Change Feature Pattern Trusses from 4x2 to 2x4

Before you begin, select the truss you want to change, such as a Feature Pattern truss.

Feature Pattern trusses start in the 4x2 orientation, with the lumber laid flat as in a floor truss. Component Thickness in the material settings changes the orientation: 3.5" (4x) is 4x2 and 1.5" (2x) is 2x4, with the lumber on edge. You can change an existing truss, or set the thickness while you create a new one.

Change an existing truss to 2x4

Select the truss in the component list first if it isn't the active truss.

Warning

Convert to Settings generates the truss again from its feature pattern settings. Any changes you made to the truss after insertion, such as moved members or additional loads, are lost.

Step 1 - Click Edit Truss and choose Convert to Settings

Edit Truss is the pencil icon in the top toolbar.

Step 2 - Click Ok to go back to the original design settings

The Component Insertion panel opens at Shape Details with the truss's settings.

Step 3 - Leave the shape details as they are and click Next

Step 4 - Click Material Settings

Step 5 - Choose 1.5" (2x) for Component Thickness

The lumber for each member type changes to lumber that fits the new thickness. You can change any of them under its member type, such as Dimensions under End Vertical.

Step 6 - Click Change settings for this component

The material settings close. To close them without keeping your changes, click Cancel.

Step 7 - Click Insert

The truss is generated again as a 2x4 truss.

Step 8 - Click Analyze to check the truss

To view the results, see Run & View Component Analysis.

Create a new 2x4 Feature Pattern truss

This task creates a nearly flat 2x4 roof truss.

Step 1 - Click Create and choose Component

You can also right-click empty space in the scene, or press Ctrl + Q, and choose Component.

Step 2 - Choose the Feature Pattern shape

If you've just inserted or converted a Feature Pattern truss, the panel opens at Shape Details with the Feature Pattern shape already chosen.

Step 3 - Enter a low slope, such as 0.25 in Top Chord Slope, and click Next

The slope is the rise per 12 of run, so 0.25 is a 1/4 in 12 slope. Leave the other shape details as they are.

Step 4 - Choose Roof for Component Type (Loading)

Step 5 - Choose K for Webbing Pattern

Step 6 - Check No Chase

No Chase is under Chase Settings. If it is already checked, leave it checked.

Step 7 - Click Material Settings and choose 1.5" (2x) for Component Thickness

Step 8 - Click Change settings for this component, then click Insert

Note

Component Type (Loading) decides whether the truss is loaded as a floor or roof truss. To change it after insertion, select the truss and choose Roof Truss or Floor Truss for Component Type in its component properties.

Step 9 - Click Analyze

Watch the video

The video shows the same two tasks.

Video Transcript:

Welcome!

In this video, we will walk through modifying the thickness of an existing feature pattern truss from a 4x2 to a 2x4, and creating a new feature pattern truss to have a thickness of 2x4.

Let's get started.

Editing an Existing Feature Pattern Truss

Select the truss you want to modify from the component list. Go over to the edit menu, and we will select edit truss. Then we will click on Convert to Settings. Please read the note for this setting, as the additional loads, and other changes will be lost.

Click OK to go back to the original design. We will leave the Shape Details as they are and click on Next. Under the Structural Details we will click the Materials Settings, And under Component Thickness select 1 and a half inches. Then we will need to click on Change Settings For This Component.

Click Insert.

And to confirm this truss Passes Checks, we will analyze it. This truss looks good.

Creating a New Feature Pattern Truss

Let's now create a new truss. Right click, and select component. Then we will select Feature Pattern from the shape options. From our shape Details we will set the Top Chord Slope to .25 over 12. We will leave the other settings here as they are.

Select Next.

From the Structural Details we will change our component type from Floor to Roof. Moving down we will select K webbing from the webbing pattern option. Let's click to select No Chase. And we will then click on Material Settings, and adjust our Materials for the Component Thickness, so it is 1 and a half inches.

To accept these changes we will click on Change Settings for this Component. Click insert to add our component. Under properties we can select our Component Type to change this from a Floor Truss or a Roof Truss for loading purposes. One final step here will be to analyze this component.

Everything looks great here.

We hope this short video has given you the steps to adjust your next truss to have the desired thickness.

Thanks for watching.