PRYDA TRUSS SYSTEMS

GUIDE TO INSTALLATION
PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS & RAFTER TRUSS SYSTEMS

PRYDA TRUSS SYSTEMS

September 2003
PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS
Pryda Floor Truss Systems are a complete structural trusses. Both have timber chords but Pryda Longreach
system for timber floors made up of flooring material, uses all-timber webs, while Pryda Span uses metal
floor trusses, strongbacks, connections and bracing. webs for the diagonals and timber webs for the
There are two different types of web systems for these verticals.

TRUSS IDENTIFICATION AND ORIENTATION

It is imperative that Longreach and Pryda Span Floor If the truss is not marked in this way then ensure that
Trusses are oriented the right way up. The trusses may the trusses match the following diagrams.
be marked with a “This Way Up” sticker or similar.

Pryda Longreach Truss

Timber Webs

Right Way Up Wrong Way Up

Pryda Span Truss

Metal Webs
Right Way Up Wrong Way Up

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE SET OUT

To ensure a satisfactorily level floor on completion, the In no circumstances should the floor truss spacing
supporting structure must be square and the exceed the design spacing (usually 450mm or 600mm).
loadbearing surfaces level. The structure must be stable The manufacturer should supply a floor truss layout that
in its own right. clearly defines the correct location of any special truss.

BEARING
Trusses must bear directly on their supports and not be ON SITE VARIATIONS
held above them by the flooring. This may sound odd,
Being fully engineered components, any
but where the support top plate is not level, and the
modifications made on site to Longreach or
flooring is nailed to the truss top chord, the flooring itself
Pryda Span Floor Trusses may be detrimental.
can lift the lower truss(es) by a few millimetres and this
This includes cutting or notching chords or
considerably worsens the perception of floor bounce.
webs. Any such modifications should be referred
It is important that floor trusses bear over the support immediately to the floor truss manufacturer to
wall plate or beam with a minimum of 30mm for ensure that correct rectification details are
residential floors and 40mm for commercial floors to provided from Pryda (Aust.) Pty Ltd.
guard against localised crushing and encourage proper
load transference.

2 PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS

INTERNAL WALLS
INTERNAL NON-LOADBEARING WALLS
The floor truss system requires no additional stiffening Bracing walls perpendicular to the
when supporting non-loadbearing walls, however
floor trusses
special consideration is required for non-loadbearing
walls acting as wind bracing walls. Specifiers should For wind bracing walls of up to 1.5kN/m wind bracing
notify the Pryda licenced fabricator of wall bracing capacity with the element no higher than 2.7m, use
positions and capacities. 14gx100mm Timberfixx screws to fix the bottom plate of
the bracing element to each perpendicular floor truss. If
the end of the bracing element finishes directly above a
Bracing walls parallel to the floor truss use 2/14gx100mm Timberfixx screws, and if
floor trusses not then use the same screws into the nogging as
If the wall is positioned between two floor trusses and is previously mentioned. For wind bracing walls of up to
a wind bracing element with a capacity of no more than 3.0kN/m capacity adopt the same details as for bracing
1.5kN/m and does not exceed 2.7m high, fix noggings walls parallel to the floor trusses. The flooring material
at each end of the bracing element to transfer wind shall be nailed and glued to all floor trusses in the
forces to the adjacent trusses. Use 2/14gx100mm flooring system.
Timberfixx screws to fix the bottom plate of the bracing
element into the nogging, and 12gx65mm Timberfixx Platform Flooring
screws to fix the bottom plate to the flooring at 450mm Where a structural platform floor has been constructed
centres along the length of the bracing element. For over the trusses, any non-loadbearing wall parallel to
wind bracing wall capacities of up to 3.0kN/m fix a the trusses does not require additional support other
120x45 MGP10 strongback to the vertical web nearest than that of the platform flooring.
the end of the bracing element. The strongback will
pass through two trusses either side of the wall and fix
to the webs with 2/12gx65mm
Timberfixx screws. The flooring PERPENDICULAR BRACING WALL
Fix Bracing Wall to Nogging
material shall be nailed and Fix Bracing Wall to Nogging Using 2/14g Using 2/14g x 100mm
glued to all floor trusses in the x 100mm Timberfixx Screws Timberfixx Screws at
flooring system. Each Floor Truss Crossing
Internal Bracing Wall Under Bracing Element
If a bracing wall sits directly over End of
a floor truss then fix 14gx100mm Bracing
Element
Timberfixx screws into the truss
at 450mm centres along the
length of the bracing element
3/3.75 x 90mm Nails Fixing
along with 2/14g x 100mm
Nogging to Upright Member
screws at each end for 1.5kN/m
wind bracing capacities. Use 4 Max. Wind Brace 120 x 45mm F5 or MGP Nogging
screws at each end with the Capacity of 1.5kN/m
3/3.75 x 90mm Nails
strongback detail as outlined
Fixing Upright to Top
above for up to 3.0kN/m wind 2/12g x 65mm
And Bottom Chords
bracing capacities. Timberfixx Screws 120 x 45mm F5 or
to Strongback MGP Upright Member

