Garage Plans With Attic Now Available At Behm Design

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Jan. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- What Is An Attic?

Attic space is that which is contained within the profile of the roof structure. It is generally not finished and, by definition, does not have a permanent stairway access. Attic floors are usually plywood or 1x planks. Access is typically by pull-down, attic access ladders or simply, access hatch with removeable panel for use with ladder placed below.

Attics floors are usually defined by the building code requiring a 20 lbs./sq. ft. live load capacity which is suited for light storage (for comparison, residential live load is generally 40 lbs./sq. ft.) Within the roof profile only the attic floor area must have the 20 lbs. capacity with the remaining areas being defined as ceiling with no live load.

Framed Roof Attics:

Roof structures which are made with rafters, ceiling joists, beams, posts or bearing walls. The sloping roof surfaces leave void space above the horizontal ceiling joists below. If the ceiling joists are properly supported and sized correctly they can carry live load as a functional attic. This was most common in older homes, built before the 1950s.

Trussed Roof Attics:

Roof structures built after the 1950s were often made with the new technology of pre-engineered, manufactured trusses. With their zig-zag web structures the trusses did not offer very good attic space, so were not engineered for carrying attic floor loads. However, as trusses became the more cost effective method for building roofs the truss fabricators  learned to design truss profiles which contained attic space. With the trusses being spaced at 24" o.c. a large void was created within the roof and that would serve as an attic. These are called "attic storage trusses" are a very commonly used today for attics.

View all Behm Design Attic Garage Plans: http://www.behmdesign.com/attic_garage_plans.aspx