# Do I need ceiling joists for my shed?



## michaelthomas (Nov 26, 2007)

Hello, I am building a 10x10 shed with a 5.5 to 12 pitch roof.  I live in Maine and have built the walls with KDS 2x4s and the floor and roof rafters with rough cut hemlock 2x6s.  My question is...Do I need to attach a ceiling joist to the bottom of the rafter to support the outward pressure of the roof weight?  If I have to...do I need do one for each rafter? (I am 16 on center for each rafter)  Reason being is  I would like as much ceiling space as possible for storing the cab of my tractor.  I would like to rig a pully system so I can snug it up into the ceiling and then come winter lower it down onto my tractor for installation.  Any help would be good.  Thanks


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## MikeP (Nov 27, 2007)

My shed is the same size, with similar framing, and roof pitch. All i did was put 2 collar ties in, at about half the distance from the top of the wall and roof peak, and have not had any wall spreading or roof sagging. Been up since 2001


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## nshif (Nov 27, 2007)

What are the snow load requirements in your area? Not that you need to meet them just as some guidance. What does the cab weigh? and from the sounds of it it wont be up there in the winter


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## MikeP (Nov 27, 2007)

Just a correction, went out and looked while walking the dog... 
I used 3 ties, one on the first rafter in from each end and one on the middle rafter.


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## Highbeam (Nov 27, 2007)

You can use the collar ties on every rafter to avoid and replace the ceiling joists. The lower the collar ties are, the more effective they'll be. The steeper the roof, the more this method will get you. 

My 12x20 tractor shed is built this way too and those collar ties make a darn fine deer hanging point. Also a nice place to mount lights. 

Of course you could have just built taller walls to acomodate the tractor.


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## kjklosek (Dec 1, 2007)

What did you use for the ridge board?  1 x or 2 x material.  If you used a 2x8 or 2x10 then no need for ceiling joists.  If you used a 1x8 or 1x10 then it may sag/push out.

Unless the collar ties are in the lower 1/3 of the span they wont work.  However with such a small building I doubt you will have many problems, if any.

J.P.


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