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    WAY OFF-TOPIC! Attic storage idea/thoughts

    All,

    I have insulated my attic, but it leaves me with no storage up there. I was going to frame in a box and put plywood over that where the insulation would live within, but I had another idea, that I think might be crazy.

    My trusses have webbing (2 Vs on either side of the peak). My original idea was to run a 2x4 or 2x6 from the outer part of the Vs on each side (giving me 2 mounting points on each side), but there is no way I can get 2x wood up there that length. However, from the inner part of the Vs is only roughly 8' across, so I thought I could do it there.

    In the Attached image the purple is the area I think I can put a piece of 2x material, where as the red lines extend out to where my original idea was. My concern is that if I only attach the 2x material on the inner parts of the V it won't be enough support.

    The other concern is that the trusses were never meant to hold this kind of load and I could really screw something up. If I were to build the box on the bottom cord, I will have to find a way to get 2x10's up there to build the basic box and then 2x4s across it for support for the floor material.

    Note that this won't be used for kids jumping and I have a shed with a loft out back. This will be for things that I want to keep closer to the house.

    Thoughts? am I just crazy stupid?
    Attached Files

    #2
    Originally posted by sirmeili View Post
    Thoughts? am I just crazy stupid?
    You'd probably be better off giving or throwing away anything that you need to store in your attic.

    That said, I have lots of stuff stored away that I'll never use. I've forgotten I have most of it!
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      #3
      agreed...I even have stuff that is not in storage and I need to throw it out. walk by it all the time.. how many cat5 cables do I need, pc power cables, fiber cards, nic cards, etc.. ughhh pc hoarder...


      so not sure if this helps or where to go but I have trusses in my attic and I don't have a 8' space like you do. wish I did but...

      I recall someone made a device... was like an L bracket that or a
      -|_ style...
      you put it on top of the floor joyce and then you can put boards in between... now ive gotta look...
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        #4
        Originally posted by Uncle Michael View Post
        You'd probably be better off giving or throwing away anything that you need to store in your attic.

        That said, I have lots of stuff stored away that I'll never use. I've forgotten I have most of it!
        We currently have our Daughter, Son-in-law, and grandson living with us (total of 8 of us in our 1850sqft house). I'm trying to temporarily make more room, so want to just store some of my trinkets/collections in the attic (From my office) to make more space. As soon as they move out, my wife and I are converting their room to a Office/Sewing room and I will be able to pull it all back out.

        Basically I've already done what you suggested and what is left I want to keep.

        Out in my shed, over half the loft is Halloween decorations and about 25% of the rest is Christmas (we like to decorate).

        The rest is stuff we use, but just not regular enough (like carriers for pets, luggage, etc).

        I also find that having some storage in the attic is nice, and that most buyers (if we ever sell) will likely appreciate it.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by TeleFragger View Post
          agreed...I even have stuff that is not in storage and I need to throw it out. walk by it all the time.. how many cat5 cables do I need, pc power cables, fiber cards, nic cards, etc.. ughhh pc hoarder...
          I had a huge box of "cutoffs" from running cable in the house. I kept them because "well, I mignt need them". I finally got rid of them.

          However, in our utility closet, I still have bins (organized) of USB, Monitor, Power, XXX cables. It's an illness I tell you.

          Originally posted by TeleFragger View Post
          so not sure if this helps or where to go but I have trusses in my attic and I don't have a 8' space like you do. wish I did but...

          I recall someone made a device... was like an L bracket that or a
          -|_ style...
          you put it on top of the floor joyce and then you can put boards in between... now ive gotta look...
          That sounds interesting. I only needs to be able to support some light boxes, but also my fatt butt when i'm putting stuff up and taking it down.

          Comment


            #6
            I found this, which looks promising and would mean the bottom cord would support the weight*.

            https://www.loftzone.com/store/index...te=common/home


            *I'm not sure it's best to have the bottom cord support the weight, but that is how it was done with the previous owner and how normally people use it (attic storage). I would have to be a bit careful as there are no interior load baring walls in my house, but I think this might be the best bet. a bit pricey, but seems more secure.

            Comment


              #7
              Attaching to the trusses like you describe is fine BUT! You also need to support your new joists on ceiling joists directly below as well. You're right that the trusses aren't designed to bear weight like that. They are really quite flimsy and only have strength in on specific application. Basically just use them to keep your new floor system from racking, shifting around. Also just make a barn door out on the rear gable of the house to get your goods in and out. You'll love it in the future. You could put a kayak up there through a barn door or whatever else you can imagine. Then you can also delete your interior attic hatch. Those things are notorious for leaking energy like a sieve. I'm never building a house with an attic hatch again. I'd rather build stairs out back to the barn door.
              Originally posted by rprade
              There is no rhyme or reason to the anarchy a defective Z-Wave device can cause

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                #8
                Originally posted by S-F View Post
                Attaching to the trusses like you describe is fine BUT! You also need to support your new joists on ceiling joists directly below as well. You're right that the trusses aren't designed to bear weight like that. They are really quite flimsy and only have strength in on specific application. Basically just use them to keep your new floor system from racking, shifting around. Also just make a barn door out on the rear gable of the house to get your goods in and out. You'll love it in the future. You could put a kayak up there through a barn door or whatever else you can imagine. Then you can also delete your interior attic hatch. Those things are notorious for leaking energy like a sieve. I'm never building a house with an attic hatch again. I'd rather build stairs out back to the barn door.
                I would add the barn door, but we have no gable ends that face the back. They do face the sides, but we don't have overly huge side yards. Right now we have siding on our gable ends and I don't like it. When we did an addition, they stuccoed the gable end and I like that much better. If I have them redo it, I may do what you suggest and then get rid of our interior accesses (we have 2).

