Awesome ideas! We just finished removing all old insulation andn replacing with new and re-routing the mylar ducting. Glad I came across your posting great ideas thanks!
Just in case anyone goes in with expectations it will be a small project, I can tell you my experience was very different. My trusses are all asymmetrical - not a single row where they line up. They are also frequently out of square by up to 3/4" for a 8 foot run, which plays havok with laying down the plywood/OSB. I am not trying to detract from the value of this video, because it inspired me to avoid renting storage in a giant orange building. I just want people to be realistic and understand that, depending on how your attic was built, it can be significantly more than a 2 hour job. On hindsight, this project was like playing a game of Twister on a balance beam in 115 degree heat. Having said all that, I have no regrets after gaining so much additional storage.
I don't need any attic storage (I have a basement - much safer for obvious reasons). But I would like to build a catwalk from the access hole in my attic over to my garage. Then insulate the attic up to the height of the 2x6 joists. Then throw some OSB on that. Then blow even more insulation in. I work in my garage and it's cold even with a big electric heater.
Just went up in my attic and my joists are 2x4 instead of 2x6. Guess that's common with trusses. Also the space between my trusses is only like 22 inches so I'll have to get one of my boards cut a little differently. I'm building a walkway over to my garage to insulate it though, not a storage area. Once I get past the truss I should be good just going parallel to them and working my way over to the garage with some 2x8 sheets of OSB.
nice idea I started looking at this for my place as well, I have a larger span with plenty of headroom so I can make a decent floor . I noticed though you crunched down some of your insulation which is a no no for its efficiency ... also I hear you want to allow airspace under your boards else they might rot with the moisture or worse grow mold *ick* but still some good ideas so thank you for the video
@TheRykerDane ... as the temperature changes throughout the seasons, moisture can build up on surfaces, as cold meets warmer surfaces. Need 50mm airgap with airflow under the boards to keep it aired, preventing this.
Hi thanks for the video, quick question, what part of north america you live in? just wondering if the canadian winter climate would not matter if i touch my insulation wool
Thanks for doing the video. If you had no insulation (ie. above the garage), would you attach the flooring directly to the chords of the truss? I guess I'd have to notch both sides to get around the webbing.
Good job ! in England you will need a lawful development certificate if you are Boarding-out your loft for storage, In most homes, the existing timber joists that form the "floor" of the loft space ( i.e. the ceiling of the rooms below) will not have been designed to support a significant weight (known as "load"). The joists tie the pitched members of the roof together to prevent them spreading and support the ceiling lining of the rooms below. An excessive additional load, for example from storage, may mean that the joists are loaded beyond their design capacity. If you decide to lay flooring boards over the existing joists in the loft space, then this may require a Building Regulations Application to Building Control. Your local Building Control body will be able to advise you on this i
Thanks for this idea. Is your Furnace on top? Did you have to reroute or relocate ducts and wires? Aslo noticed that you placed an osb just above the insultaion, starting at 3.00 , did you have moisture issue? Thanks again
Doesn't this load up the bottom chord? I thought you weren't supposed to apply additional loads to trusses. Is this within the tolerances? It looks like a good solution!!
pcjgrjpaj I mean you can put a ton of weight up there, but it will be distributed pretty evenly. This option just gives you extra room to move around up in your attic.
Yes attic storage is a good idea. But first install R60 or R80 insulation then install your plywood for storage. Your house will be a lot warmer and cooler in the summer requiring far less energy.
Great idea and use of wasted space just remember what the person said about load-bearing trust and each web is part of the whole structure but you are adding lots of extra supports as you go just dont start removing webs without talking to a builder. I had one contractor tell me the first thing to do is wear a respirator and seal off all the light fill insulation with wood flooring panels like you did and seal the rest with plastic or wood panels because the fine powder fiberglass causes lung cancer and you could be creating a long term health problem for your entire household. I asked another contractor about it and he said its harmless and not to worry about it, then he went outside and lit a cigarette, so Im sealing off all mine first.
yes it can be harmful if you are disturbing it all the time and breathing it in all the time. thats not good. But if you never touch it it will be fine
I've been contemplating this project for a while now. Thanks for posting this! I'm still kind of torn between going with ply board or using the "attic dek". Which would you prefer? Or in your opinion, which is more cost efficient? Just like anyone else, I'm on a tight budget. Thanks again!
+r1canpride I am not sure about the "attic dek" type. Use whatever price point you can afford, but just make sure it is at least 1/2 inch thick. The particle board I used was about 20 bucks a sheet I think, but if you get solid wood boards "plywood" they can be up in the 40-50 dollar range each
There really isn't any fire resistant plywood. Just your common particle pressed OSB board is fine and cheap too. It gives enough support and most of the other wood in your attic is probably the same.
