9 Key King Post Truss Advantages and Disadvantages | Queen Post Truss Advantages and Disadvantages
King Post Truss Advantages and Disadvantages | Queen Post Truss Advantages and Disadvantages | King Post Roof Truss Design Details King Post Vs. Queen Post Truss
King Post Roof Trusses
A king post (also known as a king-post or kingpost) is a central vertical post used in architectural or bridge designs to support a beam below from a truss apex above whereas a crown post, though visually similar, supports items above from the beam below.
King Post Roof Trusses are the most cost-effective truss and look beautiful with curved braces and webs. They include one bottom chord, two top chords, a king post (a vertical central component), and straight or curved webs as options.
A king post truss can also be used to solve a variety of structural issues. Its bottom chord serves as a ‘tie’ for the room, preventing the walls from spreading.
A king post roof truss can span 36 feet with 16 foot spacing, yet the same truss in a snow belt up north may only stretch 24 feet with the same spacing.
All of our truss members are sized for the specific region in which they are installed, and we supply full shop drawings with a structural engineer’s stamp.
A strut known as a king post acts in compression in aircraft construction, comparable to an architectural crown post. The application in mechanical plant and marine engineering differs even again.
King Post Roof Truss Details
The King Post Roof Truss is the simplest of the trusses and consists of a central vertical pillar known as the king post, two rafters that connect at the apex, and a tie beam or horizontal base.
1: king post, 2: tie beam, 3: principal rafters, 4: struts.
It is widely used in basic roof trusses such as those found in a shed, porch, or garage.
Other parts of the king post truss include;
- Tie Beam
- Ridge Board
- Strut
- Purlin Cleat
- Principal Rafter
- Wall Plate
King Post Truss Dimensions
A King Post Truss is composed of a bottom timber chord, two pitched rafters, and a central web that transfers load from the ridge to the bottom chord.
King Post trusses can span up to 8 metres in length and are commonly used in the construction of houses and garages.
King Post Truss Span
A King Post truss is one of the most cost-effective roof truss types. This truss can span up to 8metrest depending on your location and winter snow load, as well as the spacing.
The vertical King Post in the center joins the peak to the horizontal beam, or chord, beneath it.
If compared with, queen post truss, when the span length is between 5 and 8 meters, king post trusses are employed. Queen post trusses are used when the span length is between 8 and 12 meters.
Benefits of King Post Truss
The king post truss is an important part of truss construction. The king post truss is a specific type of truss that is designed to help keep roofs from sagging and to help direct and support the weight of the roof from the top of the building to the ground.
This truss is considered to be one of the most popular structures in architecture due to the vast range of projects that it can be used for.
It is also a very space efficient way of building as it does not require columns or posts to prop up the structure.
Some of the advantages of using this system are that they provide more space, are pre-fabricated and are very easy to install.
King Post Truss Advantages and Disadvantages
King Post Truss Advantages
What are advantages of King Post Truss?
- King post trusses are strong and stable. They are able to carry the maximum load in any direction.
- It is just not the strength of king post truss but also it is easy to construct.
- King post trusses are versatile and can be used in a wide range of construction projects, including garages, sheds, and home additions.
- King post trusses can be installed in a smaller span than queen-post trusses and are more cost-effective and cost-effective for smaller buildings such as sheds and residential homes.
- They are easily available in different shapes and sizes. including arched shaped king post
- King post trusses cost less than queen-post trusses. They are economical as they have fewer parts than queen-post trusses.
- King post trusses have a traditional design and can be used for aesthetic purposes.
Disadvantages of King Post Truss
- King post trusses are span is limited when compared with queen post truss.
- King post trusses are not suitable for big projects like commercial buildings and large houses.
- King post trusses are not strong enough to support a heavy roof structure or bear a huge span.
Queen Post Truss
A queen post truss consists of two major rafters and two vertical queen posts. The queen post truss widens the span and, when combined with spliced joints in the longer components, extends the practical span for these sorts of trusses.
The queen posts, like the king posts, can be substituted with iron rods and so form a queen rod truss.
The queen post truss and the king post truss can be integrated by leveraging the queen post truss’s straining beam as the tie beam for a king post truss above. Compound trusses are the name given to such pairings.
A king post truss has one central supporting post along the middle, but a queen post truss has two, resulting in an open area in the center of the truss.
A queen post truss has the advantage of being able to span larger openings than a king post truss.
Trussed roofs have been adopted for decades due to their strength and stability.
1: queen posts, 2: tie beam, 3: straining beam, 4: principal rafters.
Roof trusses come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they are frequently employed in modern construction because they can be prefabricated and are less expensive than other types of roof supports.
A queen post truss is more popular than a king post truss because it provides more structural support than a king post, which has one vertical post that supports the center peak of each set of rafters.
A queen post can sustain a greater width than a king post and offers more interior space. This can increase a home’s usable space and make it easier to finish an unfinished room later.
A queen post can be made of metal, but it is most commonly found in structures with exposed timber roof trusses.
It is utilized in homes, churches, and other structures with big open spaces. Vertical posts can be straight or curved, although they are most typically shaped in decorative shapes ranging from basic curves to more intricate figures.
