Plated Trusses
What Is a Plated Truss?
A plated truss (metal-plate-connected wood truss) is an engineered structural frame made of wood chords and webs joined at each connection by galvanized steel connector plates (“truss plates”).
The plates and the truss’s triangulated geometry distribute tension and compression through the members, letting a plated truss span farther and carry more — with less material — than solid framing. Each truss is engineered and fabricated to the project’s span, load, slope, and support conditions under the national truss standard, ANSI/TPI 1.
RedBuilt offers two truss families. They solve similar problems in different ways — this section helps specifiers choose:
Plated Trusses
Connection
Wood webs joined with metal connector plates.
Best for
Integrated parapets and mansard roof systems.
Open-web / MEP
Open triangular webs route ducts, pipe, and conduit with planned coordination.
Typical use
Residential, multifamily, and integrated parapet and mansard roof applications.
Pin-connected Open-Web Trusses
Connection
Tubular steel webs pin-connected to wood or LVL chords.
Best for
Longer commercial spans, heavier loads, deep open-webs, exposed applications.
Open-web / MEP
Large openings for dense commercial MEP.
Typical use
All light frame commercial and industrial floor and roof system applications.
Connection
Wood webs joined with metal connector plates.
Best for
Integrated parapets and mansard roof systems.
Open-web / MEP
Open triangular webs route ducts, pipe, and conduit with planned coordination.
Typical use
Residential, multifamily, and integrated parapet and mansard roof applications.
Connection
Tubular steel webs pin-connected to wood or LVL chords.
Best for
Longer commercial spans, heavier loads, deep open-webs, exposed applications.
Open-web / MEP
Large openings for dense commercial MEP.
Typical use
All light frame commercial and industrial floor and roof system applications.
Why Spec RedBuilt Plated Trusses?
Plated trusses simplify floor and roof construction without sacrificing structural performance — and RedBuilt adds a system-minded partner who coordinates the trusses with the whole building. When you spec RedBuilt, you get:
Project-specific design
Trusses engineered to your roof/floor geometry, loads, spans, and support conditions — not a stock product.
Manufacturing precision
Consistent fabrication for dependable field fit and fewer adjustments.
System coordination
A team that sees how trusses, beams, connectors, and adjacent framing work together, catching issues before the field.
Installation efficiency
Coordinated design and clear communication that align engineering and construction and support the schedule.
Responsive technical support
A knowledgeable partner from early design through fabrication, delivery sequencing, and field support.
Benefits
Long clear spans
Triangulated geometry spans beyond a single piece of lumber, reducing bearing walls and columns.
Utilities through the webs
Open triangular webs let HVAC, plumbing, and electrical route through the floor/roof depth — no drilling or notching.
Engineered consistency
Factory fabrication delivers straight, uniform members and predictable performance, unlike variable solid lumber.
Material efficiency
More span and load from less wood fiber than solid framing.
Installation speed
Engineered, repeatable components install fast with fewer field modifications.
Roof Plated Trusses
Roof Trusses
Roof trusses are fabricated in a wide range of profiles to match architectural intent — common (Fink), scissor, hip, gable, mono, attic-storage, and parallel-chord for flat and low-slope roofs. Each is engineered to the project’s slope, span, and load.
Applications
Plated trusses provide a practical balance of strength, economy, and flexibility across wood construction:
Fire & Code Compliance
Plated trusses are designed and manufactured to ANSI/TPI 1. Like other engineered floor systems, unprotected truss floor assemblies must be addressed for fire: the IRC (Section R501.3) requires a protective membrane on the underside of the floor framing — typically 1/2″ gypsum or 5/8″ wood structural panel — unless the space is sprinklered or the assembly is otherwise fire-rated.
Where a rating is required, use a tested fire-rated floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assembly.
Handling, Bracing & Installation
Proper handling, restraint, and bracing are essential to safe, correct truss installation. The industry standard, SBCA’s BCSI (Building Component Safety Information), gives prescriptive guidance for temporary and permanent lateral restraint and diagonal bracing of metal-plate-connected wood trusses. Following it protects crews during erection and ensures the trusses perform as designed.
Handle and lift trusses per the manufacturer’s and BCSI guidance to avoid plate or joint damage.
Install temporary and permanent restraint/bracing per BCSI and the truss design.
Do not cut, alter, or field-modify a truss — trusses are engineered assemblies and can’t be trimmed like a joist; contact RedBuilt engineering for any change.