Putting trusses up successfully depends on a few easy routines. Over the years, I’ve developed several techniques that I use on all my truss jobs, regardless of whether they’re on a huge production tract or a single custom home. Doing prep work early on is where you can save the most time on a truss job. Although a truss roof can’t go up till the trusses are delivered, there’s a lot you can do while you’re waiting for the load. The real benefit of prep work is that most of it can be done on the ground where the work is both safer and faster.

The first step should be to lay out the interior wall top plates with reference marks that will ensure the proper placement of the floating truss clips later on. This only takes a few moments when the building is not covered by a load of trusses. Don’t bother laying out the exterior walls because the eaves blocks will automatically do that for you.

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