I need some help. I am trying to figure out the best way to strengthen my garage ceiling to create storage space up above. The problem is the house was built in 1997 with a 2×4 W truss system. The span is 28'. I can see a break in the truss under one of the joint plates. Would sistering 2×4's in one 12' and two 8' sections all glued and screwed be enough to make it safe for storage? I am adding 3/4" plywood as the floor but also elevating the floor with 2×4 laid on their sides going perpendicular to the trusses. I am also adding an attic ladder for access.
Strengthening ceiling above the garage for additional storage
garage
Best Answer
As a broad statement, this is a terrible idea. Why? Your truss system is designed specifically to hold up the roof and, to a lesser degree, tie your walls together.
2x4s spanning 28' with breaks are clearly not up to the task of holding up plywood and sleepers (parenthetically, not sure why sleepers seem like a good idea, but I digress), much less whatever stuff you (and future occupants) load up there. It simply isn't in the design.
What you'd need is something resembling a floor system... sturdy beams running across the 28' dimension with reasonably sturdy lumber running perpendicular to the trusses. (That beam at the front, by the way, is going to interfere with your garage door/opener.) Or some engineered joists running parallel to the trusses, which might or might not be able to simply bear on the top plate. On top of that, we need to ensure that the load on the joists/beams is being carried appropriately to the floor through posts, which then need to be carried adequately on a footing.
So, ask yourself: is all this worth the trouble? You'd lose either headroom in the garage or headroom in the "attic" because of a need for decently sturdy framing lumber. Cost of time and materials isn't trivial. You might need to revisit your garage door opener mechanism. Ensuring adequate bearing for joists or beams isn't going to be simple. You're probably digging new footings in your garage floor.
Storage sheds or offsite storage units start to look pretty good at this point.
So, capsule summary: this can be done. You need actual engineering expertise to do it appropriately. It'll cost a lot.
The alternative is to just chuck some plywood up there; undermine the structure of your garage; then call a contractor in 5 years to fix it all at great expense.
Disclaimer: I'm a professional carpenter, and I'd rather not have to charge people money to fix things like this.