Can I use the space above my garage for storage?

To answer your question, the garage attic is not a good area for storage. If a storage area is available above the interior rooms of the home, the ceiling most likely would support the additional weight for light storage. The problem with storage areas above the finished rooms is that the insulation could be damaged.

Can I finish the attic above my garage?

Large Attic Garage Space can Frequently be Finished to Create a Bonus Room or In-law Apartment. If you have an existing garage with a large attic space you may want to consider finishing the attic to create extra living space in your home.

How much weight can my garage attic support?

According to the IRC, the minimum live load capacity of a roof truss for non-sleeping areas should be around 40 pounds per square foot. Again, if it’s built for sleeping areas, it should be around 30 pounds per square foot.

Is it OK to store things in garage rafters?

Here’s the official answer: Unless you have “storage trusses” specifically engineered for extra weight, you shouldn’t store anything in them. They’re designed to support your roof, not your junk. The horizontal bottom chords of most garage trusses are designed to carry the weight of drywall and insulation.

Can my garage attic support a floor?

CAN YOU ADD ATTIC FLOORING? If the joists are larger, they might support attic flooring, but the only reliable way to know for sure is to have a structural engineer take a look at your attic support system. In some cases, even larger joists will not support a new living area, so it’s vital that an engineer take a look.

How do you know if your attic can be converted?

Roof Rafters or Trusses Another factor that determines whether you can convert your attic is the presence of roof rafters vs. roof trusses. Traditional rafters look like triangles; trusses look like triangles with smaller triangles inside of them—the boards forming these small triangles are called chords and webs.

How much weight can I hang from my garage ceiling?

If you have another floor above your garage, the ceiling\floor structure can usually support up to 40 lbs/SqFt (including the weight of the floor above it). If you do not have another floor above, the ceiling trusses may only be able to hang a maximum of 10 lbs/SqFt.