Attic Support Beams

If the attic joists are not adequate one way to strengthen the floor for live loads is to sister the old joists.

Attic support beams.

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. A higher pitched roof would be better for extra living space than a lower pitched roof. A great deal depends on the pitch of the roof. The other is just used to support the trusses.

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. You can t beat sawn lumber for most small window headers but as spans and loads increase stronger materials are a better choice. Rafters have a tendency to flatten under gravity thrusting outwards on the walls. Some of these can support the roof and prevent ridge sagging and wall spreading.

This is where a high pitched roof is necessary. Collar ties rafter ties tension beams structural ridge beams. Once again a 2 by 4 inch piece of lumber is placed between the trusses and parallel to the ceiling joists. Too often builders gang together 2 inch dimension lumber to support roof and floor loads without considering other options.

The same is true for beams like structural ridge beams and center girders.