I want to add storage space above our 2-car garage by building a floor in
the garage's attic and adding some drop-down stairs, so it's easy to get to
the garage's attic.

Problem is the attic has 2x4 engineered trusses spaced every 2 feet apart,
so I would have to add joists to support the weight of the floor, the weight
of anyone walking up there, as well as the weight of the boxes and things
that I'll be storing up there. I'm planning on using 3/4 or 1 inch plywood
for the flooring in the garage attic.

The garage is 22 feet wide (the trusses go this way, so the trusses span 22
feet) and 20 feet deep. Would I need some kind of beam going down the middle
to support the additional joists, so they wouldn't have to span the full 22
feet?

What's the easiest way to add and support joists and a floor in a 2-car
garage attic? The 2x4 trusses are, of course, resting on the walls of the
garage, and there doesn't really appear to be a way to put any taller boards
for joists (i.e., 2x8s or 2x10s) between the roof and the top of the garage
walls since the only thing that will fit there now is the 2x4 ends of the
trusses. It would be nice if I could just add 2x4s to the bottom of the
trusses to make those thicker and stronger to support a floor, since they
would fit perfectly between the tops of the walls and the roof, but since
the trusses are spaced every 24 inches, rather than every 16 inches, as
normal joists would be spaced, I'm guessing that won't work.

Has anyone done a similar project in the attic of a 2-car garage, and if so,
how did you do it? Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated!!

--
DK

"DK" wrote in message ...
I want to add storage space above our 2-car garage by building a floor in
the garage's attic and adding some drop-down stairs, so it's easy to get to
the garage's attic.

Problem is the attic has 2x4 engineered trusses spaced every 2 feet apart,
so I would have to add joists to support the weight of the floor, the
weight of anyone walking up there, as well as the weight of the boxes and
things that I'll be storing up there. I'm planning on using 3/4 or 1 inch
plywood for the flooring in the garage attic.

The garage is 22 feet wide (the trusses go this way, so the trusses span
22 feet) and 20 feet deep. Would I need some kind of beam going down the
middle to support the additional joists, so they wouldn't have to span the
full 22 feet?

What's the easiest way to add and support joists and a floor in a 2-car
garage attic? The 2x4 trusses are, of course, resting on the walls of the
garage, and there doesn't really appear to be a way to put any taller
boards for joists (i.e., 2x8s or 2x10s) between the roof and the top of
the garage walls since the only thing that will fit there now is the 2x4
ends of the trusses. It would be nice if I could just add 2x4s to the
bottom of the trusses to make those thicker and stronger to support a
floor, since they would fit perfectly between the tops of the walls and
the roof, but since the trusses are spaced every 24 inches, rather than
every 16 inches, as normal joists would be spaced, I'm guessing that won't
work.

Has anyone done a similar project in the attic of a 2-car garage, and if
so, how did you do it? Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated!!

--
DK

you need an engineer to design replacements for trusses. it'd be easier to
rip the entire roof off and start over.

Spitzer has a point.
What occurs to me is the truss configuration cannot be changed on a
whim.
That probably doesn't leave much room for storage.
TB

I'm not disagreeing with anyone, just pointing out an experience. I just
sold a workshop, concrete block, 28 X 50, with a 4/12 pitch, 1/2" plywood
deck, asphalt shingle roof, span on 28' width. Trusses were 2 X 4 on 24"
centers, metal splice plates, with the "W" format, using hurricane clips on
top plate at attachment. The center chord exposed clear area was 8 feet wide
in the middle of the truss. I floored the entire 50' length using 1/2"
plywood, and stored everything from books to domestic items to auto parts up
there for 23 years. No snow load to talk about here, though, I'm in the
South. By the way, there was a 6" monorail I beam mounted under the ceiling
by bolting it up through the trusses every 2 feet, using a small timber
across the lower chords of the truses, and running 32 feet down the shop. It
was supported at both ends by pipe posts, and it was located 8 feet or so
out from the wall at the bottom of one of the V location of the trusses, and
was used to move equipment and pull auto engines and such. I KNOW that 1,000
pounds would sag the beam 1/16" by measuring before and after. My brother in
law has an identical workshop, except with 5/12 pitch, with the same setup.
It is always best to be safe, but my experiences have shown properly
installed truss roof systems to be very strong. This is presented only as a
real world experience. Use your own judgement.

