boarding out loft

[evanso82]

Hi,

This isn’t technically a woodworking question but I need some advice,

I want to board out my loft just for storage nothing fancy, the old couple we brought it off had it insulated, they put 300mm over the original joists, and where they boarded it out just didn’t put any insulation in, what is the best way to board it out? I’d have to raise the original joins by 200mm to get above the insulation.

I’ve added some pictures to help

Thanks

Mark

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

what I did in a section of mine to overcome the building regs about thickness of rockwool required was to switch to celotex where I boarded it. Rockwool is fine to the code thickness if unboarded but celotex is thermally more efficient due to the reflective surface slowing radiant heat as well as the foam slowing convection and conduction so you can get away with thinner material and still meet code. The only trouble is its a lot more expensive.

 

[novocaine]

floor risers.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p44016? ... wgodB7sFEQ

 

[blackrodd]

I agree with Bob above, Take out the insulation and pop it on top of any area you see fit, (Looks like Glasroc to me), lay Celotex And just board out an area adjacent to the hatch for you're storage needs.
Any weighty stuff for storage place above any wall underneath which will help.
Make sure you have safe access to the storage tank, if you have one, as its all too easy to ruin the ceiling below in a
plumbing emergency!
HTH Regards Rodders

 

[Bod]

floor risers.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p44016? ... wgodB7sFEQ

B&Q do similar. You'll need plenty of them!

Bod

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Hi - I can't see from your photos but while you're at it, you could maybe usefully insulate (and as importantly, draught-proof - with self adhesive EPDM strips or similar) the loft hatch.

Celotex is much more efficient at providing thermal insulation (and is a bit less unpleasant to work with) for a given thickness BUT you need to be really careful that warm air doesn't leak into the loftspace e.g. from where bathroom wiring/pipework comes through the ceiling and cause condensation. The good thing about the glass/rock-wool stuff is that it it vapour permeable in a way that Celotex isn't (although I've seen wet rockwool from condensation too). Generally, you want a vapour barrier on the warm side of any impermeable insulation -

http://www.superhomes.org.uk/resources/ ... r-barrier/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstitial_condensation

Cheers, W2S

PS I've seen the stand-off pillars at B&Q and they seem like a good idea if you stick with fluffy insulation.

 

[woodenstx]

For mine, I simply got (at the time as the regs change weekly) 6*2's and ran them perpendicular to the original joists. Laid 150mm of extra rockwool in that void and then boarded over that. The areas with no boarding wound up with 300mm EXTRA due to an estimation and stupidly low price issue :lol:

 

[Mike-W]

I did much the same as woodenstuart (above), we live in a bungalow so the potential is to lose quite a lot of heat through a large ceiling area. it made a notable difference to our heating bill.
Just be sure not to cover any power cables (ring main circuits) that may be running above your ceiling.

 

[Stu_2]

While you're laying new boards, it's fairly easy to cut-in inspection/service panels. Trend do a jig and rings, but it's fairly simple to make your own, and end up with flush panels.

Makes life easier later

 

[woodenstx]

While you're laying new boards, it's fairly easy to cut-in inspection/service panels. Trend do a jig and rings, but it's fairly simple to make your own, and end up with flush panels.

Makes life easier later

Or, slightly less awesome tool oriented, screwfix and the like do a savage hole saw with tangs that machine a rebate in, then you get a load of silverline (the only good thing they make) discs to fill in for not much from amazon.

The floor in my daughters room has a few of these in for cable access (its loose carpeted now)

 

[Mike-W]

Just be sure not to cover any power cables (ring main circuits) that may be running above your ceiling.

You should not cover power cables with insulation because the current rating of the wire is dependent on how warm they get, covering them with insulation may reduce the rated current carrying capacity below what they are installed for in that particular location. The same rules apply to lighting cables, i guess in practice there is likely to be a much lower load so the conductors are less likely to get warm.