Hey I really want to do this. My family has never been the do it your self type of builders, not even my dad so I guess ill be the one to do it. I work in tools at sears. If you have space utilize it right. I'm willing to spend the money. I just had a few questions. How toxic is that insulation stuff? I have always been afraid of touching or breathing it in. My house was built in the 1980s; do you think the wood is still sturdy in there? Also did you place lights in yours? There are those silver tubes for air conditioning all over the insulation stuff in mine.. Should I build on top of it somehow? please let me know what you think, I'd appreciate it. I admire your passion for this kind of craft.
If it is the pink insulation you probably should be around it too much since it has a lot of fiberglass in it. The wood should still be sturdy. I wouldn't build anything over any AC pipes or anything you have to get to in the future. Just make sure you have the space to do it because if it is going to be cramped then it might not be worth it.
If your truss has a 2x4 bottom chord you should not be doing this as the truss was not designed for this kind of loading on the bottom chord. At the very least you should consult with an licensed professional engineer before attempting to do this on your own. It would be expensive to do repairs to your attic trusses should they fail.
these guys are not wrong, you probably shouldn't be loading the bottom chord of a roof truss too much. bottom chords are in tension and not supposed to take moment or shear - You'll prob be ok with all the additional bracing and safety factors built into the design of the truss but a heavy snowfall could overload the truss capacity so be careful how much you put up there
@@PeterRanieriII Wrong. Should not be loading it all if it has a 2x4 bottom chord. I doubt the load rating isn't much over 10 pounds. Nobody should be doing this without consulting with a professional engineer. The original builder might have the truss certification drawings or find out from the local lumber yard whom they get their trusses from. The local village hall building official should be able to tell you whom the builder was and may even have the certification drawing of the truss.
@@gary24752 you are 100% correct. And I really hope it’s not a 2x4 bottom chord bc that is no bueno. I’m not condoning what he did, just that it’ll prob work until he gets a snowfall above 20psf
Yeah am buying a house and the attic is exactly like this and am looking for ideas and how to use that space and this is a wonderful idea easy and cheap just really like it
For people that are concerned about over loading most attics will take quite a lot of weight I've made mine into storage space. And to be honest most attics would hold the weight off about 100 people. Because the weight is spread over the whole area. Thanks for your video 👍
1) How can you be sure you're not overloading the ceiling? This is ultimately a fair amount of weight right? 2) Does the insulated part have to "breathe" into the attic? Will this not cause moisture problems? 3) Is that 1/2 OSB strong enough long-term for walking on? Is 1/2 ply not better? 4) Do I weaken the ceiling and roof joists by putting these screws in there? 5) Can I put this flooring over electric and gas lines? They're run very haphazardly on my attic floor. 6) I think my ceiling joists are 2x4 (maybe 2x6 idk) - can I put the flooring directly on top of that? It's blown in cellulose insulation - wondering if I should remove that and put pink rolls. (Re #5, maybe I should increase the floor height and then add more insulation and then add flooring? Thanks!
+Jason Martin Thanks for the questions, and I can understand your concerns, but I think you might be overthinking it a bit. 1) the amount of supplies being installed is really not that heavy, and it is being distributed around a big area. Also the amount of stuff you store up there plays a factor too, but anything that is really really heavy, you probably would be bringing up in the attic anyway. I created the space to have more room to move around rather than really pack it full of stuff. 2) The insulated part covered with wood will be fine, and as long as your attic does not have any leaks you should be fine. I also only put like 2-4 screws in each osb board just to keep it in place so i can easily take it up to check underneath. 3) The 1/2 osb is fine for the space of the rafters to walk on. If it was a bigger gap maybe you could go a little thicker, but plywood would be a lot more expensive the thicker it is. 4) The truss' in your house are very strong and they are already holding up your roof for support they can handle it. But again to a certain extent, you probably don't want to store your collection of 100 bowling balls up there. 5) You can put the boards over electric and gas lines, just don't drive a screw into them. but again just either lay the boards there or put a few screws in to hold it in place that way you can remove to access these lines. 6) You should probably still have a good 12 inches of insulation to where you are putting the floor. thats why I scabbed on the support 2X4's on the truss's. Good luck, I think you can do it, its a great place to get some things in your house out of the way and if your house was built right then it has more then enough support for what you are putting up there.
+TheRykerDane Overthinking things is right up my alley. Thanks for the reply. I look forward to getting this done. I suppose I shouldn't worry too much about weight - my heat/cooling unit is almost right in the middle up there. I'll probably add a row of 2x4 and reinsulate as I add flooring. I need to look into what can go on/around the recessed lighting safely, and then just DO it all. :)
Check with your local own on the building specs for your home if your not sure, it's free information. You should know that most residential homes ceilings are not meant to carry more then 10 lbs. per square foot. If you are accessing the attic o do repairs it's fine, even storage is ok. As long as you don't go crazy. The scary thing is if there is a fire, all that stuff could land on a fireman. I install central air conditioning. The equipment is heavy. The strongest part of the roof is the rafters" the angled beams". So what I do is run a strong back long ways and try to pickup 4 rafters " screw the boards in with lags" and then hang the unit off the strong backs. That would be a good way to hang long term in an attic. I'm doing it soon my attic and I will post a video.
