- Jack up the centre of the trusses, then reinforce each bottom chord with a 2x4 that spans the entire width of the garage.
- Jack up the centre, reinforce (as above), and also replace any wood strapping with steel mending plates, hurricane ties, etc.)
- Leave it as is, strap up drywall, pray to the gods.
Full Answer
How do you use the rafters of a garage?
Use care when working in the rafters or on a ladder. Reinforce the rafters in your garage for storage. If your garage has open rafters below the roof, you've got a wealth of storage space available above your head. By laying a board or set of boards onto the rafters, you can store many items up and out of the way.
How can I reinforce the rafters of my house?
By laying a board or set of boards onto the rafters, you can store many items up and out of the way. But before you begin filling the rafters with your possessions, it's a good idea to reinforce the rafters to make sure that they'll support the extra weight. You can accomplish this task with some wood and a few simple tools.
How do you strengthen a stick frame roof?
If you have a stick frame roof, there are a few basic techniques that you can use to strengthen your rafters. Snow increases the overall weight of your roof, adding to the forces acting on your rafters. Increasing the thickness of your rafters increases your rafters' ability to withstand sagging.
How do you attach a rafter to a ceiling joist?
Measure the height from the center of the rafter directly above this point to the center of the ceiling joist. Cut a 2-by-4-inch board to match the distance you measured. Place the board vertically, with the ends overlapping the ceiling rafter and the joist. Nail the board to the joist and rafter with two nails at each spot.

How do I strengthen my garage roof rafters?
1:4111:58How To Reinforce Roof Framing – Engineering And Building RepairsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnother method would be to install a rafter in between the other rafters. This might be moreMoreAnother method would be to install a rafter in between the other rafters. This might be more effective on a two foot on center span. If your existing Raptors are 24 inches on center.
How much weight can garage rafters hold?
The horizontal bottom chords of most garage trusses are designed to carry the weight of drywall and insulation. So if your ceiling is unfinished, you have some excess carrying capacity up there: 5 lbs. per sq. ft. is a safe estimate.
How can I strengthen my garage?
5:407:38Garage Roof Framing Modifications For Storage When Rafter Ties Don't ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis is done nail a vertical brace and if you're looking for a little more strength. This might doMoreThis is done nail a vertical brace and if you're looking for a little more strength. This might do it something like this with a full member.
How do you reinforce existing trusses?
Reinforce the TrussesApply construction adhesive along the edge of the truss to strengthen the connection to the plywood roof deck. ... Stiffen trusses by joining them with 2x4s running from one end of the house to the other.Brace gable ends with diagonal 2x4s.Connect trusses to walls with hurricane tiedowns.More items...•
How much weight can 2x4 rafters hold?
A 2×4 can hold around 1000 pounds vertically because the weight is not against the grain. Horizontally, a 2×4 can hold a uniform load somewhere between 20 and 40 pounds per linear foot depending on many factors like species, grade, load, and span.
How do you reinforce 2x6 ceiling joists?
Strengthening Attic Joists for Live Loads by Sistering In the case of 2 x 6 joists, you can pair them up with additional 2 x 6 joists by nailing them together, side by side. The best-case scenario is to run the sisters the entire length of the existing joists so that you have two additional resting points.
Is it OK to store things in garage rafters?
you can store just about anything up in the rafters. attics are used for storage all the time.
Can I use my garage rafters for storage?
Reinforce the rafters in your garage for storage. If your garage has open rafters below the roof, you've got a wealth of storage space available above your head. By laying a board or set of boards onto the rafters, you can store many items up and out of the way.
How do you brace a garage truss?
1:1724:28How we install Permanent Bracing while Framing! Major Partnership ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo when we install our trusses we're going to use temporary bracing first so you've probably seenMoreSo when we install our trusses we're going to use temporary bracing first so you've probably seen the chains if not you can look back behind me and maybe see some of the chains that are hanging.
How do you fix a sagging rafter?