RJ

wrote in message
oups.com...
Spitzer has a point.
What occurs to me is the truss configuration cannot be changed on a
whim.
That probably doesn't leave much room for storage.
TB

"Backlash" wrote in message
...
I floored the entire 50' length using 1/2" plywood, and stored everything
from books to domestic items to auto parts up there for 23 years. No snow
load to talk about here, though, I'm in the South. It is always best to
be safe, but my experiences have shown properly installed truss roof
systems to be very strong. This is presented only as a real world
experience. Use your own judgement.

What is not known is the design of the system. Yours may have been designed
to take a fairly large load. Others may not. If you know the design
capability, no problem.

My shop was built by me when I was 28 years old, and didn't know know what I
think I know now. :-)
I simply ordered the roof trusses, built the roof, and later added the hoist
beam. The truss suppliers only knew the roof pitch, roofing type, and that
they would need to supply trusses for a clear span underneath. There's a
splice plate in the middle of the lower chord. I contacted them recently
about building a new shop, asked about spanning 34 feet, and the engineer
told me they are now supplying clear span wood trusses spanning up to 60
feet. Damn! that's a long way! I didn't ask wood dimensions on this, as I'm
not going that wide.

RJ

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
m...

"Backlash" wrote in message
...
I floored the entire 50' length using 1/2" plywood, and stored
everything from books to domestic items to auto parts up there for 23
years. No snow load to talk about here, though, I'm in the South. It is
always best to be safe, but my experiences have shown properly installed
truss roof systems to be very strong. This is presented only as a real
world experience. Use your own judgement.

What is not known is the design of the system. Yours may have been
designed to take a fairly large load. Others may not. If you know the
design capability, no problem.

"DK" wrote:
I want to add storage space above our 2-car garage by building a floor in
the garage's attic and adding some drop-down stairs, so it's easy to get to
the garage's attic.

Problem is the attic has 2x4 engineered trusses spaced every 2 feet apart,
so I would have to add joists to support the weight of the floor, the weight
of anyone walking up there, as well as the weight of the boxes and things
that I'll be storing up there. I'm planning on using 3/4 or 1 inch plywood
for the flooring in the garage attic.

The garage is 22 feet wide (the trusses go this way, so the trusses span 22
feet) and 20 feet deep. Would I need some kind of beam going down the middle
to support the additional joists, so they wouldn't have to span the full 22
feet?

What's the easiest way to add and support joists and a floor in a 2-car
garage attic? The 2x4 trusses are, of course, resting on the walls of the
garage, and there doesn't really appear to be a way to put any taller boards
for joists (i.e., 2x8s or 2x10s) between the roof and the top of the garage
walls since the only thing that will fit there now is the 2x4 ends of the
trusses. It would be nice if I could just add 2x4s to the bottom of the
trusses to make those thicker and stronger to support a floor, since they
would fit perfectly between the tops of the walls and the roof, but since
the trusses are spaced every 24 inches, rather than every 16 inches, as
normal joists would be spaced, I'm guessing that won't work.

Has anyone done a similar project in the attic of a 2-car garage, and if so,
how did you do it? Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated!!

I'm probably visualizing the problem wrong, but why not basically build a "deck"
using 2x4s running perpendicular to the bottom chords of the trusses (with the
2x4s screwed into the bottom chords)? You could probably even get by using
widely spaced (say, the width of a 2x4) decking boards, since you just want to
have something to walk on and stack boxes on.

Problem is the attic has 2x4 engineered trusses spaced every 2 feet apart,
so I would have to add joists to support the weight of the floor, the weight
of anyone walking up there, as well as the weight of the boxes and things
that I'll be storing up there. I'm planning on using 3/4 or 1 inch plywood
for the flooring in the garage attic.

