Last week I had a thread on ceiling hoist for my garage. I was thinking about hanging a winch from a 2x6 header over the 2x6 ceiling joists to lift up to 500 lb. Sounded good anyway. Some of you had some very good ideas and setups in your garage and I appreciate your opinions. What I found Saturday changed my plans though.
When organizing in the shop I noticed a couple of sheetrock seams opening up. I have a pull down ladder so I was able to get up there to look at the area from above and clearly the ceiling was separated from the 2x6 joist. So I made up a 2x4 "T" and used my floor jack to press the sheetrock back up and noticed there were nails used, not screws, and few of them. So I screwed in enough to hold it up. It was really one 4x8 sheet that was loose and I think part if not all the reason was nails and very few of them to start.
Then I started to look at it and it didn't seem right, I wanted to check on the joist size and spacing anyway for the hoist calculations. I found the joist at 32" centers. I was expecting 24", I could see they weren't 16's. So I abandoned the thought of using the joint to support another weight on a hoist. I don't know if the parts I stored up there are part of the problem or not but I don't like the 32" center. I removed some items and spread the others out over the joist. There is 1/2" OSB down around the ladder entrance for storage. It is sagging over the open bays in some places, plywood would have been better.
Next I was able to pull the original building permit from the town for the garage 15 years ago. On it the joists are spec'd out as 2x6 on 16" centers.
What I learned from the previous owner is he cut corners where he could or just did a hack job- like not correctly wiring a few 3 way switches, Poor plumbing connections, and walling in the oil tank so I can't even see the level gauge. So I was concerned that maybe things were done after the permit was pulled to cut cost or the build didn't follow what the permit spec'd out.
I was able to contact the builder to see if he recalled the build. I was told the code at time, 2002, was 32" centers and they did not finish the interior, just slab, walls, and roof. The owner installed the sheetrock and wiring so that explains the lack of screws and nails used.
Here is my question. I don't care about storing up there, maybe some light things but not a part inventory. I have a dry finished basement with heat and dehumidifier so I will make a parts storage space the. My concern is with the weight of the sheetrock on the 2x6 x 24" joist. While the ceiling hasn't come down since I owned the house- 1.5 years, I doubt it did over the past 15 either. I don't see any other signs of loose SR, only where I had parts and the lack of screws. Should I be concerned of it coming down? I don't want to move out the shop and replace the SR to add bracing, and working above is tight, not a standing space at all, just about 4' at the peak. I won't be able to really get in from the top to add bracing. I asked the builder this question but since they didn't do the finish really didn't want to make a call.I am inclined to remove the rest of the parts and check other seams adding in screws and leaving it alone.
Thoughts?
Thank you
When organizing in the shop I noticed a couple of sheetrock seams opening up. I have a pull down ladder so I was able to get up there to look at the area from above and clearly the ceiling was separated from the 2x6 joist. So I made up a 2x4 "T" and used my floor jack to press the sheetrock back up and noticed there were nails used, not screws, and few of them. So I screwed in enough to hold it up. It was really one 4x8 sheet that was loose and I think part if not all the reason was nails and very few of them to start.
Then I started to look at it and it didn't seem right, I wanted to check on the joist size and spacing anyway for the hoist calculations. I found the joist at 32" centers. I was expecting 24", I could see they weren't 16's. So I abandoned the thought of using the joint to support another weight on a hoist. I don't know if the parts I stored up there are part of the problem or not but I don't like the 32" center. I removed some items and spread the others out over the joist. There is 1/2" OSB down around the ladder entrance for storage. It is sagging over the open bays in some places, plywood would have been better.
Next I was able to pull the original building permit from the town for the garage 15 years ago. On it the joists are spec'd out as 2x6 on 16" centers.
What I learned from the previous owner is he cut corners where he could or just did a hack job- like not correctly wiring a few 3 way switches, Poor plumbing connections, and walling in the oil tank so I can't even see the level gauge. So I was concerned that maybe things were done after the permit was pulled to cut cost or the build didn't follow what the permit spec'd out.
I was able to contact the builder to see if he recalled the build. I was told the code at time, 2002, was 32" centers and they did not finish the interior, just slab, walls, and roof. The owner installed the sheetrock and wiring so that explains the lack of screws and nails used.
Here is my question. I don't care about storing up there, maybe some light things but not a part inventory. I have a dry finished basement with heat and dehumidifier so I will make a parts storage space the. My concern is with the weight of the sheetrock on the 2x6 x 24" joist. While the ceiling hasn't come down since I owned the house- 1.5 years, I doubt it did over the past 15 either. I don't see any other signs of loose SR, only where I had parts and the lack of screws. Should I be concerned of it coming down? I don't want to move out the shop and replace the SR to add bracing, and working above is tight, not a standing space at all, just about 4' at the peak. I won't be able to really get in from the top to add bracing. I asked the builder this question but since they didn't do the finish really didn't want to make a call.I am inclined to remove the rest of the parts and check other seams adding in screws and leaving it alone.
Thoughts?
Thank you
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