How To Store Stuff In Garage Attic 2x4 Joists

While this is not the optimal setup it is acceptable to have ceiling joists covered with plywood or osb to use for light attic storage of dead loads.

How to store stuff in garage attic 2x4 joists.

Originally i just put loose boards down over the horizontal 2x4 base of the trusses. Nail the board to the joist and rafter with two nails at each spot. The ceiling joists in my garage are 2x8 spaced 24 o c and span 21. Of stuff on it.

Place the board vertically with the ends overlapping the ceiling rafter and the joist. Cut a 2 by 4 inch board to match the distance you measured. I d like to use the space for light storage holiday decorations etc but i m not sure if the joists are up for the task. If you want to put down flooring in your attic and want more insulation underneath that floor then you need to increase your joist size.

If you have an attic over your garage these joists also bear the load of your attic flooring and any materials you store in the attic. The horizontal bottom chords of most garage trusses are designed to carry the weight of drywall and insulation. Reinforcing garage attic trusses for storage area i have an attic above my two car garage that i have been using as a storage area. I suspect they re meant to be installed in joists at least 6.

That means you could lay a 2 x 4 ft. I have to find out if an attic ladder can be installed on 2x4 joists too. To make the area more useable and secure now i want to put in 5 8 plywood over those 2x4s. If you need a storage area above your garage strong ceiling joists are necessary to support the added weight.

If your attic joists won t bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage you can install inch plywood or. The previous homeowner may have simply covered the joists with plywood to use the space for storage. Is a safe estimate. The roof load appears to be carried by the walls so the joists seem to only be in place to hold the drywall.

So if your ceiling is unfinished you have some excess carrying capacity up there. The proposed storage area would be in the middle and back part of the house where the center wall would help hold things up a bit and like i wrote before some ties could be made to the overhead roof rafters.