Joist spacing

[Briken]

I need to floor the loft for storage puposes.
The joists are approximately 5.5 inches deep by 2 inches wide, all spanning about 10ft. BUT the spacing is 24 inches between cntres.

What would be the best way/material for this floor - many in the DIY stores indicate the materials are not suitable for such wide spacing.

 

[noseall]

do you say the centres are 24" or 600mm?

i know both measurements are close, but a 2400mm t&g sheet will work at 600mm centres but not at 24".

 

[Briken]

Thanks noseall.

Yes 24 inches - a mid 70's house.

 

[noseall]

best thing to do is cross batten with some 75mmx50mm timber, setting them at 600mm centres.

 

[Briken]

noseall
Yes, I had thought that a possibility but wanted to be sure I was not missing something very obvious to the experienced.

Will the T/G be ok bridging the 600mm gaps?

 

[Bowness72]

19mm softwood T and G boarding or
22mm chipboard or
16mm Plywood or
18/19mm Oriented strand board

NHBC regs specify that all the above decking materials will be ok to span that distance in a domestic floor.
If you want to be sure, you could always use the next thickness up.

 

[noseall]

Will the T/G be ok bridging the 600mm gaps?

i would personally set them at 400mm centres.

 

[Briken]

Thanks noseall and Bowness72

I will now price up the alternatives and get ready to do the job in the spring when the loft is neither freezing cold or scorching hot.