PARALLEL BRACING WALL For wind bracing capacities of up to 3.0kN/m extend a 120 x 45mm
MGP10 strongback through two trusses either side of bracing wall
Max. 2700mm

at the nearest vertical web. In the 3.0kN/m case adopt an M10 bolt
Internal Bracing Wall connection through nogging rather than screws and use 12g x
High Wall

65mm Timberfixx screws elsewhere instead of 3.75 x 90mm nails.

Length of Max. Wind Brace Capacity of 1.5kN/m

Bracing Element
2/12g x 65mm Timberfixx Screws

120 x 45mm F5 or MGP10 Nogging

75mm Nails @
150mm Centres Fix Bracing Wall to Nogging Using 2/14g
x 100mm Timberfixx Screws

3/3.75 x 90mm Nails Fixing

3/3.75 x 90mm Nails Fixing
Nogging to Upright Member
Nogging to Top And Bottom Chords 120 x 45mm F5 or MGP
Upright Member

PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS 3

 FITTED FLOOR FIXING – FITTED FLOOR FIXING –
Fitted Flooring DOUBLE TRUSS SUPPLEMENTARY LEDGER PLATES
Where a fitted floor is being used,
locate a double truss under each
wall to provide support to both the
wall and flooring. Alternatively, use Non-Loadbearing Wall Non-Loadbearing Wall
supplementary ledger plates fixed
to the side of the floor trusses. Fitted Flooring Fitted Flooring

NON-LOADBEARING
WALLS UNDER
Floor trusses must be adequately
supported on the loadbearing supports
nominated in the design. There may be
a detrimental effect on the walls and the
flooring system if the trusses bear on a
non-loadbearing wall. The tops of the internal
non-loadbearing walls need lateral stabilizing by fixing
to the truss bottom chords. The trusses must be allowed
to deflect downwards, so Pryda Partition Hitches have
been developed for this purpose, which should be nailed
to the truss near the top of the slots.

LOADBEARING WALLS UNDER

Where trusses are designed to sit on internal loadbearing
walls it is important that the vertical compression webs
or blocks are in line with the support.

SINGLE WEB SUPPORT DOUBLE WEB SUPPORT

Single Web Double Web

Internal Support Wall

Internal Support Wall

NAILED BLOCK SUPPORT

250
Max. 600mm or Deeper

Internal 45mm Thick Block

Support Wall (Solid or Claw Joined)

4 PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS

EXTERNAL WALLS
Fully Supported End Truss
Where the end floor truss is supported along
its full length by a lower storey wall or by
continuous base brickwork or footing while
carrying an upper storey wall above, a
simplified floor truss, as shown, may be used.

Jamb Studs With Lintel Over

Modified Floor Trusses

Diagonal Webs at Max.
6000mm Centres

Additional Block Required

For Loadbearing Jamb Stud Above

End Truss Under Gable Roof Offset Loadbearing Walls

Where the end floor truss is located under a gable end If the walls supported by floor trusses are required to
roof and is free spanning, it is appropriate to use a carry roof or other loads, please refer to a Pryda
single floor truss as it is carrying a non-loadbearing wall licensed fabricator to verify that the trusses are
and floor only. appropriately designed for this situation.

FLOOR OPENINGS
Pryda Floor trusses can be
detailed to suit an opening
in a floor, e.g. as required to
accommodate stairs. A
header beam is normally Header Beam
required to support the
Double Truss
incoming trusses while a
double lamination standard
truss is often suitable to Curtailed Truss Span
carry each end of the
header beam.

Header Beam Opening

Beam Pocket Support

The header beam should be blocked hard up against the underside
of the carrying floor trusses and nailed to each vertical web with
4/3.15x75mm nails. The beam should bear on both laminations of
Solid Packing Under a double supporting truss if a double truss is specified.

PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS 5

Block Support NOTCHED HEADER SUPPORT

Alternatively, a solid block (600mm long) fixed to

35mm Solid Block Fixed
the side of the trusses may support the header to Side of Truss With 75 x
beam. The header beam may be notched into the 3.75mm Dia. Nails at
solid block or fixed to the block using a Pryda Joist 50mm Centres
Hanger as shown.
Header Beam
PRYDA JOIST HANGER SUPPORT

35mm Solid Block Fixed To Side

of Truss With 75 x 3.75mm Dia.
Nails at 50mm Centres

Pryda Triplegrip
Header Beam
600mm

Pryda Joist Hanger

DUCTS FOR MECHANICAL SERVICES

The open web configuration of Pryda CENTRE GAP FOR MECHANICAL SERVICES
Floor Trusses permits ductwork and
mechanical services to pass through the Max. Pipe Dia. Permitted In-Between
depth of the truss. Web Profiles (Refer Span Tables)

Max. Clear
Depth
Max. 500mm

MULTIPLE TRUSS FIXING

MULTIPLE TRUSS FIXING

Under concentrated loadings there may be

specifications for two floor trusses to act as one. In this
case the web profiles of both laminations shall be
identical and connections should be introduced at
2400mm centres maximum via vertical webs for
Longreach. For Pryda Span supplementary vertical webs
may be nailed to the side of the truss (see strongback
installation section) to simulate the vertical web
requirement at 2400mm centres maximum.
3/ 3.15mm x 75mm Nails
A 140mm x 35mm block or Pryda Nail On Plate should
Into Each Vertical
make the connection between both vertical webs with
3/3.15x75mm into each vertical.

6 PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS

CANTILEVERS
Internal Cantilevers Offset Wall Cantilever
In this case the first floor trusses are cantilevered only a A common cantilever issue encountered is one in which
small amount as an architectural feature. the timber clad second storey frame is offset 150mm
outside the lower storey frame.
INTERNAL CANTILEVER DETAIL
CANTILEVER – PARALLEL OFFSET UPPER LOADBEARING WALL

Pryda Triple Grips

Upper Storey
Loadbearing Wall
Floor Truss
- Max.4000mm RLW
- Conc.Tile Roof

Min. 250mm
Solid Block to Suit Truss
Depth (Min. F5) Trimmer Plate

600mm
Floor Truss
Span Skew Nail
Cantilever Length Lower Storey
90 x 35mm F5 Pole Plate Loadbearing Wall
Fixed to Top Chord And
Vertical Webs With 75 x
3.75mm Dia. Nails (200mm
Centres Into Chord) 150mm

CANTILEVER – PERPENDICULAR OFFSET

UPPER LOADBEARING WALL
External Cantilevered Balconies Min.
300mm
This detail concerns the cantilever which forms a
balcony generally outside the room. The cantilever
balcony beam, fitted alongside the floor truss, should Upper Storey
Loadbearing Wall
run a similar distance back into the floor truss and at
least to the next vertical web past that distance. The
cantilever joists are to be fixed to the truss bottom
Min. 250mm

chord and vertical webs with 3.75 mm dia nails (75mm

long into 35mm joists and 90mm long into 45mm joists)
at maximum 200mm centres.
Note: This cantilever detail is not intended for
cantilevers carrying loadbearing walls over. Solid Blocking
(Min. F5)

Balcony
Not Less Than Cantilever
Balcony Cantilever 150mm

Floor Trusses

75mm x 3.75mm Dia. Nails at Max. 200mm Balcony Cantilever Balcony

Centres Along Chords and Webs Joists to Suit Beam to Suit

PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS 7

STRONGBACKS
Strongback beams run perpendicular to the trusses and Strongback Size Selection
are used to spread footfall impact loads to adjacent
trusses. They are required for all residential floors and STRONGBACK BEAM SELECTION
some of the lighter commercial floors.
Nominal truss Strongback depth and No. of fixings
Strongbacks are not required for trusses up to 3.5m in
span. For trusses 3.6m to 7m span, use one row of depth (mm) grade (all 35 mm thick) per connection
strongbacks located close to midspan. For trusses
above 7m span use 3 rows of strongbacks located one 200 90 F5/P10 or 70 F17 2/nails or 1/screw
row at midspan, and two further rows located at each of 250 120 F5/P10 or 90 F17 3/nails or 2/screws
the quarter points. 300 140 F5/P10 or 120 F17 3/nails or 2/screws
350 140 F5/P10 or 120 F17 3/nails or 2/screws
LONGREACH STRONGBACK
400 140 F5/P10 or 120 F17 3/nails or 2/screws

