[ggiser3546]

I have a cinder block single car garage I have converted into a wood shop. I mill, dry, and store my lumber myself. The year + drying time required for most hardwoods means I usually pick up what I can so it will be ready when I have a project that calls for it. I just got word that tomorrow I will be the proud new owner of a sizable amount of cherry. Given the small size of my shop my best option is to put it on the 16' 2x6 ceiling joists (even though its unfinished so there is no real ceiling). How much lumber could I responsibly put on those joists? Besides bowing sagging or cracking is there a way to tell when I'm nearing my limit?

 

[Ron6519]

Is there support under the 16' span? For that span, there would need to be.
Is the span part of a truss system?

 

[craig11152]

are you talking joists or just rafter ties? How many are there?
To me, and a framing expert can correct me, if they are actually joists, (which double as ties) there would be one for every set of rafters. In that case they can hold a lot more than if they are just rafter ties. If they are are just rafter ties you might only have one every 4th set of rafters or there about. In that case those don't really want to hold weight at all.

 

[Oso954]

Without knowing the span and spacing of the joists (or if they are really joists), it is impossible to say what they will support.

Also, quantifying the "sizable amount of cherry" would help. Sizable is an opinion, not a quantity.

 

[Gary in WA]

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2009/icod_irc_2009_5_sec002_par017.htm

http://www.awc.org/codes-standards/calculators-software/spancalc

Gary

 

[ddawg16]

I have a cinder block single car garage I have converted into a wood shop. I mill, dry, and store my lumber myself. The year + drying time required for most hardwoods means I usually pick up what I can so it will be ready when I have a project that calls for it. I just got word that tomorrow I will be the proud new owner of a sizable amount of cherry. Given the small size of my shop my best option is to put it on the 16' 2x6 ceiling joists (even though its unfinished so there is no real ceiling). How much lumber could I responsibly put on those joists? Besides bowing sagging or cracking is there a way to tell when I'm nearing my limit?

Well, I could off load some of that cherry for you in case you don't have room....I'm sure I could find something to do with it....:smile:

Getting on topic...if you lay the boards flat across the rafters....I'm guessing you could put quite a bit up there. Your garage sounds a lot like mine....I only had 2x4's....I actually had several hundred lbs up there.