Garage Attic access

[Eric Faber]

In my current house I do not have access to the attic space that is above my garage. I would like to access this area so that I could use the large space for storage of items that I dont want in my crawl space.

When I enter the attic above my bedroom, that attic space leads straight into the garage attic. To my understanding there is suppose to be a wall dividing the gargage to the house area. I am planning on installing a drop down ladder into my garage and then completely close off the house from the garage.

So my questions are: Is the wall dividing the garage and house attic required.
If I completely floor in the garage attic is there an issue with insulation.
Is there are preference on how the drop down attic ladder is installed (with or against ceiling joist).

Thank you for any and all help.
Eric

[Jerry Peck]

In my current house I do not have access to the attic space that is above my garage. I would like to access this area so that I could use the large space for storage of items that I dont want in my crawl space.

Be careful as your trusses man not be designed to support the additional load of your storage - you may want to check with the builder/truss company if the house is a new(er) house, but if the house is over 10 years old or so you may want to have an engineer check it.


To my understanding there is suppose to be a wall dividing the gargage to the house area.

No wall is required, just 'separation' and that 'separation' would be the gypsum board (drywall) ceiling in the garage.


I am planning on installing a drop down ladder into my garage and then completely close off the house from the garage.

You would need to cover the pull-down stair door with 1/2" drywall, and the springs may not be sufficient to hold the stair up with the additional weight of the drywall. Another option would be to buy a fire rated stair which would not require the 1/2" drywall on it.


If I completely floor in the garage attic is there an issue with insulation.

Yes, if the attic flooring crushes the insulation down thinner.


Is there are preference on how the drop down attic ladder is installed (with or against ceiling joist).

The ladder will need to be installed parallel with, and between, the ceiling joists or truss bottom chords, you do not want to cut any truss bottom chords, ceiling joists may be able to be headered off as they are not an engineered product like trusses are, but you would need to know what you were doing if you were to cut ceiling joists and install headers to box out for the stair. The best way is to place the stair between the ceiling joists/truss bottom chords and nail blocking across each end.

The pull-down stair will come with instructions on how it is to be installed, one of the more important things to remember is to use 16d nails and not screws.

[Eric Faber]

Thank you for your insight to these questions. Very helpful.

Eric