Drilling through roof rafters for storage

[GSTEEL32]

I'm thinking that this cant be done for building reg reasons .... ?

I'm looking at running a wardrobe rail through the rafters to hang/store clothing etc from ....

Am I right in thinking I cant go through the rafters ( we have fink trusses ), but I can screw into them using sockets or brackets ..... ??

[Riejufixing]

[GSTEEL32]

Nope, just looking to get clothing currently stored on the floor, hung up....

[Riejufixing]

Use wardrobe brackets on the top chord (in the top bay), look at the truss for the top angled length of timber under the roof covering, between the apex and the first "strut" down from there, go near the first strut. Toolstation sell wardrobe brackets in packs, I think Screwfix do too.

[bugeye_bob]

If they don`t then 20 mm conduit and some old saddles for said conduit will work.

[ThunderGuts]

Screwing into them is fine, but to be safe drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the diameter of the core of the screw (i.e. the bit inside of the thread, not including the diameter of the thread). This should help ensure you don't get any unwanted splitting of the timber.

FYI generally, if you get a piece of wood the main structural loads on it are towards the top and bottom edges when it's loaded from above (the top compresses and the bottom stretches). The centre (when viewed from the side) actually has relatively little going on, which is why if you look at floor joists they (should!) have holes for cables etc. drilled through the centre. Notching joists is a bad idea - it takes wood away from the strongest bits. The same principles apply for rafters too or any structural timber, albeit you need to think about what direction the load is acting on.

Incidentally, this is why steel 'I' beams are that shape; they have the most metal at the top and bottom where it's needed. Indeed, they're often drilled all along their length too - again, for the same reason.
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TG.