The garage is 22 feet wide (the trusses go this way, so the trusses span 22
feet) and 20 feet deep. Would I need some kind of beam going down the middle
to support the additional joists, so they wouldn't have to span the full 22
feet?

What's the easiest way to add and support joists and a floor in a 2-car
garage attic? The 2x4 trusses are, of course, resting on the walls of the


You don't want to mess with or add weight to the trusses, unless you
can do the math to figure out what they're going to do in response.
You can add a floor anyway, but figuring out how requires knowing
things like: How much headroom is there in the garage for
beams and joists sticking down? Which way do the existing trusses
go relative to where the garage door(s) are, and to the roof-slope?

Remember that you don't actually have to have a load-supporting floor
over the entire area, either. If you can find a place to plant
3 or more posts supporting 2 or more beams either under, over,
or between the trusses, then you can put a platform in.

It might even be cheaper or simpler *NOT* to put a regular floor
in, but just put up scaffolding through the trusses with planks
across them.

--Goedjn

"Andy Hill" wrote in message
I'm probably visualizing the problem wrong, but why not basically build a
"deck"
using 2x4s running perpendicular to the bottom chords of the trusses (with
the
2x4s screwed into the bottom chords)? You could probably even get by
using
widely spaced (say, the width of a 2x4) decking boards, since you just
want to
have something to walk on and stack boxes on.

The trusses are designed to hold up a roof, not a floor. You should not
build a floor on them or hang much weight on them.

If this were possible I can't visualize you having any head room, that being
said is this a barn style roof where you can stand up?

I was thinking of suporting the 2x4 roof trusses with 2x10's or 12's from
underneath the 2x4's like another poster mentioned building a deck under the
trusses.re-enforceing the walls where the 2x10's would rest.

Tom


"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
m...

"Andy Hill" wrote in message
I'm probably visualizing the problem wrong, but why not basically build a
"deck"
using 2x4s running perpendicular to the bottom chords of the trusses
(with the
2x4s screwed into the bottom chords)? You could probably even get by
using
widely spaced (say, the width of a 2x4) decking boards, since you just
want to
have something to walk on and stack boxes on.

The trusses are designed to hold up a roof, not a floor. You should not
build a floor on them or hang much weight on them.

On Fri, 13 May 2005 19:00:17 -0500, "twfsa" wrote:

If this were possible I can't visualize you having any head room, that being
said is this a barn style roof where you can stand up?

I was thinking of suporting the 2x4 roof trusses with 2x10's or 12's from
underneath the 2x4's like another poster mentioned building a deck under the
trusses.re-enforceing the walls where the 2x10's would rest.

Tom

You can use a much narrower steel bean running under the ceiling
joists if the 2x10 are not feasible.






"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
om...

"Andy Hill" wrote in message
I'm probably visualizing the problem wrong, but why not basically build a
"deck"
using 2x4s running perpendicular to the bottom chords of the trusses
(with the
2x4s screwed into the bottom chords)? You could probably even get by
using
widely spaced (say, the width of a 2x4) decking boards, since you just
want to
have something to walk on and stack boxes on.

The trusses are designed to hold up a roof, not a floor. You should not
build a floor on them or hang much weight on them.

On Fri, 13 May 2005 23:15:37 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Andy Hill" wrote in message
I'm probably visualizing the problem wrong, but why not basically build a
"deck"
using 2x4s running perpendicular to the bottom chords of the trusses (with
the
2x4s screwed into the bottom chords)? You could probably even get by
using
widely spaced (say, the width of a 2x4) decking boards, since you just
want to
have something to walk on and stack boxes on.

The trusses are designed to hold up a roof, not a floor. You should not
build a floor on them or hang much weight on them.

Valid point....But could you sister the bottom of each truss with
2x4's then place 1x6's on top to provide a walkway & provide a "floor"
to store boxes etc on... ? The sistered truss should be able to
hold the extra weight....for storing boxes etc..

Bob G

I disagree with the idea that 2x4s sistered to the trusses will work.
Look at posts by Goedjn & Pawlowski & Spitzer.
Trusses are designed to support particular loads.
To add a new load to them is to ask for trouble.

TB