Building overhead storage - how to make it as strong as possible

[Frank Dreb]

Hi guys, we are very shortly moving into a new construction home with a 24'W X 26'D garage. Inside is drywalled, mudded and taped - ready for paint. Ceiling height is ~11'6".

I would like to have overhead storage around the perimeter of the garage, starting at 8' from floor and about 4' out from the exterior walls. I plan to frame and floor the shelves with 1/2" ply and finish the outside with drywall to match the garage.

I'm at a loss on how to build these shelves to support a significant amount of weight, as the interior space should be ~30"X40". Lets say 200-300 lbs per 4 foot square area.

The bottom wall - Should I build like a deck, with joist hangers? Or just two deck screws per "joist". I can't imagine 2X4's or 1/2" ply failing in that service. ie) I do not want to lose space for 2X6's.

The front wall - this is where I am having major issues.

The top plate - can I fasten directly to the joists via lag bolts, or should I skip the top plate altogether and sister the studs to the joists via lags? How about the bottom plate? Is there some sort of framing bracket that can be used at the top and bottom plates that would support say 300lbs at the far end? I would keep all openings/spans at 4' or less between top supports.

Thanks for your input

 

[csp]

By joists are you really referring to the bottom chord of roof trusses?

If so, are your trusses rated to carry the significant weight you're thinking of adding to them? Most aren't.

The top plate - can I fasten directly to the joists via lag bolts, or should I skip the top plate altogether and sister the studs to the joists via lags?

 

[Frank Dreb]

By joists are you really referring to the bottom chord of roof trusses?

Yes

If so, are your trusses rated to carry the significant weight you're thinking of adding to them? Most aren't.

I have no idea, didn't even think of that. I know they sell things like these that are load rated for 500 lbs, my main concern was not the trusses but my method of fastening to the trusses.

I mean I don't plan on sleeping up there, it will be mostly the rubbermaid bins filled with junk, but I just don't want them to come crashing down if I have to stick my head in there to grab something form the back, know what I mean

 

[pattenp]

If you partitioned the shelf with solid panel ends and used a plate on the top outer edge and a wall ledger then a lot of the load will be transferred to the wall.

Think of building it like cabinets. Here's some pics of how I used a top plate and bottom ledger to support my cabinets.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1653

*

 

[crv]

I'm actually getting ready to build some myself and was planning on constructing them how wyowrx did here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136821&page=2

 

[Frank Dreb]

I'm actually getting ready to build some myself and was planning on constructing them how wyowrx did here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136821&page=2

Those look more like cabinets than anything?

 

[Frank Dreb]

If you partitioned the shelf with solid panel ends and used a plate on the top outer edge and a wall ledger then a lot of the load will be transferred to the wall.

Think of building it like cabinets. Here's some pics of how I used a top plate and bottom ledger to support my cabinets.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1653

*

Thanks, nice job! Love my Kreg jig.

 

[csp]

I mean I don't plan on sleeping up there, it will be mostly the rubbermaid bins filled with junk, but I just don't want them to come crashing down if I have to stick my head in there to grab something form the back, know what I mean

Ok, that's better. You said significant weight in the first post which sounds to me like engine blocks or heads or other heavy things.

On mine I ran a stud across several trusses and then lagged vertical studs into this single stud to help spread the weight across several trusses instead of just one or two at the ends of the shelf.

Watch that weight still. Most trusses, unless specifically engineered for storage, aren't rated much more than the weight of drywall screwed to the bottom side of them.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm at a loss on how to build these shelves to support a significant amount of weight, ...

I assume you are talking a couple of hundred pounds

The only way is to put legs straight down to the floor. Any other design is a compromise.

 

[Frank Dreb]

I assume you are talking a couple of hundred pounds

The only way is to put legs straight down to the floor. Any other design is a compromise.

Thanks, yes I should have specified. When I said significant weight I just meant that you can fit a lot of stuff in a 4'X3' cube. Nothing like engine blocks, concrete etc. I think the heaviest thing would be my dewalt tile saw, which weighs about 70 lbs.

 

[Frank Dreb]

Watch that weight still. Most trusses, unless specifically engineered for storage, aren't rated much more than the weight of drywall screwed to the bottom side of them.

Maybe a 30" shelf vs 48 is more realistic.

 

[crv]

If you partitioned the shelf with solid panel ends and used a plate on the top outer edge and a wall ledger then a lot of the load will be transferred to the wall.

Think of building it like cabinets. Here's some pics of how I used a top plate and bottom ledger to support my cabinets.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1653

*

Those look really nice. Not sure I have the wood working skills to construct any of that caliber though.

 

[alpinewhite]

 

[jlckmj]

Here is a link to my soffit cabinet build, there are many ways to build them.

If you look close, they are lagged into the 2x6 wall stud and the bottom of the trusses. For even more weight you could rest them on a ledger placed along the wall at the bottom of the cabinets.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198872

Jim