Packed to the rafters/ceiling/roof

Origin of: Packed to the rafters/ceiling/roof

Packed to the rafters/ceiling/roof

Rafters are the sloping beams that support the roof of a house, be it slates, tiles, thatch etc. Packed to the rafters, ceiling or roof are hyperboles for very crowded places, crammed with people, and date from the mid-19th century.