Hi,

I am hoping to do some remodeling in my garage because I wish to insulate it. A problem that I am encountering is that my garage does not have a ceiling upon which I can place insulation. There are currently 4 joists running across the garage, but there are not enough to hang drywall off of (I need 16). I know that I need to install more joists in order to put a ceiling up, but I'm not finding a lot of information about how to install more joists when there is already a roof on the garage.

Since there is already a roof, there is no way that I can install single boards that span the whole length of the ceiling as joists. My idea was to take two boards, cut ears in one end of each, and then once I have both boards propped in place, screw a third board in that connects them in the middle. Is this a good plan? Or is there a better way to go about installing ceiling joists in an area that already has a roof?

I am also thinking it may be necessary to connect the joist in the middle to the roof rafters. How do I go about doing this?

The framing spacing of the garage is 16 on center. The dimensions of the garage are 20' x 23.5'.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

While we wait for some of the load experts, what size are the current 4 joists, 2x6, 2x8, other?

Assuming the 20' is the width, although there are boards that long, the span is a lot for supporting drywall.

Several factors to consider, but it might be possible to slide a joist in over the top plates without splicing two together, but let's see what some of the contractors have to add.

Bud

 

Welcome to the forums!

A pic or two showing the roof structure might be helpful - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

For some reason uploading an image kept failing, hopefully this link works out. http://i.imgur.com/g44YZX1.jpg

The current joists are 2x6.

 

Unless you build a wall down the middle splicing is a very bad idea.
There's no reason if you pre cut the tops of the new rafters to the pitch of the roof you can not slide them in there, you set them up on top of the plates and tip them up into place.
There just nailed to the sides of the old joist and hurricane ties added using hanger nails.
I personally would use 2 X 10's.

 

I agree with the 2x10 as Joe mentioned and if you do as Mark said they should slide in. What I see from the picture that concerns me is that header over the garage door. Add the weight of the new joists and the drywall and a ton or so of snow and ice and that roof may not be up to the challenge. And, despite not planning to store stuff up there, once it is built the weight concerns will be forgotten. I find very few empty attics in my business.

I'll watch for others to comment on this addition.

Bud

 

What is it about the header that makes you think that the roof could not handle the weight? Do you know of a way that I can tell for sure whether or not the roof can support the weight of a ceiling?