First Post! Cutting a joist!!!

[nickm1024cobra]

Hey guys-
Always lurk around but here's my first post. Ok, so I just ordered a 4 post lift as I'm tired of trying to stuff 10lb's of **** in a.....well you know. Okay so I need to stack a couple cars and it's going to be tight. My roof is stick built and here is what I need to do. I need to put a hole in the ceiling about the size of a attic access hole to accommodate the role bar on my replica. Cut one joist, box it in and essentially move my access hole. You guys see anything wrong with this? Here are a couple pics. The windshield will fit between the joists. I'm going to cut the drywall and make a "tray" type ceiling there. Thanks fellas! Let me have it. Oh and yes that is my harbor freight winch in the current access hole, thanks fellas for the idea.

 

[atotalnincompoop]

if you remove one collar tie, you should replace it with another over at the next rafter on both sides

 

[betterbillt]

View media item 16877View media item 16876If your gonna do this yourself. You really should support the cut joists, till you get all the framing and hangers in place.

 

[nickm1024cobra]

Thanks guys. Betterbilt sent you a pm.

 

[Nick M]

Yep just double up the joists as pictured.

 

[Falcon67]

if you remove one collar tie, you should replace it with another over at the next rafter on both sides

IMHO, those collar ties are good for grabbing as you walk through the attic and nothing more. They also placate inspectors.

The diagram above will get you what ya need. It helps if you lay a brace - an "L" assembly of 2x4s - on either side across several joists and screw them to the joists. That will hold everything in place while you cut and frame your hole.

 

[brownbagg]

those are not joist but rafters. rafter you can cut, just like you doing, joist dont even think about it

 

[pattenp]

Rafters are the sloping members that the roof sheathing is nailed to. He asking about cutting the ceiling joist. Ceiling joist are not called rafters.

betterbillt's diagram is the correct way to do it.

those are not joist but rafters. rafter you can cut, just like you doing, joist dont even think about it

 

[kbs2244]

The horizontals are the joists.
And they are under tension to keep the wall tops from spreading outward from the weight of the sloping rafters.

They are often overdone for that purpose so they can be used as supports for a floor.

If you are not going to put up a floor you can remove a joist at top of wall level and replace it with a collar joist somewhere between 1/3 and 2/3 of the height of the attic.
How high you can go depends on snow load and your local code will tell you that.