+TheRykerDane Thanks. I've been hearing every night since installed those 2x4s. I sleep directly under where the work was done and its pretty loud. I think the wood maybe splitting. I want the extra space but may need to unscrew the 2x4 if sounds continue. I used deck screws.
Yeah, you probably should be using SDS screws for this. Additionally, these trusses aren't designed for storage. Storing some light stuff up there might not be so bad, but it seems the guy who made this video is storing a LOT of stuff. I would worry about this, especially in the winter with heavy snow load on the roof. Normally when you do this, you need to reinforce the connections for the webbing, and the bottom chord. A structural engineer should be involved.
Carl Saberhagen No I don't. Make sure you clean your area before storing. That should fix it. The insulation shouldn't be flying around unless you have a leak in a duct and it is blowing the insulation around.
Obviously you all should check with structural requirements, snow loads if applicable, and local codes, the spacing in this video, considering a good snow load does not look safe. Way too much load for nails and 2x. Be cautious when being creative.
Of you would have laid your 1/2 plywood the other direction (90 degrees) them you wouldn't need to notch any of your boards and could have saved lots of time
Well. Doesn't have the best structural integrity. Use full boards on the sides and cross breams should be 12" apart with a beam on the both ends. That's how you'll get the most strength possible.
I got a few questions. someone I know is trying to do something like this above a garage. he cut a hole, and uses a ladder to climb into the hole into the space above the garage. it scares me. he walks on the little beams. under the beams are drywall , then well, the floor. he is determined to do this. but I don't think he understands all of it. he already started putting some shelves ( just wood nailed or screwed *idk which* into the beams ) . there's a decent amount of stuff up there. how can someone fortify it. is it safe. I don't want to fall through, or him fall through . also there is like an INSANE amount of insulation. looks like fiberglass or something. every time we go up there's it's a dust storm from hell. I want to help him. but I don't want him to fall through and die. I could careless about the house if he falls through. I mean yeah if he wasn't up there and it fell through it wouldn't be good. but if he's up there , most likely he will die. any tips , suggestions , pointers ?
If there is a lot of insulation up there that you have to touch or brush up against when you are up there, then I wouldn't do it. If it is dusty that fiberglass and insulation is bad for the lungs. The framing should be strong enough so you wont' have to worry about falling through. It can be a hassle if he is trying to store a bunch of stuff up there and also the size of stuff has to be smaller than the hole. So it can be a toss up. But I would for sure put down some planking or something so he doesn't accidentally step through the ceiling drywall. He needs to just take into account the time, the space and hassle. Or he could take that same energy and build a storage building
Why do people NEVER talk about rafters versus trusses? Can anyone give me a link to anything on the internet that warns people about installing too much weight onto truss systems?
HaHa this is so hilarious..........all the armchair structural engineers making comments. All the guy did was make a few shelves to store christmas decorations. You can tell these people have never built anything or worked on anything in their entire life. One guy said he was a truss designer. Yeah they put trusses together with little galvanized plates that grip into the wood. This video poster was using what looked like 1 1/2" deck screws......but yeah he's gonna collapse his entire house with some boxes and christmas decorations. You guys are too funny.
Respectfully a big mistake can occur with an amateur I wish to warn you about. AT 2:54 in the video he is standing between the two joists on the white insulation. In a lot of homes, all that is there is the dry wall ceiling and the weight of a man could have you easily drop through that ceiling hurting yourself and the destroying your ceiling. You should never stand between joists, unless you know whats there and if its dry wall, DON'T Stand on it.
If you pay a tad more attention to my quote, "In a lot of homes, all that is there is the dry wall ceiling ..." In a lot of homes doesn't mean this one. The point I am making is that he did NOT point out the biggest and most dangerous mistake that happens in attic work which is that you need to know what you are standing on. Some one watching this "an amateur .. " (no derogatory judgement implied) may miss that there is a beam there. It originally gives the appearance that there is just insulation. Yes I know there had to be something there, but the general public may not pick up on it, so I commented to make the point. "Watch where you step." I hope he may add a text narrative to this video because other wise it's great.
You must have not heard what was said, or watched his feet, at ruclips.net/video/h4R2CbCp5ZI/видео.html as he clearly states you want to make sure you step on a ceiling joist or truss support. "You definitely don't want to put a hole in your ceilings sheetrock by stepping through. So, be careful" were his exact words. Definitely understand the point of your comment, and agree with the principle!
And just like that you have compromised the way your trusses carry roof loads to the outside walls down to the footings. Bottom cords and truss struts are not designed to have load on them or hanging from them. I am a licensed Builder. If you do this in a new home you have just voided your structural warranty. I use trusses that have much larger bottom cords to handle applications such as yours. Talk to engineer at any truss company.
