Attic Support Beams

Too often builders gang together 2 inch dimension lumber to support roof and floor loads without considering other options.

Attic support beams. Sistering is the process of adding a new joist next to each existing joist. A timber roof truss is a structural framework of timbers designed to bridge the space above a room and to provide support for a roof trusses usually occur at regular intervals linked by longitudinal timbers such as purlins the space between each truss is known as a bay. This article describes and illustrates the different types of support that prevents roof sagging and wall bulging at buildings including definitions of collar ties rafter ties and structural ridge beams. This is where a high pitched roof is necessary.

Once again a 2 by 4 inch piece of lumber is placed between the trusses and parallel to the ceiling joists. You can t beat sawn lumber for most small window headers but as spans and loads increase stronger materials are a better choice. If the attic joists are not adequate one way to strengthen the floor for live loads is to sister the old joists. Some of these can support the roof and prevent ridge sagging and wall spreading.

A higher pitched roof would be better for extra living space than a lower pitched roof. Rafters have a tendency to flatten under gravity thrusting outwards on the walls. A great deal depends on the pitch of the roof. If your attic joists won t bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage you can install inch plywood or.

Collar ties rafter ties tension beams structural ridge beams.