I need some information from a carpenter. What are the 2 pieces of 2x's that are nailed 90 degrees to each other called and used to give support to say maybe a garage ceiling for an open span area? They are fastened to the ceiling joists perpendicular to the joists and the length of the garage. Thanks Daniel

joist?

Tin Head, I don't think so. The joists connect walls together & are what the sheetrock is attached to that makes the actual ceiling.

Stiffback

.

Do you mean a truss?

Rat runners or hog troughs. They keep the joists parallel. Otherwise the sheet rock nails or screws will pop loose and rock will become loose with time.


Rafter brace may be correct term.

Not a truss but are nailed to the ceiling bottom part of the truss , 90 degrees to the truss. These devices are used to stiffen the ceiling & so no support poles are required.

Are you asking about "Bridging" https://daveosborne.com/construction-dictionary/construction-definitions.php

Is above or below finished ceiling?

That huge heavy *** board that they put in for long expanses? We put one in our church that way if we had to knock down the wall, we could, but not have to have any poles to support it. I can't think of the name right now, but I think I know what you're talking about.

Strongback , or known aka a rat run

Yep

We always called the ones on the rafters strongbacks, and the ones on the joists stiffbacks.

Rafters for me also. They meet the faca, which attacked to the soffets. Sp

This

I think several of you have gave me the name but just doesn't ring a bell in this old head. Let me try to give a better example . Let's take a piece of angle iron ( 2"x6"x1/4") , lay it on the horizontal board of the truss or roof joist perpendicular to the joists, inside the truss or joist. Above finished ceiling. Put the 2" down flat on the joist with the 6" standing up. Now let's take a 2x4 & a 2x6 or 2x8 and do the same thing. If this makes a strongback then that is what I am talking about. Thanks

You came to the wrong place for an expert opinion from an oil well worker or washed out drug peddler.

Strongback is the term for the 2x6 nailed on bottom of the rafters and purlin bracing is the term for the 2x4’s that go 90’ off of the strongbacks down to the ceiling joists preferably at locations that have a wall below the point of attachment to assist with minimizing deflection of rafters.

yep, strongback

Just a question, so we are all on same page . Rafter means roof rafter. Deflection means sag. A truss is an engineered product. A stongback would be used in a stick build.

Correct

From an old carpenter it's called a Hogs Back

Yes Sir, this is correct.

stiffback, rat run, hog back, strongback, all mean the same thing, pic should also have a block from joist to top plate. stiffback is to keep the joists lined on center and take out the sag by spreading out the load. I always put bridging blocks in under the stiffback, makes a rock solid ceiling.

Exactly

Hopalong, You posted 2 pics and the "thing" I am talking about is the bottom pic. with no other connections. Does that device have a name, YES I see it in the pic, STRONGBACK!!!!!