How To Convert Existing Truss Roof Flat Ceiling To Vaulted Ceiling Using Rafters, Post and Beam

[annahopp]

Thanks for confirming that I am not insane. Sounds like an expensive project since I also plan to lower the garage ceiling at the same time.

[stevep]

well done. clear instructions, no fluff, several useful tips that I wish I had known last year before lifting a 1000 lb beam into place!!

[andrewrossnagel]

Dude you knocked this video out of the park, really great job

[larryaltman]

Stumbled across this quite by accident. I'm not a carpenter or engineer, by trade, but I've wanted to do this in my family room and connected kitchen for some time. Was told by carpenters that it wasn't possible, that the roof would likely collapse. That didn't make sense to me since you would likely start by sistering 2x6s or 8s to the rafter part of the truss.
I'm going to share your video with a local engineer and go from there.
Loved the video. Thank you for sharing. Larry Altman

[oldowl]

I remodeled a 100 year old condemned house and we did exactly this because the ridge was severely sagging. There were no trusses however but we cut loose all the original rafters and had attached new 2x6s onto them. We then jacked the new beam up into place literally pushing the original ridge beam out of the top of the roof. We used 12 ton bottle jacks on each end and had tripled the wall studs/posts under the jack points.

[georgeballow]

Have a 36 x 20 attached garage. Great video, but my thoughts are to make that a giant room above. Might be almost as easy to take off the roof, remove the trusses, then frame conventionally. Cleaner approach but wasting the remaining years of the roof. Maybe the roof plywood could be salvaged?

[wm]

Can you do this with only half of the trusses? For example if you wanted to cut out a space for a loft but didn't want to remove them all, just essentially remove 1/4 section.

[charlesmccullough]

I have a detached garage with unfinished walls and ceiling, that's framed exactly like the model '25 x '30. And this video is what I was looking for, been brainstorming how to raise the ceiling to use the garage as a work shop. Great video!!

[randyphelps]

this was exactly what I was looking for, well explained and sound from the engineering side! Excellent! thanks so much!

[GarciaJustinBArchPE]

Great talk about the conversion... I might add that the roof needs to be designed as a rigid diaphragm to more efficiently transfer lateral loads to the perimeter walls which will put limits to the length and height of the beam/post design. Also, might add that uplift may govern the design in some cases especially if one end is open, i.e. like a garage or patio

[dpoarch]

any thoughts on how to get the top rafter strap in across the top? alternatives like some kind of tie through the original ridge blocking?

[codycash]

This helped so much. I’ve been trying to engineer some thing in my head and have been getting paralysis from over analysis lol. I’m converting a 70s concession stand up above my race track into my temporary new home and future VRBO and I think this would just be awesome. Everything is tin at the moment And it needs some life to it

[DinkyDingus]

What would be the process of adding a walkable floor to the upper section? I have a very large attic above my garage that I would love to covert into an actual living space, but it is trussed up. I am looking at doing this exact process but am unsure about how adding a floor to it would work. Thank you

[PhpGtr]

I found this channel while trying to figure out why every shed replacement I was looking at seemed to have no rafter ties or proper beam support. Drove me nuts. "They're just sheds" I guess they say. Well, if my original shed had been built correctly, I wouldn't be replacing it. 2 weeks later, I am going to build something that should likely support a locomotive on the roof.

[JWSmythe]

I found this video because I was pondering if it would be possible to convert our ceilings to a vaulted ceiling. I sort of expected it to be undesirable. Your way looks really nice and strong. Now I just have to get the money together to pay someone to do it. :) I'd like to think it's a DIY job, but not without a team of experienced workers to help do it. I know my limits, and this one is going as far as knowing what I want a contractor to do for me.

[mauriciodomingues]

This is super helpful. Thanks for making this video. I wonder how you would go about installing tongue and groove or shiplaps as a finish?

[mattsavage]

OMG, you just saved me a ton of headaches, once again!!! I was trying to figure out how to get a ridge beam up over the rafter ties, which are already 10' over the finish floor. man, i came up with some crazy medieval contraptions thatwould've made Davinci proud, but this is just ridiculously easy! Thanks agaiin!!! Love your videos!

[carmfully]

When your spouse keeps on asking for vaulted ceilings in an old house, you simply play them this clip and also explain that the entire roof deck will need to be redone for your cold climate. Discussion over 😂

[krehbein]

Nice video, but, at 5:58 now that you've cut the center of 2x4s out there's nothing stopping the walls from being pushed out from the weight of the roof. Unless thats a slow process that happens over time, not a couple days?

[charleschi]

Is the beam necessary? Can't your new rafters just extend all the way up to touch on the crown?