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When installing hurricane clips to joists where it crosses a beam, is there a preference to mounting the clips on the inside or the outside of the beam? And should the ears on the clips point inward over the beam or outward? (Does it matter?)

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It is always best to consult the manufacturer's manuals and catalogs on this. Simpson Strong-Tie is one brand that is very extensively documented. If you're talking about the diamond plate type, they belong on the outside of the building, and tie the double top plate strongly to the rafter. If you use them on the inside, they only catch the lower truss joist across the join and don't properly attach anything together. Strong-Tie Hurricane Clip

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/h.asp

Since it's under copyright, I'm not sure if they'd consider a clip to be fair use, so here's a link directly into their PDF Installation notes on installing these things for Rafter and Truss construction. Scroll up or down for other Hurricane Clip and Earthquake ties.

http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/catalogs/S-INSTALL09.pdf#page=21

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I should have been a little more precise. My question relates to outdoor decks. – DaveB Sep 9 '12 at 5:09
In the case of a deck, the hurricane clip should be just fine on the inside with the following caveat. What is really important is that the ears on the cross beam are being attached to a full width piece of material. With trusses, you have a steel plate joined wood joint on the inside of the top double plate as opposed to a full width 2x4 or 2x6 rafter on the outside. With the deck, as long as the plate and ears are both attaching to solid wood members, they should be tied together with the clip at their combined full strength. – Fiasco Labs Sep 9 '12 at 16:11

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