Thanks for your opinion, but you can technically put 500lbs in a 10X10 area. (you shouldn't but you could) But no one is going to do that because who wants to carry that much heavy stuff up a ladder to the attic. People have to use common sense too. You can store your Christmas wreaths and other light stuff, but you probably should not put your workout weights and things up there. 100lbs of storage boxes spread evenly is not going to do anything. If it was then builders today like yourself should not build houses. Thats like saying a Chevy 4X4 cant drive when there is 2 inches of snow on the ground because it might get stuck. Also common sense says you can't haul anything huge and heavy through the small attic hole anyway. So .....
As a little suggestion - there's another new way to install storage in your attic. LoftZone has a raised attic floor system which gives you storage and access. Take a look at our videos on our channel to get an idea!
I like how he says it took 2 hours. I would spend more time than that just planning where to build it, ---oh, and then another 30 hours for an electrician to redo all the wires in that area, plus his pay of $1200 or so. It takes 2 hours just to go buy the wood to do this, to say nothing of all the tools and hardware. Oh, and one more thing: time to replenish the insulation before attaching a new floor. More money, more time.
+1 you can't just pretend you have a real stick built attic if you don't. If anything should happen, the insurance company has pretty good cause not to cover any results of these shenanigans.
If you design trusses, you should factor this in the design. People are going to store stuff in their attics or turn them into rooms with live loads. Personally, I don't see the risk. Unless you're a 400 lb person jumping in the middle while the roof is carrying a 100 year snow load in the middle of a hurricane... But really, what could happen? I doubt it would fail catastrophically without warning.
richardjohnbranton what I’m planning to do is sister in 2x6’s to all the 2x4’s spanning over two supporting walls. Then can lay flooring on the 2x6s. I’m leaving the trusses alone. They’re carrying the roof.
This is the most effective method for most people with this style truss attic
Awesome ideas! We just finished removing all old insulation andn replacing with new and re-routing the mylar ducting. Glad I came across your posting great ideas thanks!
+Gui Eberhard you are welcome!
Love it, wish I had someone to help me with this!
I love the shelving idea up among the rafters. Really smart! And I wished you lived in my area so I could just hire you to come finish up my attic. :)
+certainlyitis It's not too bad of a job. I think you can do it!
im going to try something like this. great videos man.
Very good video series on the attic storage. Well done, thanks for posting!
Maxwell Actual You are welcome!
Great video, thanks for taking the time to put it together.
+YSeca2 you are welcome, hope it helped!
Good video simple and to the point.. thanks
Just in case anyone goes in with expectations it will be a small project, I can tell you my experience was very different.
My trusses are all asymmetrical - not a single row where they line up. They are also frequently out of square by up to 3/4" for a 8 foot run, which plays havok with laying down the plywood/OSB.
I am not trying to detract from the value of this video, because it inspired me to avoid renting storage in a giant orange building.
I just want people to be realistic and understand that, depending on how your attic was built, it can be significantly more than a 2 hour job.
On hindsight, this project was like playing a game of Twister on a balance beam in 115 degree heat.
Having said all that, I have no regrets after gaining so much additional storage.
sorry it was a little tricky for you, but glad you got it done. Especially with the heat
Awesome stuff Thank You 😊
This is a great idea. It's going to take some accurate measuring. But I am going to do this! Thanks!
Awesome!
This is brilliant. Thank you for posting this.
Dave You are welcome! I hope you can do something like it.
Thank you for your plans on how to lay down the floor it was helpful
you are very welcome!
Great video! Thanks!
rasdebol glad I could help! Thanks for watching!
That's amazing thanks sharing nice ideas
+Humza Mubasher thanks, there is always something you can do to find some space
Thank u so much for sharing such useful video
you are welcome!
I don't need any attic storage (I have a basement - much safer for obvious reasons). But I would like to build a catwalk from the access hole in my attic over to my garage. Then insulate the attic up to the height of the 2x6 joists. Then throw some OSB on that. Then blow even more insulation in.
I work in my garage and it's cold even with a big electric heater.
Pretty cool😎
Just went up in my attic and my joists are 2x4 instead of 2x6. Guess that's common with trusses. Also the space between my trusses is only like 22 inches so I'll have to get one of my boards cut a little differently. I'm building a walkway over to my garage to insulate it though, not a storage area. Once I get past the truss I should be good just going parallel to them and working my way over to the garage with some 2x8 sheets of OSB.
nice idea I started looking at this for my place as well, I have a larger span with plenty of headroom so I can make a decent floor . I noticed though you crunched down some of your insulation which is a no no for its efficiency ... also I hear you want to allow airspace under your boards else they might rot with the moisture or worse grow mold *ick* but still some good ideas so thank you for the video
you are welcome, yep def have a space between boards on insulation. But there shouldn't be any moisture there anyway.
@TheRykerDane ... as the temperature changes throughout the seasons, moisture can build up on surfaces, as cold meets warmer surfaces. Need 50mm airgap with airflow under the boards to keep it aired, preventing this.
