P R O D U C T D ATA S H E E T Sheet No.
5 May 2007
S TA N DA R D B R AC I N G O F ‘ R O O M I N T H E
R O O F ’ ( AT T I C ) T R U S S E D R A F T E R R O O F S
Why brace trussed rafter roofs? The system of bracing reproduced in this Data Sheet may be
used without any further calculations, provided that the
Trussed rafters must be braced to create a rigid and stable roof
limitations summarised are met in full.
structure. If the bracing is omitted, wrongly positioned or badly
fixed, it may result in distortion or failure of individual trusses
or in some instances the whole roof. The Functions of Roof Bracing
Roof bracing performs three distinct functions:
Bracing Responsibility
Temporary bracing
The Building Designer, and not the trussed rafter supplier, is This is used to restrain the trusses during erection. See Product
responsible for designing and detailing all elements of roof Data Sheet No.3 for more information.
bracing required in the roof, including any bracing required by
the Trussed Rafter Designer in order to provide lateral restraint Truss Stability bracing
to truss members. The Trussed Rafter Designer will inform the This is permanent bracing which holds the trusses upright,
Building Designer of any truss integrity bracing required, eg straight and prevents any out-of-plane buckling of the members.
compression web braces.
Wind or wall bracing
The bracing system highlighted in this Product Data Sheet This bracing is installed in the roof in addition to the truss
shows a standard method of providing roof stability for spans up stability bracing and its purpose is to stabilise the gable walls
to 12m in accordance with BS 5268-3, ‘Code of practice for under the action of wind loading.
trussed rafter roofs’.
Fig.1 The elements of bracing ‘Room in the Roof’ trussed
rafters
Application of Standard Bracing Fig. 2 General arrangement of bracing for ‘Room in the Roof’
trussed rafter roof
The standard bracing method given in BS 5268-3 is applicable to
Longitudinal binders
standard trussed rafters but the rules may be extended to also cover
the bracing of ‘Room in the Roof’ (RiR) trussed rafter roofs. This
Data Sheet shows the principles of bracing RiR roofs. The use of this
system, however, is dependent upon the wind loads imposed on the Rafter diagonal brace
roof and Table 1 (see page 4) shows how the allowable span of the
roof is affected by the building’s exposure to wind speed.
Detail X (see Fig. 3)
Notwithstanding Table 1, the use of this standard bracing method
does not apply to buildings erected upon long stretches of open,
fairly level country with no shelter such as flat coastal fringes, fens,
airfields or large open areas of fen, moor or farmland.
Conditions of Use Fig. 3 Detail X - Alternative methods of incorporating rafter
In using this standard method of roof bracing the following bracing in sloping ceiling area.
conditions must be observed:
• For masonry walls the maximum unsupported length must not Rafter
exceed 9m between returns, buttresses or chimneys. Timber pack
Diagonal brace
• The masonry wall must be at least 180mm thick for solid walls
and 190mm for cavity walls.
Plasterboard
• The maximum trussed rafter spacing is not to exceed 600mm.
• Maximum floor to ceiling height is 2.6m. Alternatively the diagonal brace may be
replaced within the sloping ceiling area by a
• Plasterboard ceilings of 9.5mm or 12mm for trusses at 450
plywood diaphragm fixed between the
centres or 600mm centres respectively. relevant rafter members.
Diagonal rafter brace
• Bracing members to be 89mm min. width with 22 mm min. depth
Sloping area of ceiling
with a 2134 mm2 min. cross sectional area nailed to every
adjacent trussed rafter with 2 x 3.35mm diameter galvanised B
wire nails with a length at least 32mm longer than the bracing
thickness (normally 65mm long nails are used). Nails should be
no closer than 50mm to the cut end of any brace. Fix plywood diaphragm between rafters
A in the sloping ceiling area consisting of
NOTE: 3.1mm machine nails may be used in lieu of 3.35mm 9mm plywood nailed to 50 x 50mm
standard wire nails. timber framework
• Bracing members may be jointed by overlapping over at least
two trussed rafters.
