Truss Plate - Metal Connector for Wood Truss Joints

A truss plate is the toothed metal connector pressed into wood members to join the pieces of a manufactured truss.

What It Is

A truss plate, also called a connector plate, is a stamped steel plate with rows of sharp teeth that are embedded into framing members under high pressure at the factory. It locks the truss joints together so the top chords, bottom chord, and web members act as one engineered assembly.

Because the teeth and plate size are part of the truss design, a loose, bent, or missing plate is a structural issue. Field repairs are not guesswork and should follow an engineer's or truss manufacturer's repair detail.

Where It Is Used

Truss plates are used on prefabricated wood roof trusses and floor trusses. They are found at the joints where framing members meet, usually in attics, garages, unfinished basements, and homes under construction.

How to Identify One

Look for flat galvanized steel plates pressed into both faces of a truss joint. The plate will have a grid of embedded teeth, and damage may show up as lifting edges, rust, bent metal, or movement at the joint.

Replacement

A failed truss plate is usually repaired by a contractor following an engineered detail rather than by simply hammering the original plate back in place. Depending on the damage, the repair may involve gussets, sistered members, or new connector hardware designed for that specific truss.