[Shop-talk] Storing Stuff in Garage "Attic"

[Randall]

> Unfortunately, I 
> didn't think of this when we designed the garage a few years 
> ago and the trusses are just 2 x 4's attached to each other 
> with metal joining plates (I assume they have a more 
> technical name).

Jim, if I'm understanding you correctly, those joints won't take much side
load at all.  My suggestion would be to add another 2x4 that overlaps the
joint and is bolted to the original ones.

You also didn't mention what centers they are on; if they are wider than 24"
then I would also add additional joists between the existing ones.  (My
garage was built with trusses on 4' centers.)

Randall