In locations where the strongback needs to be joined,

either of the following methods may be used:

STRONGBACK SPLICE

Strongback Size
as Per Table

PRYDA SPAN STRONGBACK

Overlap
Strongback at
Vertical Webs

ALTERNATE STRONGBACK SPLICE

Strongback Size Splice Strongback Together

as Per Table With Cleat on Side

Strongbacks should be fixed hard up against the vertical

web, but may be fixed up against the top chord or the
bottom chord to suit. Fixings may be hand hammered
75 x 3.75 nails, or power driven 75 x 2.9 nails, or 12g –
11 x 65 Timberfixx screws. While screws are more
expensive, they provide the best performance as they
Min. 5/3.75mm Nails
are more rigid, they clamp the timber components Each Side of Joint
together, and they prevent squeaks due to various floor
components loosening over time.
Where Pryda Span trusses have been used, and there is
no vertical web close to the desired location of the
strongback, a supplementary vertical web may be nailed
to the side of the truss instead with 2 nails to the top
chord and to the bottom chord, to provide a fixing for
the strongback.

8 PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS

 STABILITY BRACING
Non-aligned Strongbacks Pryda floor trusses must be braced back to their
In cases where different adjacent spans cause the supporting structure for stability in a similar manner to the
strongbacks to be out of alignment, the following detail bracing stipulated by AS1684.2-1999 for solid deep joists.
may be adopted. Vertical blocks of 90 x 35 mm are fixed Use diagonally placed Pryda Strapbrace or timber braces
with 2/3.75 dia x 75 mm nails to both top and bottom (minimum thickness of 25 mm) at 1800 mm centres
chords. Strongbacks are then fixed into the side of the maximum at the ends of trusses and at any internal wall
block and the preceding vertical web with the number of supports. Alternatively, a continuous trimming beam may
nails specified in the table. be used at the end of each truss – see End Type 3 – with
diagonal bracing at the end bays only.
NON-ALIGNED STRONGBACKS
Length of Pryda Strapbrace to Suit Height of Trusses

Additional Block Max. 1800mm Centres

Vertical Web

Max. 600mm Min. 2/3.15mm x 30mm Pryda Nails

Into Side of Top Wall Plate
and 2 Nails to Underside

90 x 35mm F5

Strongbacks Not Required

Strongbacks may be omitted from floors when:
• The floor has been designed for live load of 3000 Pa
and 4.5 kN, or greater.
• Either 25 mm F11 plywood, or 2 layers of 19 mm F11
plywood (or better) has been used
2/75mm Nails
In these situations, either the truss will be very stiff due Into Vertical
to the high design load, or the flooring itself is capable Web
of dissipating human footfall impacts. Max. 1800mm Centres

Instead, use 90 x 35 F5 (on flat) lateral ties fixed to the

bottom chord, located approximately at the third points
of the span. Fix Trimmer to Ends of Floor Trusses With
2/3.15mm Dia. x 75mm Nails

End Trimmer

Note: End Brace Requires Diagonal

Bracing Down to Wall at Each End
of a Bay of Trusses

Pryda floor trusses are braced laterally at the top chord

level by the flooring material and at the bottom chord
level by the ceiling lining. If there is no ceiling fixed
directly (or by battens) then 90 x 35 binders must be
provided on the bottom chord at 3000 mm centres
maximum.

PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS 9

FIXINGS AT SUPPORTS
Each truss shall be held onto its supporting plate/bearer
by a minimum of 2/75 x 3.15 mm dia nails. If preferred,
a better fixing may be achieved by using one Pryda
Minigrip with 3/35 x 3.15 mm dia Pryda nails per tab.

TYPICAL PLATE SUPPORT FIXING

OPTION 1
2/75 x 3.15mm
OPTION 2
Dia. Skewed Nails
Pryda Minigrip With Min. 3/35 x
3.15mm Dia. Pryda Nails Per Tab

When supporting trusses on steel or timber beams via

top chords it is preferable to restrain the bottom chord
using skew nails while the top chord should be fixed to
the supporting beam using screws or Pryda Triplegrips.
This practice improves the stiffness of the floor by
minimising movement and vibration at the supports.

