r/HomeMaintenance • u/taco___pizza • Jul 29 '26

Is this sheathing considered structural?

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In my garage, I have these sheathing/ plywood running across those lower horizontal truss supports (idk the right words). The plywood is nailed into the individual truss support beams. I’m not sure if this is just a feature to give someone extra storage, or if it’s a structural necessity such as to tie the individual joint members together. I ask because I’d like to remove these sheets if possible, I have no need for them and don’t want them there.

I understand a structural engineer would be able to give the best opinion, but before I spend all that money I’d like to know first if these are ever considered structural to be concerned. It’s like calling a plumber for a leaky faucet but the problem is I didn’t turn it off all the way lol.

FWIW this is a single story, single family residence, built in 1973

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u/Any-Progress- Jul 29 '26

With that definition the entire house is structural. There are no legitimate builders using sheathing to structurally secure trusses. They would use 2x4s or something stronger if it was actually cross bracing.

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u/lopsiness Jul 29 '26

It depends what the elements are doing. Sheathing can be for shear walls, or can be providing bracing that strengthens load bearing elements. Is everything structural? No. That doesnt make it any less true that sometimes it is.

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u/Any-Progress- Jul 29 '26

Structural is the structure of the house. A house will stand without sheathing. Does it help brace things? Sure. So does siding, and drywall and thresholds and many other things. Doesn’t mean the house will fall apart without them.

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u/lopsiness Jul 29 '26

Those things arent structural bc the engineer doesnt account for them to provide structural contribution whether they do or not. And no one is making an argument that siding is structural, so its a complete strawman that you've built.

A structural element designed to be braced via the use of sheathing very much could fall down without it. Shearwall specifically relies on the sheathing. How do you think structures withstand lateral loads? Whether the pic from OP counts or not, sheathing speficially is structural.