Author Topic: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets  (Read 16186 times)

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Offline nfk

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Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« on: February 11, 2015, 11:13 AM »
I posted this over on the garage journal, and i would also like to also get some thoughts from you guys as well.

I'm looking for opinions on laying out the OSB for my garage ceiling. The garage is 30x40 with hip roof trusses. The full trusses run east-west and the hip trusses run north-south.
I am planning on running my 4x8 OSB sheets north-south to tie the main trusses together. Trusses are on 2' centers. Although the first hip truss is not 2' oc from the exterior wall.

My debate is if I want to rip the entire first row (5 sheets) of OSB so that the edge of the osb falls on the center of the hip truss bottom chords.(width of sheets won't matter once I'm to the full trusses)  If I do this method the first row of osb will need to be ripped down to 33" wide and I will be left with an approx. 8" row on the opposide side when I'm done.

My other option is to start with a full sheet (which will fall between the hip trusses) and put blocking on 2' centers between the hip truss bottom chords where the edge of the sheet will fall. By doing this I will have to place blocking between the hip trusses for every row of osb. Approx. 40 blocks, 60' of 2x4 material.  I will then have a 40" row left on the other end of the building when I'm done.
I have scrap 2x4 material to make the blocking out of.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I should have made sure to lay the hip trusses out so that the ceiling material would work out right, but I was just going off the plans from the truss company and placed the hip trusses where the plans showed. 

Maybe this is a common issue with a hip roof?
Surely someone has ran into this when finishing a ceiling with a hip roof.

What do you guys think? How is this done when drywalling a ceiling?

It seems that this is one downside to a hip roof.
Maybe I'm really overthinking this.

Hopefully this makes sense and isn't too confusing. Thanks. 
     

Offline Sparktrician

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2015, 12:53 PM »
My thinking would be to rip the first row.  It will ultimately be less work for you overall. 

- Willy -

  "Show us a man who never makes a mistake and we will show a man who never makes anything. 
  The capacity for occasional blundering is inseparable from the capacity to bring things to pass."

 - Herman Lincoln Wayland (1830-1898)

Offline wow

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2015, 03:10 PM »
'Best pratice' (as I was taught) says one panel of the first row should land in the center of the truss at ~ 8 feet. You'll likely have to trim it.

The second panel of the first row should land in the center of the truss at ~ 4 feet. Alternate lengths until you get to the far side.

Then come back and use alternating full sheets to fill in until you get to the end wall.
Trying to be one of the most helpful members on the FOG.

Rob Z

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2015, 03:16 PM »
One thing to consider is to install 1x or metal hat track in the layout/spacing that works for the way you want the panels to run. Depending on the job conditions, that might be easier than cutting and installing the blocking that you've mentioned.

Offline WarnerConstCo.

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2015, 03:29 PM »
Rip them.  Use the off cuts to finish the last row. 

I don't think this is a big deal at all.

Offline waltwood

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2015, 05:44 PM »
I do this daily and I never lay ply or OSB so that it leaves a strip narrower than 18" wide. I waste wood to do a better job and it shows. I always find a use for the rips of ply that are left over.
I understand the hip truss configuration but not your situation fully. I would install blocking between every edge of the sheets for the air sealing. I pre-drill and screw the blocking, it is easier to control and toe- screw one end. That is what we call it anyway. It really doesn't cost much more or take longer to do a better job this way.
The fact that your are asking these questions means you know what your talking about and are concerned with doing it the right way.

Offline nfk

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2015, 08:54 AM »
'Best pratice' (as I was taught) says one panel of the first row should land in the center of the truss at ~ 8 feet. You'll likely have to trim it.

The second panel of the first row should land in the center of the truss at ~ 4 feet. Alternate lengths until you get to the far side.

Then come back and use alternating full sheets to fill in until you get to the end wall.

Yea, I am definitely planning on staggering the butt-joints so that no 4 corners meet up.


Rip them.  Use the off cuts to finish the last row. 

I don't think this is a big deal at all.

I agree that I am probably making a much bigger deal out of this than I need to.

I do this daily and I never lay ply or OSB so that it leaves a strip narrower than 18" wide. I waste wood to do a better job and it shows. I always find a use for the rips of ply that are left over.
I understand the hip truss configuration but not your situation fully. I would install blocking between every edge of the sheets for the air sealing. I pre-drill and screw the blocking, it is easier to control and toe- screw one end. That is what we call it anyway. It really doesn't cost much more or take longer to do a better job this way.
The fact that your are asking these questions means you know what your talking about and are concerned with doing it the right way.

I also agree with you, waltwood, about not wanting a small strip left over at the end, maybe this is no big deal and no one will ever notice once its finished and painted.
I wasnt planning on installing block between every edge, just where I would be spanning more than 2' where the hip trusses are running parallel to the osb and don't fall on the the edge of my sheet.  When I set the trusses I went off the truss mfg. plans for layout, thus my problem with the trusses not being a perfect 2' off the walls.

On other thougth, Do you think its necessary to gap the edges of the sheets 1/16" or 1/8?

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Offline WarnerConstCo.

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    • Warner Mill Works
Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2015, 09:11 AM »
I put osb on the ceiling of my shop, 1500 sqft, butted as tight as I could.  No issues.

Offline waltwood

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2015, 09:32 PM »
The main reason for not having a narrow strip on one side was because they tend to be wavy but it is also for looks. I do not gap the joints but I live in an area of high humidity and the panels have usually been stored in an area of high humidity. If it is installed in an area of low humidity it probably should be gapped. The problem with leaving a gap is making it uniform. I find that the panels are not absolutely perfect also.

Walt

Offline wow

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2015, 11:54 PM »
nfk:

What did you decide?
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Offline nfk

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2015, 06:55 AM »
I have been away from home this week so I haven't started yet, hopefully this weekend.  I think I'm going to lay it out so I have the same width on each side of the building.  I think that will look the best and be the nicest way to do it.  At least I will sleep better at night. 

Sometimes I find myself waisting way too much time planning and trying to get everything perfect when I should probably just get it done.  After building the whole shop this is the easy stuff, but the stuff i will see everyday.  Thanks for all the replies.  I will let you guys know how it turns out.

Offline rst

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2015, 10:57 AM »
Mark the center of your rafters and start your layout from the middle working out...this takes the math and figuring out of the job.

Offline nfk

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2015, 05:34 PM »
I do believe i will be laying it out so the last strip of OSB is the same width on each side of the building.  Unfortunately the center seam of the OSB falls right on the seam of the bottom chord of the middle trusses.  I figure that won't matter as the trusses are designed that way and wouldn't have anything extra on that splice if there was no ceiling.  If all goes well I should get started tomorrow.

Offline nfk

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Re: Laying out garage ceiling osb sheets
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2015, 08:48 PM »
I've been preoccupied the last couple weeks but I finally got started on the ceiling and just wanted to give an update.  I got a few sheets on today.