Section 1709 Connections to Wall Below

Truss gable end walls shall be attached to the wall below using gusset angle brackets fastened to the bottom chord of roof trusses and to the wall below and spaced in accordance with Table 1704.1. Fasteners shall be placed a minimum of ⁵/₈ inch (15.875 mm) from edges of lumber. Fasteners shall be permitted to penetrate truss plates. Four fasteners shall be effectively installed through each leg of gusset angles.

Exception: Where existing conditions prevent effective installation of all four fasteners into each leg of a gusset angle bracket, a supplementary gusset angle bracket shall be installed a minimum of 2³/₄ inches (70 mm) from and a maximum of 8 inches (203 mm) from the one without the four fasteners in each leg. The number of effectively installed fasteners securing the corresponding leg of the supplementary gusset angle bracket shall at least equal the number not effectively installed on the first gusset angle bracket.

The bottom end of each primary stud of gable end walls shall be connected to bottom members using one of the following methods.

1. Where a sill plate for the gable end wall exists, the bottom end of each primary stud shall be connected to the sill plate using a stud-to-plate metal connector with minimum uplift capacity of 175 pounds (79 kg).
2. Where a wood frame gable end wall has a ceiling joist as the lowest outer member of the gable end wall, the primary studs shall be connected to the joist using a stud-to-plate metal connector with minimum uplift capacity of 175 pounds (79 kg) positioned on the wide face of the joist near the top of the joist so that it extends up the stud to where the stud is full width.

The gable end walls shall be connected to the wall below using one of the following methods.

1. Where there is a wood frame wall below a gable end wall and where the gable end wall above has a sill or bottom plate atop the plates of the wall below, the sill of the gable end wall shall be connected to the top plates of the wall below using wood screw fasteners with a minimum shear capacity of 150 pounds (667 N) for 1¹/₂-inches (38 mm) side member thickness. Threads of screws shall substantially engage the lower top plate. Screws shall be placed a minimum of 1³/₄ inches (44 mm) from the edges of lumber and a minimum of 2³/₈ inches (60 mm) from the ends of lumber. The screws shall be installed at the spacing indicated in Table 1704.1.
2. Where a wood frame gable end wall has a ceiling joist as the lowest outer member of the gable end wall, that joist shall be connected to the wall below using the method found in Section 1709.1.1 except the ceiling joist shall be attached to the wall below as required for the bottom chord of the roof truss.
3. Where the wall below a gable end wall is a concrete or masonry wall, the sill or bottom plate of the gable end wall shall be connected to the wall below using ¹/₄-inch diameter concrete or masonry screws of the same type used for gusset angles and of sufficient length to provide a minimum embedment of 1¹/₂ inches (38 mm) into the concrete of the wall or a minimum 2³/₄ inches (70 mm) into the masonry of the wall. A washer sized for the diameter of the lag bolt or wood screw shall be placed under the head of each lag bolt. The fasteners shall be installed at the spacing indicated in Table 1704.1.