Carpentry question: joist hanger to connect garage ceiling joist to rafter

Motorapido

Hey, if carpenters sometimes play in the plumbing/HVAC field, why can't we play in theirs? I'm seeking a metal joist hanger variety to accomplish the following. I want to add some storage in my garage, which has no finished ceiling. There are ceiling joists that sit on the brick top plate and connect to the roof rafters. I want to add 2x8s parallel to the existing joists to allow me to hoist up some objects on pulleys, to get them out of the way. Nothing very heavy, but I want to add stout 2x8s to carry the hoisted load. Does a variety of joist hanger exist that would allow me to connect the 2x8s to the rafters? I'll be using structural screws. I'm doing the job solo, and it seems like using joist hangers might make the job easier than just screwing the 2x8s directly into the rafters. Is there a name for this type of hanger?

mattmia2

You could just temporarily screw a cleat to the rafter, tip it up, screw one end in, then screw the end on the cleat in (or 2 if it is heavy enough that you need to balance it from the middle.

hot_rod

Glue and screw the two together would be best. Rip some plywood or a piece of 1/8X6” wide flat steel between them if you really want to stiffen.

Shane_2

For hangers: When I worked for a GC, many many years ago we called them Teco hangers. There is a huge assortment of hangers available made by Simpson Strong-Tie

Jamie Hall

Can you rest the ends of the new joists on the brick wall? If so, and the spacing matches your rafters, your best be is to rest the ends on the brick wall, and screw them to the rafter right next to them -- use a good deck screw or something of that sort. You want the load to go into the wall, not the rafter.

What is your span? You may want to check the load against the span, both in terms of bending of the joist, but also in terms of buckling.

STEVEusaPA

Can't you just put the ceiling joists on the top plate of the wall, nail to the rafter? You could put one on either side of a rafter and put a 2x in between to take up the space, and thru bolt or lag bolt it all together.
Keep in mind a 2x8 the full width of your garage my not be adequate, especially if it's a 2 car or bigger.
You can also get some laminated beams.

Motorapido

Good thoughts, everybody. I won't be resting them on the wall top plate because the existing ceiling joists -- which really aren't ceiling joists since there has never been a ceiling in the 100-year-old garage -- are nailed higher up on the rafters, and I want to make the 2x8s parallel to the top of the existing ceiling joists. The idea of tacking a cleat into the rafters positioned to allow the top of the 2x8 to run parallel to the top of the ceiling joists sounds like a good plan. That would allow me to hoist up the 2x8s with relative ease, ad rest them on the cleats while fastening them in place. Luckily, the garage is just 12 feet wide and the load I will ask the 2x8s to carry will be modest. A couple of kevlar kayaks, lawn fertilizer spreader, bicycle trailer for the dog -- that kind of thing. When I have installed the 2x8s, I will run 2x3s perpendicular to them, and fasten the pulleys that I will use to raise these objects into the 2x3s, thus spreading the load across several 2x8s.

mattmia2

Those aren't ceiling joists, they are collar ties. They keep the roof and building from spreading out sideways under vertical load.

Motorapido

Ah, ha, and probably all the better reason not to put any load on them. Thanks for the terminology. Always something to learn. I'm restoring some ancient windows lately and old window part names always confuse me. I enjoy learning new things in various trades.

Jamie Hall

Actually, you can -- sometimes -- hang a load from collar ties. Sometimes. There are two potential problems. First, it places a concentrated load on the rafter, for which it is not designed or intended. That doesn't mean that the rafter can't handle the load, but that it is wise to consider the situation rather carefully. Second, the collar ties may not be attached to the rafter to handle a vertical load, only a horizontal one, That needs to be considered as well.

hot_rod

2X8 on 12' span should easily handle the loads you are considering. Fastening them to the rafter or collar ties will help with strength and side deflection. Those deck screw "PowerLags" are structural screws for that use.
When I lift heavy loads in my shop, lifting the rider to sharpen blades, etc, I have a couple 4X4's to prop under the 2X8 collar ties about 6' apart.

Zman

You might consider this product from the mechanical world. I have seen them constructed with curved unistrut so you can move items from the vehicle to the side.
https://www.unistrut.us/products/1-5-8-metal-framing/trolleys