintz]

Thank you everbody for your responses. HG, your links were a great help. Seems to me that LP is once again setting themselves up to get their pants sued off again. This stuff is gonna swell, delaminate and get soft - it's just a matter of time - IMO :eek: