A Very Simple Structural Floor Plan

The following plan is about as simple as they come. Your mission is simply to build an elevated deck in your garage. The ledger board is the first thing that is installed.

Simply make sure you have it positioned correctly so that the 4x4 posts will not interfere with your cars.

I accomplish this by pulling the vehicle into the garage in its normal position. Use a level and plumb down the sides of the car at its widest point or where the 4x4 posts will be closest to the car. Make marks on the garage floor and then pull the car out of the way. Take a full sheet of plywood and lay it on the floor so that its long 8 foot edge is parallel with the back wall of the garage. Make it overlap the two marks on the floor equally. Project the two 4 foot plywood edges back to the rear wall of the garage and you now know where the ledger board must be. Simply plumb a line up from one of the new marks and this is a starting / ending point for the ledger board. Going through this exercise will keep the platform framing square so it is easy to attach the plywood flooring.

The 4x4 posts can extend to the ceiling but should be secured to the ceiling joists or collar ties or new 2x4 blocking between these existing members.

For a list of materials required for this loft, read the column Garage Storage - Loft Material List.

Companion Articles: A Storage Loft in a Garage, Garage Storage - Loft Material List, Garage Storage Loft