Simpson Strong-Tie Connectors

We put Simpson Strong-Tie connectors all over my house. Steel straps over the ridge connect all the rafters. Hurricane ties connect all rafters to top plates and/or studs. Many second-floor studs are connected down to first-floor studs. And studs are connected to the band joist and sill. I spent many hours nailing steel Simpson Strong-Ties.

I live near the Atlantic coast, so I take the possibility of high-winds seriously. Strong winds can lift the roof off a house, rack the house, or slide it off its foundation. Simpson Strong-Ties are cheap reinforcements for preventing disaster.

Simpson Strong-Tie connectors aren't always easy to install because you're often nailing in tight quarters. I found that their simplest connectors are the easiest to work with. Their catalog is online and shows which connectors can be used where. We had to use a variety of their designs to be able to make all the connections we wanted, but the peace of mind is worth it.