How far can you span a 2×6 ceiling joist?

Example: The highlighted cell (below) shows that a 2″ x 6″ Douglas Fir joist, with a grade of #2, spaced 24″ apart, can have a maximum span of 10 feet – 8 inches (10-8).

How much weight can garage ceiling joists support?





Fine Homebuilding notes that 2-inch by 6-inch garage joists will support a weight of up to 50 pounds per square foot. If you overload your garage’s ceiling joists, the ceiling may appear to sag from the strain. While your 2-inch by 6-inch joists can collapse from too much weight, such a scenario is uncommon.

How do you reinforce 2×6 ceiling joists?

Strengthening Attic Joists for Live Loads by Sistering



In the case of 2 x 6 joists, you can pair them up with additional 2 x 6 joists by nailing them together, side by side. The best-case scenario is to run the sisters the entire length of the existing joists so that you have two additional resting points.

How do I strengthen my garage ceiling for storage?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Into these areas and my suggestion would be to simply build the floor. Below the framing plates you know this is going to reduce the ceiling area.

How far can a 2 by 6 span without support?

A 2×6 can support up to 50 pounds per square foot of weight without sagging with a maximum span of about 12 feet when spanning a distance horizontally, with the 2×6 standing in a vertical position. This number includes both live and dead weight.

How much weight can a 2×6 hold horizontally?





A 2×6 will hold 4 pounds per linear foot horizontally and 53 pounds per linear foot on its edge. Vertically, a 2×6 will hold between 662 and 998 pounds or over 7000 pounds when in a blocked and sheathed wall.

What should I use for garage ceiling?

Which Material is Most Suitable for the Garage Ceiling?

  • Aluminum Soffit. Making the best garage ceiling requires the best of materials. …
  • Vinyl Beadboard Soffit. This is an alternative for aluminum soffit. …
  • Corrugated Metals. …
  • Plywood. …
  • Oriented Strand Board (OSB) …
  • Vinyl Siding. …
  • PVC Tiles. …
  • Drywall.


Can ceiling joists hold weight?

Ceilings in single-story homes are only designed to support a constant load of 5 lbs/SqFt., plus a live load of 10 lbs/SqFt. This varies by the span of the joist and the size, grade, and species of lumber used.

How far apart are ceiling joists in garage?



16 to 24 inches

Just like the studs, the standard spacing between joists is 16 to 24 inches.

Do 2×6 rafters need blocking?

Things You’ll Need



Rafter blocking is an essential part of the roof framing process in that the blocks provide a stop for ceiling insulation and a continuous surface for the roof sheathing to be edge nailed to. Each block is 2×4 or 2×6 depending on the size of the rafters, and is secured to the top plate.

Is it OK to store things in garage rafters?



Here’s the official answer: Unless you have “storage trusses” specifically engineered for extra weight, you shouldn’t store anything in them. They’re designed to support your roof, not your junk.

Can you use 2×6 for roof rafters?

You can use either 2×6 or 2×4 rafters for roofs with a 3/12 pitch or greater, but it depends on the overall size of your shed. For roofs that won’t experience heavy snow loads, a gable roof can span up to 22′ with 2×4 rafters.

What is stronger 4×6 or 2 2×6?

With younger trees the 2 ea 2×6’s are much stronger than a 4×6.

Can a 2×10 span 16 feet?

How Far Can a 2×10 Span Without Support? An SYP (Southern Yellow Pine) 2×10 lumber span can reach up to 14′ when used as a joist with 16” spacing. If using SPF or Redwood lumber, then the span maximum for the same distances will be half to a full foot less.

How big of a beam do I need to span 16 feet?



For a 16 foot span, you will need atleast 3-2×14 or 6×14 size of wood beam. Thus, a 3 nailed 2×14 or 3-2×14 or 6×14 wood beam can allow to span 16 feet. For a 16-foot spans, the wood beam has to be at least 14 inches in depth and 6″ in width (3-2×14) used for residential building, wood frame structure or projects.

How far can you span a ceiling joist?

Joist made of Spruce- pine-Fir by using grade #2, a 2×4 ceiling joists can span up to 8 feet and 9 inches, 2×6 upto 13′ 6″, 2×8 upto 18′ 2″ and 2×10 upto 20 feet and 2 inches when spaced the standard 16 inches apart with a maximum ceiling loads of 20 PSF.

What size header do I need for a 16 foot span?

What size LVL header size for 16 foot span:- as per general thumb rule and guidelines for a 16 foot span, size of LVL header or GLULAM should be 14 to 16 inches deep and 3.5 inches wide, thus you need something like 2- 1.75″× 16″ (2- 1 3/4″× 16″) GLULAM or LVL header to span upto 16 feet.

Can a 2×6 span 14 feet?

A general rule of thumb for joist span is 1-1/2 times a board’s depth in feet, however, it’s not that simple. The distance a 2×6 can span is determined by the species, grade, location, use, load, and spacing. Based on building codes, a 2×6 can span anywhere from 2′-1” to 20′-8” depending on the affecting factors.

Can a 2×12 span 16 feet?



A 2×12 (2-by-12) floor joists can span up to 23 feet 3 inches, 2×10 (2-by-10) up to 19 feet 1 inches, 2×8 (2-by-8) up to 15 feet & 2×6 (2-by-6) up to 11 feet 4 inches at 16″ spaced by using southern yellow pine graded as #1 when live load of 30 lbs/ft^2 & dead load of 10 lbs/ ft^2.