16x24 detached

[GeorgeEdwin]

I plan on building a 16'x24'x10' detached garage on a previously existing slab. I have a good material list put together, but I can't decide between rafters or attic trusses. I would like to have 8' ceilings and use the additional height as a storage area. Any suggestions as to what would be best? If anyone has a similar sized garage with upper storage I'd appreciate if you could post some pictures so I can get some ideas.

Thank you

 

[dcg9381]

Trusses are generally more expensive and are used when you need a particular roof pitch, need some additional height below (scissor trusses), or are designing for a 2nd floor load. You're wanting 8' walls, which can easily be accomplished without going to a truss setup.
The issue in a 16x24 will be how you're getting up there... I assume an attic latter, etc.

 

[finn]

Said this before, but I put storage trusses in my 32’x54’ and regret wasting the money. Attic ladders are useless unless you have size six feet, and the opening is too small, and the ladder too steep, to conveniently haul things up and down. Increasing the footprint is a better investment for additional useable space, but that’s probably not a viable option in your case. Garage attics become repositories for junk yo really should bring to the transfer station.

Another note is that an eight foot ceiling seems pretty low in a garage, considering the headroom required for an overhead door. Consider adding one to three courses of block to get additional height.

 

[Michigan Mike]

Stick framing that roof would not be a big deal. Sixteen foot ceiling joists and the cut rafters. I would probably use 2x6 for all the framing unless you are going to load the attic with heavy stuff. You could use 2x8 ceiling joists for more load carrying. When I built my shop I had the masons lay two courses of block and then used 2x6 x92 5/8 studs that gave me a total nine foot four inches ceiling height.

 

[gsmornot]

Said this before, but I put storage trusses in my 32’x54’ and regret wasting the money. Attic ladders are useless unless you have size six feet, and the opening is too small, and the ladder too steep, to conveniently haul things up and down. Increasing the footprint is a better investment for additional useable space, but that’s probably not a viable option in your case. Garage attics become repositories for junk yo really should bring to the transfer station.

Another note is that an eight foot ceiling seems pretty low in a garage, considering the headroom required for an overhead door. Consider adding one to three courses of block to get additional height.

You want one of these. https://majicstairsinc.com

 

[billconner]

To a point I prefer rafters and rafter ties/ceiling joists instead of trusses. More flexible if you want to modify, less expensive, and makes "attic" storage easier. I'm planning a 28' x 32' and can just get 16' 2x10s rafters on 16" centers at 7:12 pitch to work. 2x8 ceiling joists with a center beam give me nearly 8' clear under ridge and ability to store to eaves. I'll leave one ceiling joist out against one end and build a stair - maybe removable, liftable, steep - for access (in addition to a gable "hay loft door" over drive.) I've also noted I can lift a rafter alone, not so with a truss. On the other hand, if hiring all work, trusses might not be more expensive because of labor.

 

[jkuro]

Usually, a truss system is the cheapest and fastest. A stick built roof system takes more time to build.

 

[ddurrett896]

Do attic storage trusses - it’s something you might use and won’t be able to adjust in the future.

Been there done that with cutting rafters. No way I’d do it unless I had no other option. 2 guys can frame, crane trusses and sheath a building that size in a solid day.

Building a 20x24 now and (15) attic storage trusses cost $5,500 from 84Lumber.

 

[finn]

You want one of these. https://majicstairsinc.com

They’re above my pay grade!

 

[finn]

Usually, a truss system is the cheapest and fastest. A stick built roof system takes more time to build.

I think you’re correct. All in, prebuilt trusses are cheaper than site built rafters.

 

[billconner]

And I enjoy framing, especially complicated roofs with lots of hips and valleys.

Also trusses for my 28 x 32 would be around 3500-4000 plus a crane and helper. Sawn lumber will cost me less than 2500.

So if you are doing it yourself and don't put a high price on your time and you like doing it, rafters. Otherwise trusses.

I'm skeptical attic trusses are worth it in a 16 x 24. Small room - 8x24 or 16x12 probably - and loose stair space besides.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I'd stick to a 10' ceiling, and see what kind of gambrel attic truss I could get. For that size building it isn't really hard to make gusseted gambrel rafters, and have a completely open floor space.If you build the box and use 2x10 ceiling joists, you can put a floor down and raise your rafters off of the floor. That would be an actual, legal, weight bearing floor.

For a 16 foot wide building, you really have to think about what kind of truss or rafter is going to give you a decent standing height. A Gambrel will do that for you if it is designed right.

 

[James-W]

Said this before, but I put storage trusses in my 32’x54’ and regret wasting the money. Attic ladders are useless unless you have size six feet, and the opening is too small, and the ladder too steep, to conveniently haul things up and down. Increasing the footprint is a better investment for additional useable space, but that’s probably not a viable option in your case. Garage attics become repositories for junk yo really should bring to the transfer station.

Another note is that an eight foot ceiling seems pretty low in a garage, considering the headroom required for an overhead door. Consider adding one to three courses of block to get additional height.

I built a two-story garage and the top part is for storage. I made a lift and put it in my garage using a winch and a platform I built riding on two vertical pipes. It works great, I put all sorts of items up there to include my snowblower and an extra full size table saw. With the lift getting stuff up there and down from the top is simple and easy. If I can find the video I have of it I will post it.

 

[James-W]

Here is the video, took me a little while to locate it. The young lady in the video is my oldest daughter. Since I took this video I have put up drywall and I have anchored the two vertical pipes to the studs with some heavy flat metal making them much more solid and they do not move at all now. I replace the steel cable about every 5 years, although it never seems to really need it. But I prefer to err on the side of caution and besides a steel cable about 25 feet long is not terribly expensive.

Supposedly the cable will support 1,400 pounds but I suspect there is a built in safety margin so it will probably support quite a bit more weight than that. Truth is, I doubt I have ever put more than 400 pounds on it. When I put something large or heavy item up there, like the snowblower, I have my grandson up on top and I stay down on the floor to put the item on the lift and send it up to him. He takes it off the lift and puts it where I told him to put it. The he comes down and we put the lift back up on top so that it covers up the hole and the lift doesn't take up any space on the floor. We have found this to be an excellent way to store things up on the top floor, much better than any stairs. I mean, how would get a large snowblower up a stairs, and then back down again when you needed it?

I am having some issues trying to upload the file. I may have to do something different. I the file extension is .avi and I am wondering if this type file is not supported, or possibly the file is too large.

Let's try it this way.

http://www.windemuth.org/video-files/Lift-1.avi