Is my garage attic strong enough for storage?

As long as they are not damaged, the joists should be strong enough to allow you to move around in the attic for an inspection and to provide storage for typical boxed items. The joists should support your weight, but the space between them almost certainly will not.

How do I know if I can use my attic for storage?

If your attic floor has 2×4’s, you’ll only be able to store very light items such as empty boxes and suitcases. If they’re 2×6’s, you could actually fill some of those boxes with lightweight belongings. Joists that are 2×8’s or bigger are better suited for supporting heavier objects.

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 attic floor load bearing?

Most homes’ attics are built without flooring and are not designed to carry the heavy load of a finished space. However, in some cases, the joists are intentionally built strong enough for the homeowner to later build out the attic.

Can attic floor support weight?

If you’re talking about the floor of an attic, then it may, or may not, support the weight of a person. If you’re talking about walking on the roof and therefore relying on the roof truss and attic to support you, it highly likely that the roof will support you. But it would be best if you still didn’t walk on it.

How much weight can my attic floor hold?

The weight is supported by the joists A 10 pounds per square foot live load can be handled by an attic that isn’t designed for storage. 20 pounds per square foot live load can be handled by an attic with limited storage.

How much weight can an attic floor hold?

Can you put flooring over attic insulation?

No matter what type of flooring you install, don’t compress the insulation in between the ceiling joists. This reduces the effectiveness of the insulation and, thus, the energy efficiency of the home. Build up the height of the joists prior to installing flooring when the insulation reaches the tops of the joists.

How much weight can the average attic floor hold?

How much weight can go over garage?

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.

Can you put too much weight in attic?

You can not put much weight up there. It will vary house to house. Many older houses have steps going up to the attic, a real door and the floor joists are hefty lumber, also may have a real floor installed. In those cases weight is not so big a consideration.