Increasing depth of loft joists

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by NickOD, Sep 8, 2008.

  1. NickOD

    NickOD New Member

    Can you give any advice/hints on how best to attach and stabilise 6" deep battens to existing 3" by 1 3/8" ceiling joists without weakening the structure for the purposes of increasing loft insulation depth and subsequent chip board flooring. Loft space is for storage only?
     
  2. doing a bit

    doing a bit New Member

    do you have a modern trussed roof ? mine is so i bolted 4x2 s on to the trusses above the ceiling bearing 3x2 s so no weight is on the ceiling
     
  3. supachip

    supachip New Member

    3x 13/8 is it a truss roof with timbers that small. If you mean to beef up existing joists with 6" timbers you can bolt timbers beside existing leaving a 3/4 gap off of existing ceiling. Or counter frame on top of existing sending new joist across the tops of existng joists .
     
  4. NickOD

    NickOD New Member

    Thanks for your reply, I was considering screwing two 3 by 2 on top of the existing 3 by 1 and 3/8 joists but was concerned whether the weight was an issue for the ceiling below (it is reasonably a modern house, 30 years old) whilst I would have thought they would act to strengthen the whole structure.

    I can see that creating a seperate floor layer is another interesting approach where this is independently supported by the vertical trusses.
     
  5. supachip

    supachip New Member

    If the walls below are brick or timber stud. If you construct you framework over this area this should be strong enough for the sort of stuff stored in a loft.
     
  6. footdeeper

    footdeeper New Member

    I hate to be a bore but any flooring in a roof space would need permission whether its for storage or anything else. Apart from any fire risk there is always the question of that nosey building surveyor when you come to sell. You should try to make the platform demountable for easy removal later.
     
  7. DDD never heard such nonsense, every house I've ever bought has had the loft boarded out and the issue has never been raised on a survey report.

    Regarding the fire risk I've never had an insurance policy that prohibited the storage of good sin the loft spaces.

    The only risk I can think of is the failure to insulate the CWS.
     
  8. kaintheo

    kaintheo New Member

    Just bear in mind that trusses are slender for 2 reasons.

    1) the shape of truss is inherently strong and therefore can be made from smaller pieces of timber in comparison to a cut roof.

    2) They're only designed to take the roof covering and any wind/snow loadings.

    The ceiling chords in trusses are not for excessive weight but will take a fair bit of light storage.

    As already suggested you could use any walls below to help support the flooring out. Even a stud wall will support a surprising amount as long as it's transferred down to the sub-structure of the building.
     

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