Well done sir
+pcproff thanks
Good
Hi thanks for the video, quick question, what part of north america you live in? just wondering if the canadian winter climate would not matter if i touch my insulation wool
Thanks for doing the video. If you had no insulation (ie. above the garage), would you attach the flooring directly to the chords of the truss? I guess I'd have to notch both sides to get around the webbing.
yep you would, just make it accessible in case
Any tips on how to get heavy items up that small ladder?
are trusses in the us centered to 450mm that's how we do it in the uk.
What kind of house do you live in? We currently live in a ranch. So not sure yet how big it is up there. There is only one tiny hole in a closet.
Good job ! in England you will need a lawful development certificate if you are Boarding-out your loft for storage,
In
most homes, the existing timber joists that form the "floor" of the
loft space ( i.e. the ceiling of the rooms below) will not have been
designed to support a significant weight (known as "load"). The joists
tie the pitched members of the roof together to prevent them spreading
and support the ceiling lining of the rooms below.
An excessive
additional load, for example from storage, may mean that the joists are
loaded beyond their design capacity. If you decide to lay flooring
boards over the existing joists in the loft space, then this may require
a Building Regulations Application to Building Control. Your local
Building Control body will be able to advise you on this i
thank you for this information!
Did u get the couch n tv up?
Thanks for this idea. Is your Furnace on top? Did you have to reroute or relocate ducts and wires? Aslo noticed that you placed an osb just above the insultaion, starting at 3.00 , did you have moisture issue? Thanks again
Nope, didn't have any moisture issue at all. Didn't redirect anything. Just checked first for anything in the way, but OSB was screwed into truss .
what size were the OSB board strips?
Doesn't this load up the bottom chord? I thought you weren't supposed to apply additional loads to trusses. Is this within the tolerances? It looks like a good solution!!
pcjgrjpaj I mean you can put a ton of weight up there, but it will be distributed pretty evenly. This option just gives you extra room to move around up in your attic.
I'm thinking your climate isn't as extreme as ours. -40C in the winter and days that can create 50C in the summer! :)
wow
My favorite thing is when people specify Celsius or Fahrenheit after -40
Yes attic storage is a good idea. But first install R60 or R80 insulation then install your plywood for storage. Your house will be a lot warmer and cooler in the summer requiring far less energy.
Great idea and use of wasted space just remember what the person said about load-bearing trust and each web is part of the whole structure but you are adding lots of extra supports as you go just dont start removing webs without talking to a builder. I had one contractor tell me the first thing to do is wear a respirator and seal off all the light fill insulation with wood flooring panels like you did and seal the rest with plastic or wood panels because the fine powder fiberglass causes lung cancer and you could be creating a long term health problem for your entire household. I asked another contractor about it and he said its harmless and not to worry about it, then he went outside and lit a cigarette, so Im sealing off all mine first.
yes it can be harmful if you are disturbing it all the time and breathing it in all the time. thats not good. But if you never touch it it will be fine
We've got that recycled paper blown in, and oh my it's always in the air. Good call out sealing it in with plastic
I've been contemplating this project for a while now. Thanks for posting this! I'm still kind of torn between going with ply board or using the "attic dek". Which would you prefer? Or in your opinion, which is more cost efficient? Just like anyone else, I'm on a tight budget. Thanks again!
+r1canpride I am not sure about the "attic dek" type. Use whatever price point you can afford, but just make sure it is at least 1/2 inch thick. The particle board I used was about 20 bucks a sheet I think, but if you get solid wood boards "plywood" they can be up in the 40-50 dollar range each
+TheRykerDane Thanks for taking the time to reply and your input. I'm off to Lowe's!
alright, good luck!
Can we put any plywood or it has to be a special one? Like resistance to water or somewhat fire resistance a bit?
There really isn't any fire resistant plywood. Just your common particle pressed OSB board is fine and cheap too. It gives enough support and most of the other wood in your attic is probably the same.
Hey I really want to do this. My family has never been the do it your self type of builders, not even my dad so I guess ill be the one to do it. I work in tools at sears. If you have space utilize it right. I'm willing to spend the money. I just had a few questions. How toxic is that insulation stuff? I have always been afraid of touching or breathing it in. My house was built in the 1980s; do you think the wood is still sturdy in there? Also did you place lights in yours? There are those silver tubes for air conditioning all over the insulation stuff in mine.. Should I build on top of it somehow? please let me know what you think, I'd appreciate it. I admire your passion for this kind of craft.
If it is the pink insulation you probably should be around it too much since it has a lot of fiberglass in it. The wood should still be sturdy. I wouldn't build anything over any AC pipes or anything you have to get to in the future. Just make sure you have the space to do it because if it is going to be cramped then it might not be worth it.
Total cost now $6,483. That includes the 100 sheets of OSB and driving to the store at $8 a gallon
ha ha, ya thats about right!
can i do that in my townhouse
Aren’t you concerned about moisture and mold underneath boards? Any updates?
