Hey everyone! I have a detached garage located in a really humid area, and while I'd love to air condition it, that's just not feasible cost-wise. I'm thinking about putting in ceiling fans instead. However, I've got a bit of a situation: my garage has 2x4 joists spaced 22 inches apart, and they're already weighed down with a bunch of scrap wood because it used to be a cabinet shop. The joists stretch about 22 feet across, so I'm wondering what you all would recommend. Should I consider sistering the joists where the fans will be mounted, or is it better to scrap the ceiling fan idea altogether and think about wall-mounted fans instead? I'm hesitant about wall mounting due to a lot of existing floor-to-ceiling storage racks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
You could install some 2x4 or 2x6 blocking between the spans. Aim for at least three spans, and then use a mounting bracket like the Raco 299 or 296 for added support for the fan. That should work fine!

Thanks for the tip! When you mention three spans, do you mean blocking between the fan's location and the two nearest joists, or should I block in several places along the two joists?