Why you should try steel when timber prices get you down

Roofing a house signifies the end of any “mjengo” project. The roof is the pinnacle of any habitable structure. It is where the buck stops.

Most roofs are held in place by a truss. A truss is an interconnected triangular structure that bears the weight of a roof and distributes it across the load- bearing walls. Trusses are made of struts, rafters, bridges and posts. They offer stability to a building and determine the final outlook of the roof.

In Kenya, trusses in modern houses have traditionally been made from wood. Recently, however, cheaper alternatives are becoming mainstream. We look at steel as the first option.

Steel trusses are the best bargain for a residential and commercial property. They are lightweight yet durable and cost effective. Steel trusses are superior to wooden trusses in several ways.

 The pros of steel trusses

Steel trusses are pre-fabricated using computer-aided design technology. You will cut down on cost of labour as the trusses are constructed off site and delivered and hoisted by a crane thus cutting down on extra joinery costs.

Steel trusses do not warp or shrink with loss of moisture as does wood. This means the roof remains intact for its lifetime. They are also moisture-resistant, “rot-proof” and insusceptible to termite infestation.

Pre-fabricated trusses are quite extensive in length unlike wood whose length depends majorly on the height of the tree. They are cut at the point of measure making them ideal for roofing longer areas without joints or waste.

Pre-fabricated steel trusses save you on building time because they can be installed all year round and in any kind of weather. Wood can only be installed in dry weather and this causes delay on final down times.