No
If your truss has a 2x4 bottom chord you should not be doing this as the truss was not designed for this kind of loading on the bottom chord. At the very least you should consult with an licensed professional engineer before attempting to do this on your own. It would be expensive to do repairs to your attic trusses should they fail.
how to know what if the truss in attic is designed for floor or not.
I think it’s the size of the trusses. We had someone come out and say ours are too small (6”) and can’t bear any load 😢
these guys are not wrong, you probably shouldn't be loading the bottom chord of a roof truss too much. bottom chords are in tension and not supposed to take moment or shear - You'll prob be ok with all the additional bracing and safety factors built into the design of the truss but a heavy snowfall could overload the truss capacity so be careful how much you put up there
@@PeterRanieriII Wrong. Should not be loading it all if it has a 2x4 bottom chord. I doubt the load rating isn't much over 10 pounds. Nobody should be doing this without consulting with a professional engineer. The original builder might have the truss certification drawings or find out from the local lumber yard whom they get their trusses from. The local village hall building official should be able to tell you whom the builder was and may even have the certification drawing of the truss.
@@gary24752 you are 100% correct. And I really hope it’s not a 2x4 bottom chord bc that is no bueno. I’m not condoning what he did, just that it’ll prob work until he gets a snowfall above 20psf
this video is great you are awesome
Luis Pascual Thank you, are you looking to do this too?
Yeah am buying a house and the attic is exactly like this and am looking for ideas and how to use that space and this is a wonderful idea easy and cheap just really like it
awesome, glad I could help!
For people that are concerned about over loading most attics will take quite a lot of weight I've made mine into storage space. And to be honest most attics would hold the weight off about 100 people. Because the weight is spread over the whole area. Thanks for your video 👍
yes I agree with you there
So all attics are pretty much made the same?
Why are we all spending hours researching and completing this project just for a bunch of christmas boxes. haha. Because I love my wife i suppose.
could you hang a hammock on the beams?
Thats a good idea, maybe if there was enough space
Stupid question.
1) How can you be sure you're not overloading the ceiling? This is ultimately a fair amount of weight right?
2) Does the insulated part have to "breathe" into the attic? Will this not cause moisture problems?
3) Is that 1/2 OSB strong enough long-term for walking on? Is 1/2 ply not better?
4) Do I weaken the ceiling and roof joists by putting these screws in there?
5) Can I put this flooring over electric and gas lines? They're run very haphazardly on my attic floor.
6) I think my ceiling joists are 2x4 (maybe 2x6 idk) - can I put the flooring directly on top of that? It's blown in cellulose insulation - wondering if I should remove that and put pink rolls. (Re #5, maybe I should increase the floor height and then add more insulation and then add flooring?
Thanks!
+Jason Martin Thanks for the questions, and I can understand your concerns, but I think you might be overthinking it a bit.
1) the amount of supplies being installed is really not that heavy, and it is being distributed around a big area. Also the amount of stuff you store up there plays a factor too, but anything that is really really heavy, you probably would be bringing up in the attic anyway. I created the space to have more room to move around rather than really pack it full of stuff.
2) The insulated part covered with wood will be fine, and as long as your attic does not have any leaks you should be fine. I also only put like 2-4 screws in each osb board just to keep it in place so i can easily take it up to check underneath.
3) The 1/2 osb is fine for the space of the rafters to walk on. If it was a bigger gap maybe you could go a little thicker, but plywood would be a lot more expensive the thicker it is.
4) The truss' in your house are very strong and they are already holding up your roof for support they can handle it. But again to a certain extent, you probably don't want to store your collection of 100 bowling balls up there.
5) You can put the boards over electric and gas lines, just don't drive a screw into them. but again just either lay the boards there or put a few screws in to hold it in place that way you can remove to access these lines.
6) You should probably still have a good 12 inches of insulation to where you are putting the floor. thats why I scabbed on the support 2X4's on the truss's.
Good luck, I think you can do it, its a great place to get some things in your house out of the way and if your house was built right then it has more then enough support for what you are putting up there.
+TheRykerDane Overthinking things is right up my alley.
Thanks for the reply. I look forward to getting this done. I suppose I shouldn't worry too much about weight - my heat/cooling unit is almost right in the middle up there. I'll probably add a row of 2x4 and reinsulate as I add flooring.
I need to look into what can go on/around the recessed lighting safely, and then just DO it all. :)
Jason Martin you are welcome, and good luck!
+Jason Martin He did end up overloading and breaking at least one of the trusses. Check out 1:04. The vertical post is broken.
Check with your local own on the building specs for your home if your not sure, it's free information.
You should know that most residential homes ceilings are not meant to carry more then 10 lbs. per square foot.
If you are accessing the attic o do repairs it's fine, even storage is ok. As long as you don't go crazy. The scary thing is if there is a fire, all that stuff could land on a fireman.
I install central air conditioning. The equipment is heavy. The strongest part of the roof is the rafters" the angled beams". So what I do is run a strong back long ways and try to pickup 4 rafters " screw the boards in with lags" and then hang the unit off the strong backs.
