May 2008
by Richard Reynolds
A couple of decades ago, not much was typically done to secure gable-end trusses: at most, a few toe-nails, perhaps an occasional strap or diagonal brace. But these measures prove insufficient in a high-wind event, where negative pressures are the most likely forces to pull apart an underbuilt wall. And once the gable end goes, it can unzip a house, devastating the structure and ruining the entire contents of a home. As Richard Reynolds explains, retrofitting gable ends to resist hurricane-force winds must not only brace the framing members but also strengthen the connections. Here, he details the five-step process that results in a well-secured, well-sealed gable-end retrofit.
First 100 Words:
Gable-End Retrofits A builder's guide to hurricane-resistant reinforcements for gable ends Richard Reynolds Negative pressure from hurricane-force winds pulled the top of the gable end outward after it ripped off the sheathing at the edge of the roof. The retrofit measures briefly described in this article can dramatically reduce the risk of such an occurrence. Observations made in the aftermath of Category 3 and stronger hurricanes have clearly illustrated the vulnerability of gable ends. Failure comes in three varieties: The most common gable-end failure is one where the wall loses support along its top edge — typically because the sheathing
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