Replies

1. 
   Danno | Feb 23, 2009 05:11am | #1

   Were the trusses engineered with that in mind--that their bottom chords would be plywooded and used to store stuff? If not, I would say that it could be risky.

2. 
   Matt | Feb 23, 2009 05:13am | #2

   Yes - the trusses need to be designed and built for LAS (light attic storage).  This would normally mean the bottom chord is built up to ~9" in height.   Might be a different height in your area, but definately not just a 2x4. 

1. 
   djh | Feb 23, 2009 08:06pm | #5

   Thanks, that's what I thought

3. 
   gfretwell | Feb 23, 2009 05:51am | #3

   Truss bottom chords are generally designed to carry the ceiling and not much else.
   People get away with it because the partition walls are not in this engineering so you have extra capacity. I would stay away from wide, unsupported, spans when I stored things up there. You might end up with an ugly crack across the living room ceiling.

1. 
   djh | Feb 23, 2009 08:07pm | #6

   I think it's about 4ft wide right under the ridge beam.

4. 
   DaveRicheson | Feb 23, 2009 02:20pm | #4

   Ditto what gfretwell said.

   Bottom cord loading on most trusses is figured for dead load only in most cases. Introducing live loads or even more dead load (plywood) can become an issue. At the very least find the builder or truss manufacturer and run the proposal by them before you accept the liability for future problems.

1. 
   djh | Feb 23, 2009 08:07pm | #7

   Thanks.