That would be a good way to hang long term in an attic. I'm doing it soon my attic and I will post a video.
Is it normal to hear cracking sounds after you screwed the 2x4 along the trusses (w) shape ones.
+Zeporo hmmm, what kind of crack. It should be the normal sound of screwing into wood. The sound might depend on the screws you are using.
+TheRykerDane Thanks. I've been hearing every night since installed those 2x4s. I sleep directly under where the work was done and its pretty loud. I think the wood maybe splitting. I want the extra space but may need to unscrew the 2x4 if sounds continue. I used deck screws.
Yeah, you probably should be using SDS screws for this. Additionally, these trusses aren't designed for storage. Storing some light stuff up there might not be so bad, but it seems the guy who made this video is storing a LOT of stuff. I would worry about this, especially in the winter with heavy snow load on the roof.
Normally when you do this, you need to reinforce the connections for the webbing, and the bottom chord. A structural engineer should be involved.
A lot tensión for roof and ceiling
I made some attic storage and I have insulation particles all over my stored stuff. Do you have the same problem?
Carl Saberhagen No I don't. Make sure you clean your area before storing. That should fix it. The insulation shouldn't be flying around unless you have a leak in a duct and it is blowing the insulation around.
TheRykerDane Fair enough. Thanks for replying.
will there be any structural concern?
not unless you put a lot of weight up there
Oriented Strand Board board?
similar to Automated Teller Machine machines
Garage sale Bro!
How many Christmas trees do you need?
way to many for decorating
Obviously you all should check with structural requirements, snow loads if applicable, and local codes, the spacing in this video, considering a good snow load does not look safe. Way too much load for nails and 2x. Be cautious when being creative.
Yep good info. No snow here though
Any issue with heat?
Well in the south, there is always heat in the attic unless you have a spray foam in your rafters and trusses
Of you would have laid your 1/2 plywood the other direction (90 degrees) them you wouldn't need to notch any of your boards and could have saved lots of time
Yes but they still need to overlap and fall on a rafter joist
Well. Doesn't have the best structural integrity. Use full boards on the sides and cross breams should be 12" apart with a beam on the both ends. That's how you'll get the most strength possible.
It's a great idea, but if the electrician need to do some work to ceiling lights, wouldn't this be in the way? I guess you can't have everything.
You can just cut through.
TheRykerDane or unscrew the boards and ta dah. That’s why screws are better as well
I got a few questions. someone I know is trying to do something like this above a garage. he cut a hole, and uses a ladder to climb into the hole into the space above the garage. it scares me. he walks on the little beams. under the beams are drywall , then well, the floor. he is determined to do this. but I don't think he understands all of it. he already started putting some shelves ( just wood nailed or screwed *idk which* into the beams ) . there's a decent amount of stuff up there. how can someone fortify it. is it safe. I don't want to fall through, or him fall through . also there is like an INSANE amount of insulation. looks like fiberglass or something. every time we go up there's it's a dust storm from hell.
I want to help him. but I don't want him to fall through and die. I could careless about the house if he falls through. I mean yeah if he wasn't up there and it fell through it wouldn't be good. but if he's up there , most likely he will die. any tips , suggestions , pointers ?
Michael Natali any luck? im trying to do the same to my garage attic
If there is a lot of insulation up there that you have to touch or brush up against when you are up there, then I wouldn't do it. If it is dusty that fiberglass and insulation is bad for the lungs. The framing should be strong enough so you wont' have to worry about falling through. It can be a hassle if he is trying to store a bunch of stuff up there and also the size of stuff has to be smaller than the hole. So it can be a toss up. But I would for sure put down some planking or something so he doesn't accidentally step through the ceiling drywall. He needs to just take into account the time, the space and hassle. Or he could take that same energy and build a storage building
Michael Natali is the an
Michael Natali you can
Bet you were pretty excited about the NCAA playoffs this year, eh?
I just high-fived my fiance, cause I was so stoked for you!! atta-boy!
Why do people NEVER talk about rafters versus trusses? Can anyone give me a link to anything on the internet that warns people about installing too much weight onto truss systems?
If you find out, let me know haha!
HaHa this is so hilarious..........all the armchair structural engineers making comments. All the guy did was make a few shelves to store christmas decorations. You can tell these people have never built anything or worked on anything in their entire life. One guy said he was a truss designer. Yeah they put trusses together with little galvanized plates that grip into the wood. This video poster was using what looked like 1 1/2" deck screws......but yeah he's gonna collapse his entire house with some boxes and christmas decorations. You guys are too funny.
My old man boarded his loft out in a similar way when we was kids...
30 odd years later its still good...