                When I had them build my shed, not only did I have a gable end door put on, I have a 4x12 post sticking out the end for a wench to pull stuff up

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by sirmeili View Post
                  I would add the barn door, but we have no gable ends that face the back. They do face the sides, but we don't have overly huge side yards. Right now we have siding on our gable ends and I don't like it. When we did an addition, they stuccoed the gable end and I like that much better. If I have them redo it, I may do what you suggest and then get rid of our interior accesses (we have 2).

                  When I had them build my shed, not only did I have a gable end door put on, I have a 4x12 post sticking out the end for a wench to pull stuff up

                  I want a wench to pull my stuff up!

                  None the less, you can do what you're thinking of while keeping the scuttle hatches to your attic. Just don't rely on the trusses for anything other than keeping your new joists in place while framing up your new floor and then keeping the new floor from racking before your plywood, or whatever, deck goes down. Once the new floor is decked the decking material will prevent racking.
                  Originally posted by rprade
                  There is no rhyme or reason to the anarchy a defective Z-Wave device can cause

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I have similar trusses to sirmeili. I put in catwalks and decks using 1x4x8's. laid perpendicular to the trusses. I'm in the process of remodeling my home, so an easy way to run plumbing/wiring, etc was my main motivation.
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                      #11
                      Originally posted by sirmeili View Post
                      We currently have our Daughter, Son-in-law, and grandson living with us (total of 8 of us in our 1850sqft house). I'm trying to temporarily make more room, so want to just store some of my trinkets/collections in the attic (From my office) to make more space. As soon as they move out, my wife and I are converting their room to a Office/Sewing room and I will be able to pull it all back out.

                      Basically I've already done what you suggested and what is left I want to keep.

                      Out in my shed, over half the loft is Halloween decorations and about 25% of the rest is Christmas (we like to decorate).

                      The rest is stuff we use, but just not regular enough (like carriers for pets, luggage, etc).

                      I also find that having some storage in the attic is nice, and that most buyers (if we ever sell) will likely appreciate it.
                      I have multiples at home as well. I rented a storage unit.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by jmaddox View Post
                        I have similar trusses to sirmeili. I put in catwalks and decks using 1x4x8's. laid perpendicular to the trusses. I'm in the process of remodeling my home, so an easy way to run plumbing/wiring, etc was my main motivation.
                        I thought about doing that, but I would need 1x10s because my top insulation is ~9.5" deep (r30) above the bottom cords.

                        I also am thinking of ways to put in walkways, for the same exact reason. I am still running over 10,000 feet of cables throughout the house (Cat6/7, Coax, speaker, etc)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by jeubanks View Post
                          I have multiples at home as well. I rented a storage unit.
                          I have considered this. I especially want one for one of my cars that I just don't get to drive that much, but the cost monthly of storage just kills me. I mean I have free space in my attic.

                          I do need to just throw more crap away (I'm a pack rat who's getting sick of his stuff owning him).

                          Like I said though, over the past few months, I've been purging heavily, but there is some stuff I just want to keep.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by sirmeili View Post
                            I have considered this. I especially want one for one of my cars that I just don't get to drive that much, but the cost monthly of storage just kills me. I mean I have free space in my attic.

                            I do need to just throw more crap away (I'm a pack rat who's getting sick of his stuff owning him).

                            Like I said though, over the past few months, I've been purging heavily, but there is some stuff I just want to keep.
                            Yeah I get not wanting to throw stuff out. I went through my "junk" drawers (plural) a couple months ago when we redid the family room flooring and I was hesitant of throwing out stuff... and about a week after I was then searching for a couple cables....that I had thrown away.

                            Not a huge deal, I can buy a new cable, but that's why I kept that "junk" just in case I needed it

                            I have a storage unit for larger stuff and seasonal stuff. No point in keeping the Christmas, Halloween decorations in the garage or attic all year. We rotate the bikes in/out on who's riding them and such. Other large things like table leafs that are just a PITA to get in/out of the attic etc... that stuff. Yeah the cost is kinda crazy but my goal is short term for large unit and as I go through and throw out then I can move to a smaller unit which isn't too horrible. Long run doing a reno project to add space would be cheaper but for short term the storage unit works for me.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Trusses are typically designed to support much more weight than you might think. They will support multiple construction workers, etc. in addition to their normal load. Lumber yards have specifications for the loads and spans.

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