1:2510:31How To Fix A Saggy Roof - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere's kind of drooping a little bit it's getting noticeable it's not really really bad but we'reMoreThere's kind of drooping a little bit it's getting noticeable it's not really really bad but we're gonna fix this by putting in a knee wall. Along the strong backs on either side of the roof.
How do you fix a sagging garage roof?
5:3412:00How To Use Smaller Beams To Fix Sagging Roof In Older Garages ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then grab a long bolt with some washers on the end. And then bolt it together. And this isMoreAnd then grab a long bolt with some washers on the end. And then bolt it together. And this is actually something that i've seen done before that does work but don't get misled.
How do you brace roof rafters?
0:485:46How to Brace a Conventionally Framed Roof // Roof Framing Part 6YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we got two things going on here one. We made a plumb cut that's going to run right into ourMoreSo we got two things going on here one. We made a plumb cut that's going to run right into our center stud of our gable end wall. And we want that brace to be sitting on the edge of that 2x4.
How much weight can you hang from a roof rafter?
Typical Loads If the bottom chord of a roof truss functions as a floor joist, such as in an attic room, it carries a live load that also varies by use, but a typical live floor load for a residential space is about 40 pounds per square foot.
Can I use my garage attic for storage?
To answer your question, the garage attic is not a good area for storage. First a truss, a manufactured roof system, is designed to support the roofing above and the ceiling below. If the attic is to be used for storage, the truss would have to be designed for the additional weight.
How much weight can ceiling joists hold?
Ceilings in single-story homes are only designed to support a constant load of 5 lbs/SqFt., plus a live load of 10 lbs/SqFt. This varies by the span of the joist and the size, grade, and species of lumber used.
Can I walk on ceiling joists?
If you don't have a floor, you'll have to walk on the joists. When doing so, be careful not to place all your weight on one joist. Not only is this a fall hazard, but it can also cause the joist to bow and crack the drywall below. This also means you don't want to sit, stand, or kneel on one joist for too long.
What to do with open rafters in garage?
By laying a board or set of boards onto the rafters, you can store many items up and out of the way.
How to climb up to rafters?
Place a ladder or stepladder against the rafters to allow yourself to climb up to them.
How to tell if a garage is a truss or rafters?
From the outside, a typical trusses and rafters style garage is identifiable from the outside by its single-story height and pitched roof. On the inside, rafters and trusses can be easily differentiated by their appearance. Both styles will appear similar at first, this is thanks to common attributes they both have, such as sections that span the entirety of most garages, bottom joists and rafter boards. The most readily identifiable difference you can usually spot is that trusses will have been prefabricated off-site to the exact dimensions of your garage. Thus, trusses typically use more 2x4s in their structure than you would find in normal rafter constructions, which lends them a more distinctive webbing design.
How to differentiate garage?
A garage can normally be differentiated by its ceiling support structure, which can be broken into three categories. The first two are defined by their joist or floor truss constructions respectively. The last type is the open-ceiling trusses and rafters’ style, which will be the focus of this guide. Your garage’s own structure can normally be ...
Why is it important to insulate a garage?
This is because for insulation to be effective, it has to address every surface and possible source of draft. For example, insulating your garage’s roof will have little impact if you fail to adequately address other areas that need insulation such as ventilation ports or drafty windows.
Can you put insulation between a ceiling and a sheathing?
This solution might not work for every situation, however, as it is most often installed between a ceiling and a sheathing.
Is a garage roof insulated?
Most of us don’t spend much time considering our garage’s insulation capabilities, but we should, because if your garage’s roof isn’t insulated, it could be costing you a fortune. And the problem is more widespread than you might think. In fact, walk in to almost any single-story garage in America, look up, and you are bound to see a typical, inefficient, open rafter roof. And it should come as no surprise that the for reasons for this are something besides everyone happening to love the look of exposed beams over their garage parking car pad .
Do You Have an Open Rafter Garage?
The first step that anyone undertaking a garage insulation project should do is to find out what type of garage they have. This is important because determining what construction style you have will greatly inform how much weight your garage’s roof can support and thus what type of insulation you should use.
