House Project: Customizing The Roof Rafters

We had the builder install one of those foldaway ladders that open into the ceiling of the garage, with the expectation of using it for long-term storage. We bought some 24" x 72" x 1" pine laminate at Home Depot Saturday morning, and put three of them across the rafters, thus creating a 6' x 6' platform in which to store stuff.

It isn't a real DIY ("Do It Yourself," or as they say in Britain, "Disaster Is Yours") project unless you spill some blood, and this wasn't difficult. The rafters are constructed from various long pieces that are held together by these indescribable spike plates which are much sharper than they look! Ouch!