A queen post roof can be an eye-catching element in a big area, such as a great room.
Queen Post Truss Advantages and Disadvantages
Queen Post Truss Advantages
- Long span: Queen post trusses can span from 8 to 12 meters, which can make them appropriate for roof frames of small houses.
- Easy to assembly: The queen post truss is a member of the common house frame construction system. All the main components are cut and fixed easily during construction, so it is easy to assemble.
- Reliable strength: There are two main members in a queen post truss; therefore, the system is more reliable than other house frame members with single posts for support.
- Versatile: Queen post trusses are commonly used for pitched roofs. They also can be used as tandem trusses, which can meet various building needs under different construction environments.
- Cost-effective: Queen post trusses are relatively cheaper than other types of trusses and are quite durable for a long span roof frame even in a harsh environment.
- Flexible: Queen post trusses can be made from steel or timber, which makes it well adaptable to various design requirements using the same member,
- Installed easily: The queen post truss is simple to install as all the components are flat-cut members, which are not twisted during installation.
Queen Post Truss disadvantages
- Limited span: The maximum span of queen post trusses is 12 meters.
- Fixed structure: The queen post truss has a fixed structure and the members are commonly cut from raw material to various lengths. Some members can be cut by the customer based on their needs, but the maximum length cannot be altered.
- No stacking: A king post truss can be bent and the top chord can be cut into smaller pieces to form a series of triangles, which makes it flexible, so it is easy to stack.
- Costly: Queen post trusses are relatively costlier than king post trusses, and require much more labour for assembly of all the components.
King Post Vs. Queen Post Truss
A queen post is tension element of a truss that can span wider openings than a king post truss.
A king post truss contains one central supporting post, whereas a queen post truss contains two.
Even though it is a tension member rather than a compression member, it is frequently referred to as a post.
A queen post is frequently confused with a queen strut, one of two compression members in roof framing that do not, in the engineering sense, form a truss.
Factor Affecting Selection of Roof Truss
1. Span
The span length is the distance between the two supports. Measure from one side of the building to the other. Trusses like king post have smaller span when compared with queen post trusses.
2. Pitch of truss
The pitch of truss is the measurement from the top chord to the bottom chord or bottom chord to top chord.
Pitch is important because it affects how much span you need for a certain height of building or roof.
3. Load
The load is your typical load which will be resting on your roof at one time. Things like snow, rain, small branches, birds and other animals, and sometimes people have been known to walk up to their roofs.
4. Roof covering material
Certain roofs need to have a truss that is rated for a certain type of material. For example, if you are planning on having shingles or metal instead of wood, you will want to check with your local building codes and see what they say about roof trusses.
5. Ventilation
If your roof has a large ridge vent going in one direction, then you may want to consider a different truss design. If you have a dormer you may want to consider the ridge vent going out the other direction.
6. Fire protection
If your roof is wood and you have a wood stove on it, or even a chimney on it, then this might be an extra consideration as well.
7. Type of roofing material
There is a wide variety of roofs that are available. Plywood, shakes, shingles, metal or copper are just a few. For some roof types and in some climates, you might want to go with a different roofing material.
8. Building codes
These are set by your local building codes, or other governing body depending on your state. You may want to check with yours and see what they prescribe for roof trusses.
9. Functionality
You might be having a loft put on your roof or you want to add solar panels. In these cases you may want to consider a different type of roof truss.
10. Design /Style of your home
This may be the most important factor because it is the one that will capture people’s attention the most when they look at your home.
You may have an amazing looking design in mind, and some of those designs just won’t work with normal king post or queen post trusses.
11. Energy efficiency
You may have a large number of windows. The more sections you have to cut through the less warm air will be retained in your home. You may want to consider a different design that is better suited for you needs.
12. Maintenance
You might need something that is more easily accessible and maintainable, or not as easily accessible and maintainable.
A building without a steep pitched roof can have this hidden problem that will cost you time, money, and aggravation in the long run if you don’t maintain it properly from the beginning.
King Post Truss & Queen Post Truss FAQs
What is the purpose of king post?
A king post is a central vertical post used in architectural or bridge designs that works in tension to support a beam below from a truss apex above, whereas a crown post, while architecturally identical, supports stuffs above from the beam below.
What does king post truss span?
King Post Truss can span 5-8 meters, with the load-bearing area at the bottom of the beam and top of the posts when they rest on top of supports.
What are the differences between king post and queen post truss?
The main distinction between the King post and queen post trusses is that a king post truss has a single supporting post while a queen post truss has two.
The use of each is determined by the size of the roof span, with king post trusses ranging 5 to 8 meters. Queen post trusses have a larger span, ranging from 8 to 12 meters, due to the double posts.
What are some pros and cons of king post truss system?
King post truss system have some pros including:
- -The king post truss is easily adaptable to different building styles
- -The king post truss is strong
- -The king post truss is easily made into a compound truss
- -The king post truss is versatile.
King post truss system have some cons including:
- king post truss have limited span when compared with queen post
