Weird truss in garage
- Thread starter n8tdi
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socketjockey
Well-known member
That is the truss from hell.
What does it support?
What does it support?ddawg16
Well-known member
I think that was typical of the time period....the truss most likely supports a second floor.....it is basically a cheap, but strong way to support a long span.
Now days you would use a PSL beam or engineered joist.
I know it looks bad...but it does hold a lot of weight.
Now days you would use a PSL beam or engineered joist.
I know it looks bad...but it does hold a lot of weight.
socketjockey
Well-known member
I'm not quite sure I have ever seen a truss designed like this. It is only as strong as if the top and bottom beams were laid side by side. It shouldn't even be called a truss. You may be correct in that there was a time...
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Justanoldguy
Well-known member
I would line at least this side with ply to strengthen it.
Make it look a lot stronger and tidier if both sides were lined.
Screw and glue it.
No good stressing then about whether it will hold or not.
Make it look a lot stronger and tidier if both sides were lined.
Screw and glue it.
No good stressing then about whether it will hold or not.
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
It is much stronger than that. We have more options nowadays. The type of beam pictured is still used in some applications that I have seen.
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
The garage doors are just like mine. They are heavier than a modern composite foam and aluminum/steel but not that bad.
WNYflyer
Well-known member
You need to know how the framing is running above the ceiling.But regardless, that isn't going to support much. It has minimal strength since it doesn't have diagonal members in it.
I also suspect it is there only for the overhead doors and isn't meant to support anything else but the only way to check that is to check your framing above.
I also suspect it is there only for the overhead doors and isn't meant to support anything else but the only way to check that is to check your framing above.
I have to agree here. I think "skinning" it with some OSB or plywood on both sides, using construction adhesive and screws would help fortify it.
rburke65
Well-known member
We could possibly answer better if we knew if there was a load above this "truss". Anythying above the garage ceiling other than a roof?
Wow, lots of replies! This is a single story home, so there is nothing above it besides the roof. Another interesting note is that the truss is only connected to the ceiling (it doesn't even touch the walls). My thought was that it was there to help support the doors/ceiling since it is a pretty long span and a pretty low slope roof. Luckily it's not so tall that I hit my head on it.
rburke65
Well-known member
Could it have been a small "bump out" on the garage....like a small addition? But then again, if it's not attached to the walls, then what would be the point or purpose?
rwhite692
Well-known member
If that were mine, I would be thinking about replacing that thing with a steel "I" beam like a 4x10 or 6X12.
cat06
Well-known member
+1 looks like it at one time was covered with drywall and used to "hide" the garage doors from the other end of the garage which I am going to assume is a walk out from the house
If it doesn't touch the walls, it can't be a supporting member.
What's with the hole in the wall to the right?
If that truss is not attached to the walls at the ends it really can't be doing much other than spanning a load from the doors on the roof trusses to keep an individual truss from bowing down some. (if the doors are in fact attached to it, hard tell in the pic)
If you made an offer on the house just add a stipulation in the offer that you want a engineer to look at it and document what it is supporting, is it properly built, and if it could be removed or replaced..
Shouldn't be a deal breaker for them, I requested the exact thing in my first home contract I bought because there were two jack posts in the crawl under the living room. The engineer deemed them unneeded, but I left them anyway. About a year after moving in while talking to a neighbor I had become friends with it came up and he remembered that the owner before the one I bought it from had a 1 piece slate pooltable in the living room and had added the posts for that.. So you just never know why some things are done to houses, surley there has been some handy work since 1965 for various reasons.
If that truss is not attached to the walls at the ends it really can't be doing much other than spanning a load from the doors on the roof trusses to keep an individual truss from bowing down some. (if the doors are in fact attached to it, hard tell in the pic)
If you made an offer on the house just add a stipulation in the offer that you want a engineer to look at it and document what it is supporting, is it properly built, and if it could be removed or replaced..
Shouldn't be a deal breaker for them, I requested the exact thing in my first home contract I bought because there were two jack posts in the crawl under the living room. The engineer deemed them unneeded, but I left them anyway. About a year after moving in while talking to a neighbor I had become friends with it came up and he remembered that the owner before the one I bought it from had a 1 piece slate pooltable in the living room and had added the posts for that.. So you just never know why some things are done to houses, surley there has been some handy work since 1965 for various reasons.
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Underdog
Well-known member
Looks like it was added some time later, I'd think about ripping it out, can't be much of a support the way its built. Looking at the drywall looks like it was never painted, can't be original since 65' can it. Someone's remodel job IMHO.
70redbee
Well-known member
That is a floor truss for the filler panel of an engineered floor system. It goes on the top of the foundation and under the end wall. It is not a structural truss,only a filler panel. It was added later to hide the garage door tracks like a bulkhead for some crazy reason. You can remove it if wanted,it is holding nothing. With it not being a structural truss and no means of support on either end, you can do what you want with it, take it out or leave it and drywall it. No need to strengthen it.save your time and money.
gumbudah
Well-known member
I'd tend to agree with 70redbee. This does not look like anything of a structural, at least nothing that was designed by someone who should have been designing something to hold up a roof. Take a look in the attic. If there are normal trusses or rafters, it probably isn't doing anything. In order to develop any load bearing capacity it would have to tie into the walls, and would have to have x bracing in it. As constructed it has very little vertical loading strength. I'd agree with the assessment that it is either there to block the view of the garage door rails, or as some sort of shelving rack.