What's Structural in Here?

[Vinny]

Going to finish the garage in my house, and I'd like to get more height. I'm seeing some cross beams in the garage, but I don't think they're structural because they're not holding anything up. They're nailed to the sides of the roof beams.
Then there's this 2x4 coming out of the wall that is nailed to another board Going across the garage.
I think the only thing structural in here are the walls, which hold up the roof beams. But wanted some other thoughts on it.

 

[jblnut]

If you take out all the wood that goes from wall to wall that looks like it’s doing nothing your garage will likely spread apart and fall down. So not structural in the weight holding up sense but definitely needed.

 

[firebirdparts]

Extremely structural.

 

[LWB]

As said above, they stop the walls from spreading and the roof from coming down.

Here, you're allowed to raise them no more than 30%, from where they are now to the roof peak.

Check with an engineer and you may be able to raise them. Don't just start cutting away structure.

 

[whateg01]

I mean, at least you asked before you started cutting, I guess.

I hate dealing with inspections and permits and the like, but lately it seems like there's a lot of folks posting questions here wanting to cut out stuff or rewire something in ways that really drive home why all that inconvenient stuff exists.

 

[WildBill]

Don't know on your question but you want my brake rotor collection to add to yours? Why do they seem hard to get rid of? I recently took about 12 to the scrap yard, no idea why I had them. Still have more, those were from my outside brake rotor collection but still have the inside ones. I think its psychological, something about how solid and heavy they are makes us want to hold on to them. Maybe I'm shoring up my crumbling existence with brake rotors.

 

[tarmy]

That all looks integral to the structure. Some things for racking, some for spreading and some for holding up the roof structure.

 

[Vinny]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.
Never seen this before. I'm used to trusses and joists being one single assembly held together with nail plates. This house is from the 40s so maybe this is how they did things then?
Should there be one of these joists going across every rafter? They're currently only every two or three rafters.

 

[mike93lx]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.
Never seen this before. I'm used to trusses and joists being one single assembly held together with nail plates. This house is from the 40s so maybe this is how they did things then?
Should there be one of these joists going across every rafter? They're currently only every two or three rafters.

They are called rafter ties and should be in every bay, but less can work.

Its how a stick frame roof (rafters instead of trusses) are built. If the roof was built with a structural ridge beam, they could be skipped. That requires a large beam along the peak with supports on each end to carry the roof load

 

[NUTTSGT]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.
Never seen this before. I'm used to trusses and joists being one single assembly held together with nail plates. This house is from the 40s so maybe this is how they did things then?
Should there be one of these joists going across every rafter? They're currently only every two or three rafters.

Even a roof built with ready made trusses should have some extra bracing in it. The 2x4s that are generally called "rat runs" are used to help space out the bottom chords. Then there are diagonal members at end of the trusses.

 

[billconner]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.
Never seen this before. I'm used to trusses and joists being one single assembly held together with nail plates. This house is from the 40s so maybe this is how they did things then?
Should there be one of these joists going across every rafter? They're currently only every two or three rafters.

Just researched this for another thread. Used to be min. 2x4 maximum 48" on center. Several years ago code changed to min 2x4 max 24" on center. I would not be concerned by 48". Weak point is connection, nails at end of 2x4.