Got a few beams in today. Need to set the end one at midpoint then run a string line through to make sure they are all set correctly. Thicker wall plates made from 72x95mm CLS 24 all lettered and pr-edrilled to accept screws. Noggins are 47mm so the difference (25mm) provides the minimum clearance for the beams Telebeam measures 4.4m length. a line was marked at midpiont (between letters 'B' and 'e') Thicker wall plate in place. Had to use angle attchmet on drill due to limited room. Headroom not going to be great but still provides a room.
It will be 2.1m high at the the collars. Span is quite large beams are 4.4m, - stud wall +insulation so could be 4.m when finished. Knew it was going to be quite tight. Only a 2 bedroom house, so extra room would be useful.
Good job I'm only 5ft7 Depth of beam is Cant' wait to start cutting out the trusses. They say installation takes 2 weeks. But I think I should have the structural aspect done by next week. Stair opening going to be hardest, as I have to cut the beams to suit. and but hanger on them.
Nice and cosy then but ultimately worth doing, you undertaking the conversion on your own? Lot of work, but very very rewarding.
Think I should be able to get the full length ones in by tomorrow if I start early Scaffolding got put up today, paid them extra to get the 18 beams up there as wouldn't been able to do it on my own. Only need to get the extenders (38 of) which will be bought through the house. This is the TB7.0 system, beams are 201mm x 71mm. Installation seems quite straightforward, but the driver did say people have been known to start cutting the trusses before the beams were all loaded. Would have struggled with steels.
The person who invented them must now be worth a fortune, and deservedly so. You keeping it as one large room or dividing the space up? Velux roof windows? I'd be phoning round the friend list for pairs of hands if I was doing it on my own and I had nearly 40 beams in my hallway! That's when you know who your real mates are
The extenders aren't too heavy they only measure about 1.9m in length. Just going to carry a few at a time. Hardest part was getting all the gear out the loft. They are usually at the building shows, expensive. But for the extra space I think its worth it. Steels would have been cheaper about £1500, but then flooring joists on top, more work as well. Not done something as big as this so looking forward to getting on, most work will be inside once the beams are in place. Just doing this to get experience as is parents house.
Going to get velux windows to front and rear 4 in total. Will be getting the wider ones and possibly the conversation type. Just going to keep it as one room with open kitchen, just a sink unit and cupboard. Probably be best room in house.
This is obviously wrong, but I always thought you couldn't chop up a roof like that (one that is built and then dropped in to place, opposed to the ones built in pieces in place) Looking forward to your project page on this jit. You will ace it
The load will be transferred to the beams, an ashlar wall needs to be built to both sides. So load is distributed to the house walls. The junction where the trusses meet at the 'v' screws will be driven into the node points, this will just hold up the plasterboard ceiling which they class as a dead load. They have done all the calculations, and non of the existing timbers need upping in size. There is a video on youtube with a guy doing it in 9 videos. Did have an SE do calculations using steels prior to choosing the telebeams, so it can be done, just a bit tricky. The beams have obtained National type approval.
It's the physically hardest part of doing the loft, installing the floor structure, once the boards are down though without fear of going through a ceiling, it's really really enjoyable work. Can make every nook, cranny and angle into features and details and put your own stamp on it. Having rsj's may have been cheaper material wise, but would be very labour intensive, and with long floor joists would have been hard going on your own. Keep us posted at the various stages, you got a great project going on there, I wish you luck
Here it is. Obviously mines a lot neater. Was going to notch the noggins, but too many to do and wants worth the effort only gain about 30mm head height. Could have removed them totally but still need something for the plasterboard.
Looking forward to get the floor down. but will get the upstairs lighting circuit renewed now as well for easy routing - trying to plan everything out meticulously. House is a bit of a mess as have been slowly doing the modifications through the year. Once the floor down, then will be able to get the bedrooms finished below. Was going to start in the new year but not doing anything now and didn't want 6k worth of beams sitting in the garden.
All going slow today. thought it was all going well, but realized that not getting the 15-20mm clearance they recommend. Some places especially midpoint only get tin 8mm clearance, which is not good. There is beam deflection I can see just pushing on midpoint can deflect the beam by about 10mm. Have emailed them now as don't make sense should be getting 20mm clearance if the wall plate is bigger than noggins. Don't want to start notching out the noggins.
Stupid question, but as I've no physical experience of telebeams, are they designed to take 22mm sheet flooring which would then provide more rigidity once glued and screwed? Is small deflection to be expected until the floor is a complete unit? String a line from one side of your wallplate to the other side, along the top of a full length telebeam and see if there is deflection in a static position, without loading. Have you checked the level along the top of the telebeams, or just spanned plate to plate?
Have emailed them so may get reply next week. Did try packing the beam at midpoint, but when checking with a level saw it was slowly deflecting the beam. Think i may have to start notching out there are about 60 notches to do and loft was nice and clean I can see some of the noggin have been fitted slightly higher then the exiting ceiling rafters (not flush) which would explain why some have only some clerances. On the first beam on one end was getting 15mm clearance (min req), other end was only 8mm. Rather take my time to get the floor right. Will get some pictures late to explain it. Only spanning plate to plate, Did use a laser level and did notice that the plates are out.
I think because there is a certain amount of play in the box section when the I beam are inserted and with it only have one point of fixing which may explain why there is a bow. If two pints of contact when I beam is in then would be more straight.