The choice of carpentry connectors is determined by the roof truss design, not by the roofing type alone. It is worth checking what forces a given node must transfer, what the load direction and substrate are, and whether the catalogue load capacity matches the intended installation and fasteners. In an order, a precise description of the fitting matters more than a general term, because similar components may have different parameters. Traditional timber joints and steel fittings serve different functions, so the designer decides on their use.

A hipped roof encloses the building with four slopes: two trapezoidal and two triangular. This arrangement suits a simple building form well, yet it multiplies the corners and covering cut-offs. The designer matches the truss to the span and loads. When choosing metal roof tiles, establish the covering area, the waste at corners and the full set of flashings – the footprint area alone will not suffice for ordering material. On a rectangular building, the larger slopes meet at the ridge, while the shorter sides are closed by triangular slopes. Their convex junctions are corners, not valleys.