Garage Ceiling

[jaybee]

I've been turning possibilities for a garage ceiling over in my mind for a while now. It wouldn't be a big deal, but I do store lightweight items in the roof trusses and I want to maintain access. My current thought is 1/4" OSB, available around $5.50/sheet. It's light enough I can swing it down from the ceiling like a hatch where I want access without assistance. What if I hang it on one side with screw hooks to act as hinges, with blocks that pivot on screws to hold up the other side. With some vents to create air circulation above I can do the whole thing for $200. Add some insulation and I'm warm cheaper in the winter and can keep cooler in the Summer.

The other option I looked at at Home Depot was 1/2" styrofoam, but that might be a great way to spread a fire should I have one. Same is true of my first thought, which was to foam the underside of the roof deck. That'd cost quite a bit more.

Thoughts?

[Charlie Chops 1940]

My shop ceiling is on 2 foot centers. I used 1/2" plywood so I can walk on it and store things end to end down the center of the 30' trusses. I have a pull down ladder for access.

The other garage has a hinged 4x8 sheet of 1/4" plywood and a couple push pin latches to hold it closed. I used some 1/4" plywood on the joists a couple feet around the opening for small stuff. Haven't looked up there in close to 30 years. Probably some good stuff hiding.

Charlie

[taxpyer]

Attics are a great place to store items, espeacialy if they can't rust.  When I did mine in my shop I wired in some lights  and built a floor with spaced 2x6's. Well worth the time and money. I also put in a 2'x4' acces door. Hey, it works great.

[phat rat]

Being as I live where it gets cold my ceiling is insulated and drywalled. But I also store stuff up above and access it by way of a pull down ladder. I put 1/2" plywood down the center and have two lights up there

[rooster]

I got one like this. Its nice to have that extra room to get larger things in an out of attic. I have a light screwed into one of the trusses, when I go up the ladder I just plug it in to the drop light thats located in the ceiling of garage. These ladders dont seem to be very strong, they do make better ones though.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100318040/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

http://desmoines.craigslist.org/mat/2663022503.html

[jaybee]

That's certainly another way to go, though the roof rise is low enough it'd be hard to crawl through the trusses to get access to anything.

[phat rat]

Rooster I don't know what the weight rating of mine is, but it's been there for 19 years. I couldn't even begin to figure how many times I've been up and down it over those years. Both with and without a load.

[rooster]

Rooster I don't know what the weight rating of mine is, but it's been there for 19 years. I couldn't even begin to figure how many times I've been up and down it over those years. Both with and without a load.

I couldent find a load sticker on mine either!

Mine is made of 1x3,s , The 1x3 on the left cracked in half, right where a threded rod went from one side to the other just below the step, I beefed it up with some 3/4 plywood and some screws.

The other problem I had was that my garage floor sunk, now I have to use a bucket under the first step.

It was in the house when we bought it 20 years ago. I can stand up in my attic, still use it alot.

[t-vicky]

The thing about 1/4 plywood is that it will sag bad after a couple of years.

[UGLY OLDS]

The thing about 1/4 plywood is that it will sag bad after a couple of years.

  The 1/2" that I used 20 years ago "sags" as I move around up there too...  :oops:

  Funny ....the ladder seems more "wiggly" too.....



Bob........

[jaybee]

Thanks for the feedback on sagging.  Food for thought.