Support Garage Ceiling floor

[1967Chevelle]

I have a double car Garage (22' X 24') block construction. I would like to make the loft in my garage as a storage area. The ceiling joists are 5.5” High X 3” Wide X 24 Feet Long without a support in the middle (see pictures) and the spacing ranges from 31.5“ to 33” center to center.

I'm going to be heating my garage so I will be putting insulation between my ceiling joists along with vapor barrier and installing 3/4" plywood as my floor in the loft "storage area"


My roof is 2X4 rafters 16" on center, for strength to the ceiling joists, I have attached 2X4 from the ceiling joists to the rafters along with bracing in-between the ceiling joists, is this safe to do so? I do not want any jacks in my garage as this will takeaway from my work area.


All help is much appreciated

please see pictures

 

[Stuart in MN]

The standard answer is it will take an engineer to figure out how to reinforce it, but it will also depend on what you plan on storing up there...if it's boxes of Christmas decorations that's one thing, but if it's your collection of anvils that's another.