Donaldson Direct specialise in supplying roof trusses to timber/builders’ merchants, small developers, self-builders and architects.

We offer a range of different sizes of fink trusses – the most widely used type of truss – which are often used for projects such as new build homes, garages and extensions.

A fink truss is a basic webbed truss design which offers good load-bearing capacity. Every truss consists of top and bottom chords, and internal web members (in a fink truss, these form a “W” shape, which helps give fink trusses that great load-carrying capacity). The timbers are connected at all junctions with a steel connector plate. The combination of wood and plates support the roof loadings through the truss and into the load bearing supports below.

Another reason that fink trusses are a popular choice for a wide range of building projects is that as well as being remarkably cost-effective, they are also quite versatile, and the placement of the webbing provides some storage space and room for items such as water tanks.

Fink trusses originated in American and were originally used in bridge construction. They get their name from Albert Fink, a civil engineer who patented the design of his innovative truss bridges in 1854.

Timber fink trusses have been used in roof construction in the UK since the 1960s and have grown in popularity over the years.