Truss Application 02
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February 9, 2023

Replace Time-Consuming Hurricane Clips with SPAX® Truss Screws

Whether you’re building a home for a client in a coastal location or high in the mountains, you want to ensure your roof trusses can withstand powerful wind gusts. While hurricane clips are the traditional go-to for fastening trusses to a top plate, SPAX®offers engineered fasteners that will not only provide the same staying power as hurricane clips but will also streamline your building process.
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Save Money on Each Connection

Instead of painstakingly securing each hurricane clip with up to a dozen nails and a lot of overhead hammering, choose hurricane screws for trusses instead. The SPAX T-Star plus Cylindric Head truss screw installs in up to 1/10th of the time, and they can help save you money on each connection.

How Hurricane Clips Work

Hurricane clips add another level of structural integrity by securing a roof’s trusses to the home’s top plate. This lightweight metal connector attaches to one side of a roof’s truss, traveling down in a twisting design to connect to the top plate, using multiple nails to secure the clip to the surface of the truss and top place.

How T-Star Plus Truss Screws Work

Not only do these truss/rafter screws take a tenth of the time to install compared to hurricane clips, they can also reduce labor and supplies cost. In fact, they simply make the job easier overall. For instance, instead of struggling to hammer a 1.5-inch nail into an overhead hurricane clip in a potentially tight spot, use SPAX hurricane screws for rafters, and complete the following steps:

  • Position the SPAX T-Star plus truss screw in a 22º diagonal upward angle from the interior, bottom corner of the top plate towards the truss
  • Drill the truss screw into the top plate, advancing it up through the rafter and into the truss

The SPAX T-Star plus truss screw’s full-thread, code-compliant construction will securely connect all your roofing elements in a way that resists the wind’s direction of force. It works the same way as a hurricane clip except it anchors in a more stable, central location and with deeper connectivity.
This truss screw is available in a 6.25 inch length, allowing you to safely secure your roof quickly and almost effortlessly. And because this screw fits flush with your top plate, you won’t have to worry about fitting issues during the drywall process.

Additional Advantages of the T-Star Plus Truss Screw

We’ve skillfully engineered these truss screws to increase productivity while holding connections together longer. And they’re not only the perfect solution for fastening trusses to a top plate. Thanks to the 4CUT™ design, there’s no need for pre-drilling, and their inventive configuration allows you to drive these truss screws with 40% less torque than other industry counterparts.
You can also use this versatile lag for other interior applications, such as connecting studs to the bottom plate and securing king studs, trimmers, and sills prior to window installation. Here are some other advantageous features of the SPAX T-Star plus truss screw:

  • Cylindric head promotes a low splitting effect and offers superior bit engagement to eliminate camming out
  • Patented thread serrations dramatically increase installation speed by effectively cutting through wood fibers and pulling the truss screw flush to the wood substrate
  • Grade-5 durability with WIROX coating provides superior interior structural application solutions
  • Innovative design requires 40% less torque, facilitating easy overhead driving
  • One-of-a-kind 4CUT™ point pierces and separates wood for quick and easy installation with no pre-drilling

The SPAX T-Star plus Cylindric Head truss screw is the optimal solution for truss and rafter attachment as well as a variety of other interior fastening and framing needs. These truss screws also come with their own drive bit to ensure a snug and superb fit.

Request a Sample Pack

Examine our products up close before you buy. Just locate a SPAX seller near you or order online today.

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