TYPICAL BEAM SUPPORT FIXING OPTION 1

Screw, Bolt or
Drive Pin Fixing

75mm x 3.15mm
Dia. Skewed Nails
Preferred

TYPICAL BEAM SUPPORT FIXING OPTION 2

2/75mm x 3.15mm Dia.

Skewed Nails

75mm x 3.15mm
Dia. Skewed Nails
Preferred

10 PRYDA FLOOR TRUSS SYSTEMS

PRYDA RAFTER TRUSS SYSTEMS
Many of the installation requirements associated with orientation, bearing, non-loadbearing and loadbearing
Longreach and Pryda Span floor trusses are also walls under, and ducts for mechanical services also
relevant to the same products when used as roof purlins apply to the Pryda Roof System.
or rafters. The floor truss installation guidelines for truss

BRACING
Bottom chord bracing BRACING REQUIREMENTS FOR SUSPENDED CEILINGS
AND UNRESTRAINED BOTTOM CHORDS
Strongbacks are not required for
Longreach or Pryda Span roof trusses.
For suspended ceilings, or exposed
Longreach or
bottom chords, or where ceiling battens Pryda Span as
Bottom Chord Ties
do not provide restraint to bottom Roof Trusses
chords under wind uplift conditions, Steel Brace to Underside
of Bottom Chord to
it is recommended that bottom chord Transfer Bracing Loads to 45O
ties are introduced in accordance Structure
with AS4440 –1999: Installation of
Nailplated Timber Roof Trusses. In
addition to this, Pryda Speed or Strap
Braces shall be fixed to the truss
bottom chords to transfer bracing
Suspended
loads back to the supporting structure
Ceiling
according to AS4440-1999: Installation
of Nailplated Timber Roof Trusses. Note: Refer AS4440 -1947 Installation of
Nailplated Timber Trusses For Further Guidance
In circumstances where the ceiling
on Bottom Chord Restraint Requirements
material and battens do provide effective
restraint then bottom chord ties shall not
be required.

Top chord bracing

The forces generated by resistance to buckling of the the top chord in conjunction with adequately spaced
top chord and wind loading perpendicular to the span of roof battens in accordance with AS4440 –1999:
the trusses must also be transferred back to the Installation of Nailplated Timber Trusses. The steel brace
supporting structure by steel braces. It is recommended shall be continuous over the ends of the trusses and be
that Pryda Speed Brace or Strap Brace be applied to anchored down to the top plate.

TOP CHORD BRACING REQUIREMENTS

Box Gutter
Roof Battens Continuous
i Thi A
End Type 1 Steel Brace

Brick Parapet
Wall

30O-45O
Loadbearing
Wall Frame

Bracing Between 30O

And 45O to Top Plate
When Viewed in Plan

Roof Battens
Continuous in This Area

PRYDA RAFTER TRUSS SYSTEMS 11

TIE DOWN AND FIXING DETAILS
Pryda roof trusses must be fixed down END BRACING AND TIE DOWN
to the supporting structure using
connections that match or exceed the Lateral Bracing at Ends of Trusses
magnitude of the wind uplift forces on Using Pryda Strap Brace or
Equivalent. Cross Brace at Each
each truss. Each truss shall be held onto
End of a Run of Trusses.
its supporting plate/bearer by a minimum
of 2/75x3.15mm skew nails, or one
Pryda Minigrip or Multigrip with
3/35x3.15mm nails per tab. Refer to
AS1684-1999 for further guidance on
fixings and tie down requirements.
Pryda roof trusses shall also be braced
laterally at the ends of the trusses using Minimum Tie Down 2/75 x 3.15mm
Pryda Strap Braces at each end of a run Skew Nails or Minigrip/Multigrip
of trusses. With 3/35 x 3.15mm Nails in Each
Tab. Refer AS1684 For Minimum
Bend Steel Brace Over And Tie Down Requirements.
Fix With 3/35 x 3.15mm Nails
to Side And 2 Nails Over

BOX GUTTERS
Longreach and Pryda Span may be designed to
accommodate box gutters. Pryda Span can comprise of
a notched solid block end while Longreach also has the
option of trimming the top chord with additional framing
attached.

BOX GUTTER OPTIONS

On Site Construction Option Block Insert Option

PRYDA (AUST) PTY LTD

29 Healey Road, Dandenong, Victoria 3175
Tel: (03) 9706 5488 Fax: (03) 9706 5499 Email: [email protected]
Website: www.pryda.com.au
Offices also in: Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Auckland, Napier,
Christchurch, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Baru, Bundung, Bangkok

Austrim Nylex
Building Products Division