The sloped parts of the rafters are in compression while the flat bottom chord is in tension. Furthermore, I made the connection up high on the slanted roof rafters, not the horizontal bottom chord of my roof trusses. The connection of the slotted steel irons to the roof structure was done with through bolts, not lag bolts. This simple connection made the platform rock solid as I knew that swaying back and forth would not be a good thing. I did this by screwing the one end joist to the wall studs. To eliminate sway, I decided to attach one end of the overhead platform to a wall in the garage. There is not one pole or column that holds my overhead platform up, although I did use several as temporary supports as the platform was being constructed. This simple hardware item is commonly used to hang garage door tracks and openers from garage ceilings. This platform is suspended from the ceiling with slotted steel corner irons. I spaced the 2圆's 16 inches on center so the platform would be sturdy. The platform itself was made from 2圆 lumber and one-half-inch-thick plywood. The most-important aspect of my overhead garage storage platform was the suspension system I designed. That is plenty of room for me to walk beneath the platform without hitting my head. The best part was that because of the height of my garage ceiling, the underside of the platform was still 81 inches off the floor. Once home, I discovered that I could easily fit a platform that would be 16-feet long, 6-feet wide and have a vertical space of 45 inches.

Within a few minutes, I had come to the same conclusion as you did - the space above the hoods of the cars was enormous. I found that to be too much to swallow.ĭriving home in shock from the storage business, I thought about my garage. We decided to price an off-site storage facility, and the annual cost for the needed space was over $1,000.00. My outdoor shed had no room, and my attic was full. We moved my daughter back from college with all of the stuff she had in a one-bedroom apartment. Two years ago, I had the same problem you have. to take advantage of that wonderful space you describe in all garages. Some use pulleys, ropes, cables, hydraulics, etc. I have seen many different types at the trade shows I attend. How would you support a platform like this without any poles or columns that otherwise would get in the way of the cars? Is it safe to consider a project like this? Bill M., Drexel Hill, PAĭEAR BILL: As you probably know, there are many garage storage systems on the market. I need a diy garage-storage system that will support furniture, boxes, and other normal household items. There is a giant void space over the hood of both cars in our wide garage. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter Garage StorageĭEAR TIM: I think overhead garage storage is the answer to my clutter problem. This overhead storage platform was built in less than a day, and has already saved me thousands of dollars of storage fees.

Garage rafter storage