Attic space above garage

chris0914 · 01-19-2009, 09:44 AM

Sorry new to this forum so I am doing anything wrong like posting in the wrong spot please let me know. Anyways I am starting to build a attic space above my garage and of course started the project without really looking into it. I have a 20' x 24' garage with 2x6 roof trusses. I am spanning the 24' part with joist hangers on the headers and by connecting a 16' 2x6 with a 10' 2x6 with galv. nails to hold them together. I then have put up 2x4's along the roof trusses and have 2x4's coming down holding the 2x6's in place for added support. I know i am probaly not making much sense here so I added so pics in. Basically I am wondering if I am doing anything worng, will my roof fall down by this, will I get roof sag? Just started reading some forums and this is now making me a little nervous to go on. I am not going to be holding anything heave up there and planed on putting 1/2 plywood for flooring. Also planned on putting the stored items closer to the edges and not the middle. Any help would be great. thank you

jaros bros. · 01-19-2009, 09:52 AM

You're changing a number of factors. Unless an engineer, architect, or someone similar replies, you're only going to get guesses. I can tell by looking at what you have that you will be adding a lot of weight to the roof. That doesn't mean that it will sag, just that you may be overloading the 2x6 rafters that are really sized too small already.

Josh Jaros (Jaros Bros. Construction)

chris0914 · 01-19-2009, 11:37 AM

Does it really add a lot of weight to the roof though, because I thought that the headers would carry alot of the weight and the supports off the truss would just stablize it. Again I am not a carpenter or builder by any means just a electrican that should probaly stick to wiring and not building.

Tom Struble · 01-19-2009, 12:33 PM

is this just for storing stuff?Hopefully very very light stuff.
Your dealing with a truss system that is built specifically for the application
you cant just start adding wood and hoping for the best.
Are there any framers or a gc you work with? id ask them for their opinion.Im pretty sure you cant just splice ceiling joist without a load bearing wall beneath them

chris0914 · 01-19-2009, 04:16 PM

I did actually talk to a gc that i work with today about it. Explained the whole thing to him and he said it would be fine as long as I wasnt planning on putting a car up there or anything like that. It is going to light storage nothing big just camping, holiday stuff just the norm. nothing big. But just wanted to get a few more voices before i went through with it.

737Pilot · 01-19-2009, 08:04 PM

Chris,

Good luck with your project as I had a similair issue. I have even spoke to one of our members on here via the phone and got some good advice. However, after all the advice, you are gonna get conflicting recommendations. One will say you are OK, another will say "consult and engineer" and another will say that you are 'Not Ok'

I had consulted an engineer and found him to be totally useless. I got my money back. I consulted another engineer and while he was more helpful than the previous guy, I basically got no official fix.

I have started threads on here, hired engineers, and even spoke with other guys from non-DIY type forums who build custom homes for a living and have recieved answers all over the board from good to horrible. (one engineer told me my roof would cave in, however, it somehow withstood two hurricanes...a CAT 1 and a CAT 2...the CAT 2 was a direct hit with no problems!)

My 2 cents: Hire an engineer (about 400 bucks) to get an "official" text book fix and for liability. I will send you a PM as well. Good luck.