To strengthen a truss member or web, add a scab to reinforce it. For example, if you have a point load in the middle of a panel, one or two scabs may be used instead of increasing the grade or size of the member or using a multi-ply truss. Scabs reinforce overhangs by enhancing bending and...

One of the features of using Simpson Strong-Tie’s Component Solutions® CS Truss Studio™ software is the ability to add Attic Tie-Beam functionality. [For all images, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] To create an attic truss:      1. Create a new truss or...

The HTTH6.5 heavy tension tie is designed to meet the growing demands of modern construction. This product combines state-of-the-art design with rigorous testing, offering a robust and reliable solution for high-load applications. Its painstaking engineering and precision manufacturing ensure...

Specific gravity (G) is a measure of wood density affected by the specific species or species combination of the commercial grade, growth region, and grading rules. It is the single most important lumber property for the strength of mechanical fasteners, such as nails and screws used in...

At Simpson Strong-Tie, we continually look for ways to improve our offerings for the building industry. During one of our periodic product line reviews, we realized there was a void to be filled in our holdown line for residential construction. Over the last decade, we’ve made strides...

My career at Simpson Strong-Tie came full circle this summer. As I take the reins as the company’s new Vice President of Market Development – Component Manufacturers, I can’t help but think back to my earliest days at the company when my path crossed with the Iowa Truss...

I love history, particularly the history of wood framing in the U.S. One segment of this category that has some confusion surrounding it is the history of metal connectors used to join two or more wood members to make a structural connection. There are many types of structural connectors,...

One interesting part of being a field engineer for Simpson Strong-Tie is having the opportunity to see how different structural engineers may take different approaches to similar designs. We at Simpson Strong-Tie have come to appreciate these different approaches and embrace this phenomenon by...

Fire retardant lumber, also called FRTW, is used when a project has a requirement to reduce the structures’ ability to burn and to reduce the structures’ contribution to the spread of fire. Most fire retardant materials also reduce the development of smoke and the release of...

Q & A with Steve Pryor, P.E., S.E., Senior Manager, Testing and Research Operations, Engineering, Simpson Strong-Tie As a research partner in the National Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood project, Simpson Strong-Tie participated in a series of earthquake shake...