• At least 4 rafter diagonal braces (see Fig. 5) are fixed to the
underside of rafters at approx. 45 degrees. Fig. 4 Splicing of intersecting diagonal braces and end jointing
• Longitudinal bracing (see Figs. 1,2 & 6) is located at all node
points (including the apex but excluding support points). Brace length lap jointed over at least two
trusses if necessary and nailed as for crossover
• Other such bracing as may be required by the truss designer
should be incorporated.
Ideally 45deg + or -10 deg
22 x 97 x 600mm long
• Chevron bracing (see Figs 1 & 7) should be included for spans timber splice plate
over 8m. nailed using min. of
4 x 3.35mm x 65mm
• Attention is drawn to the need for lateral restraint straps to long galvanised wire
nails each side driven
brickwork in accordance with the Building Regulations. Also, through and clenched
blocking will be required between floor joist members in
accordance with NHBC requirements.
PA G E 2
Other considerations Fig. 5 Plan of rafter diagonal bracing arrangement on a
wide fronted roof
If an insulation material is installed on top of the rafters it may
reduce the effect of the tiling batten restraint to rafters. Additional
bracing may, therefore, be required underneath the rafter as
specified by the Trussed Rafter Designer.
Plasterboard should be fixed directly to the face of the ceiling tie
members of the trussed rafters or continuous counter battens.
Ridge
Where plasterboard is omitted the ceiling tie members need to be
braced at all nodes and one or more additional longitudinal braces
may be required in the bays as determined by the trussed rafter
design. Diagonal bracing in the outer ceiling tie bays should also be
fixed at 45 degrees and extend the length of the building.
Chevron bracing Alternative direction of diagonal bracing
Chevron bracing is needed to ensure stability on duopitch roof spans
over 8m and monopitch roof spans over 5m span. The arrangement
of the braces are shown in Fig. 7.
Braces need not overlap along the roof and one or two trussed
rafters may be left (at position A in Fig. 7) between the ends of
adjacent braces. Braces should be at about 45 degrees and be nailed
to at least 3 trussed rafters.
Roof sarking
Where approved sarking materials are directly fixed to the top face
of the rafter members, it is permissible to omit the rafter diagonal Fig. 6 The fixing of longitudinal braces
bracing, chevron bracing on webs and longitudinal bracing at rafter Longitudinal braces to tightly abut gable and party walls
level.
Sarking / sheathing material must be moisture resistant and provide
an adequate level of restraint to out-of-plane buckling and wind Brace
forces. See BS 5268-3 for more information on suitable materials. lapped over
2 trusses
Fig. 7 Alternative fixing arrangement for chevron braces
(truss span over 8m)
PA G E 3
Fig. 8 Basic wind zones
Table 1 Limiting spans for standard bracing
This information sheet is an extrapolation of the standard bracing requirements given in BS 5268-3 extended to cover ‘Room in the Roof’
trussed rafters. All the information given here should be read in conjunction with the requirements of that standard. The guidelines
contained within this information sheet are given in good faith but without liability and its use shall be entirely at the risk of the user.
For more information on the bracing of trussed rafter roofs readers are recommended to study BS 5268 - 3, “Structural use of timber -
Code of practice for trussed rafter roofs” available from the British Standards Institution. Figure A4 from BS 5268-3 is reproduced with
the permission of BSI under licence number 2002SK/0190. British Standards can be obtained from BSI Customer Services, 389 Chiswick
High Road, London W4 4AL. (Tel + 44 (0) 20 8996 9001).
Further detailed reading on bracing methods can also be found in the ‘Technical Handbook’ available from the Trussed Rafter Association.
NOTE: TRA recommends the use of kiln-dried timber for roof bracing.
T R U S S E D R A F T E R A S S O C I AT I O N
P.O.Box 571
Chesterfield S40 9DH
Tel & Fax: 01246 230036
email:info@tra.org.uk
www.tra.org.uk
PA G E 4