👍👍🌹🌹
This just made me want to give my "stuff" away. We own too much shit.
ha ha, thats the problem when there is no storage building
@Maxwell Lucas Yea, I've been watching on Flixzone} for years myself :D
Man, you will bankrupt self storage businesses
Respectfully a big mistake can occur with an amateur I wish to warn you about. AT 2:54 in the video he is standing between the two joists on the white insulation. In a lot of homes, all that is there is the dry wall ceiling and the weight of a man could have you easily drop through that ceiling hurting yourself and the destroying your ceiling. You should never stand between joists, unless you know whats there and if its dry wall, DON'T Stand on it.
If you pay a tad more attention to my quote, "In a lot of homes, all that is there is the dry wall ceiling ..." In a lot of homes doesn't mean this one. The point I am making is that he did NOT point out the biggest and most dangerous mistake that happens in attic work which is that you need to know what you are standing on. Some one watching this "an amateur .. " (no derogatory judgement implied) may miss that there is a beam there. It originally gives the appearance that there is just insulation. Yes I know there had to be something there, but the general public may not pick up on it, so I commented to make the point. "Watch where you step." I hope he may add a text narrative to this video because other wise it's great.
If that person is that much of an amateur, then they shouldn't even be attempting this.
Anyone else read this and then laugh at the OP because he didn't even see the board he's standing on?
Only a Remainer or an American would be that dumb as to stand on an unsupported floor. If they did then it would be just desserts to them. 💩🏠
You must have not heard what was said, or watched his feet, at ruclips.net/video/h4R2CbCp5ZI/видео.html as he clearly states you want to make sure you step on a ceiling joist or truss support. "You definitely don't want to put a hole in your ceilings sheetrock by stepping through. So, be careful" were his exact words. Definitely understand the point of your comment, and agree with the principle!
And just like that you have compromised the way your trusses carry roof loads to the outside walls down to the footings. Bottom cords and truss struts are not designed to have load on them or hanging from them. I am a licensed Builder. If you do this in a new home you have just voided your structural warranty. I use trusses that have much larger bottom cords to handle applications such as yours. Talk to engineer at any truss company.
Thanks for your opinion, but you can technically put 500lbs in a 10X10 area. (you shouldn't but you could) But no one is going to do that because who wants to carry that much heavy stuff up a ladder to the attic. People have to use common sense too. You can store your Christmas wreaths and other light stuff, but you probably should not put your workout weights and things up there. 100lbs of storage boxes spread evenly is not going to do anything. If it was then builders today like yourself should not build houses. Thats like saying a Chevy 4X4 cant drive when there is 2 inches of snow on the ground because it might get stuck. Also common sense says you can't haul anything huge and heavy through the small attic hole anyway. So .....
@@TheRykerDane I see it’s been 7 years since you did this. Have you seen any ceiling sagging or problems since you’ve done this project?
Jeep??? Uh-oh.... still got the yukon denali???
jewllake No, I sold it but i am looking to upgrade this year to another one. A little part of me died when I sold it, ha ha
Be care ful there dont put too much your ceiling might not be strong enough
Do you have a problem with your attic getting so hot that it melts any of your stuff?
+Jeanette Hiteshew no, there are vents in the attic. And if yours is getting that hot, you need to cut holes and add vents.
+TheRykerDane I will look into that
As a little suggestion - there's another new way to install storage in your attic. LoftZone has a raised attic floor system which gives you storage and access. Take a look at our videos on our channel to get an idea!
Not in Texas 😂
Easier get rid of all that staff
Crazy
Yep thats true, sell it and make money
I made it by myself. I used WoodPrix scripts for that.
Maybe you should consider getting rid of some stuff.
+Darrin McKellar that is a very good idea too!
I like how he says it took 2 hours. I would spend more time than that just planning where to build it, ---oh, and then another 30 hours for an electrician to redo all the wires in that area, plus his pay of $1200 or so. It takes 2 hours just to go buy the wood to do this, to say nothing of all the tools and hardware. Oh, and one more thing: time to replenish the insulation before attaching a new floor. More money, more time.
Overthinker...
Just get rid of all that.
I checked a lot of woodworking handbooks. Those from woodprix are the best I think.
I design trusses and this is a dangerous idea. Don't do it.
+Chris Diedrich it depends how much weight you are putting up there, but of course you could overload, but you need to have common sense
+1 you can't just pretend you have a real stick built attic if you don't. If anything should happen, the insurance company has pretty good cause not to cover any results of these shenanigans.
If you design trusses, you should factor this in the design. People are going to store stuff in their attics or turn them into rooms with live loads. Personally, I don't see the risk. Unless you're a 400 lb person jumping in the middle while the roof is carrying a 100 year snow load in the middle of a hurricane... But really, what could happen? I doubt it would fail catastrophically without warning.
my thoughts, exactly. Thanks for commenting. Is there a safe way to add storage space to an attic?
richardjohnbranton what I’m planning to do is sister in 2x6’s to all the 2x4’s spanning over two supporting walls. Then can lay flooring on the 2x6s. I’m leaving the trusses alone. They’re carrying the roof.
RIP headphone users. Normalize the audio gain please.
Looks a mess. Move to a bigger house or get rid of your junk
that is very true