Timber Frame King Post Truss Design

King posts were used in timber framed roof construction in roman buildings and in medieval architecture in buildings such as parish churches and tithe barns the oldest surviving roof truss in the world is a king post truss in saint catherine s monastery egypt built between 548 and 565.

Timber frame king post truss design.

Structurally its bottom chord ties the room together by preventing the walls from spreading. The bolsters can have a wide variety of decorative profiles cut into their visible ends. The king post timber truss handles long spans and heavy load conditions. Oak king post truss an a frame truss with a centre post which so defines it from a queen truss which has no centre support.

The example shown above has a king post also which many scissor trusses will need for support. King post roof trusses are the most cost effective truss and they look great when curved braces and webs are used. Decorative metal strapping adds the special touch of the blacksmith s craftsmanship to this truss design. Its bold appearance can serve as a focal point of a home s design.

In a scissor truss design heavy timber or otherwise the bottom chord members crisscross each other. This timber truss works well in a variety of spans and roof pitches and is one of the most popular designs. King posts also appear in gothic revival architecture queen anne style architecture and occasionally in. They have one bottom chord two top chords a king post a vertical central member and optional webs that can be straight or curved.

The king post truss contains a single post in the center of the gable known as the king post. Finally the truss calculator will compute the best dimensional method to connect the pieces of the truss with steel joints and a bridge. The craftsman timber truss combines beautiful features from both the hammer beam and the king post truss. This post divides the gable in two and often includes two struts on either side.

A king post truss solves many structural problems as well. These steel joints are needed to support the overall truss. What are king post trusses. This design is a winner for great rooms and entry ways as long as the span isn t too wide and the roof pitch isn t too shallow.

The more complex the truss framework is the greater quantity of these joints will be required. These mirror image pieces added to the underside of the bottom chord can provide a stepped transition to the vertical wall plane. Raised oak king post truss an a frame truss with centre support where the chord cross beam or tie beam is joined to a the frame vertically further up the angled supports. The king post truss with extra bolsters builds on a favorite timber frame truss design with two added bolsters on the underside of the bottom horizontal chord for a heftier look.

The same thing is true for the bridge of the truss. A king post truss is a cost effective design and is particularly attractive when modified with curved braces and webs.