Strange boxing in loft along eaves

rjm2k · 7 Jan 2014

I'm looking at adding extractors to the ceiling in 2 bathrooms, directly above them in the loft there is "boxing" which runs the full length of the house on both sides along the eaves. I will probably have to cut into the boxing but wondered what it is and what I will find inside of it? Much of the loft has been boarded out but this seems original, any ideas?

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Thanks

JohnD · 7 Jan 2014

is yours a timber-framed house?

rjm2k · 7 Jan 2014

JohnD said:
is yours a timber-framed house?

As far as I know it's brick and block.

The survey said "Construction: Traditional. Walls 300mm cavity brick roof pitched and tiled. suspended timber floors"

The actual plans for the house say 102.5mm facing brick, 80mm cavity and 100mm thermal block. The plans mention nothing about this boxing.

I've certainly seen blockwork when removing sockets etc from external walls.

kbdiy · 7 Jan 2014

Have you tried to get your hand in underneath the boxing and have a feel around? You'll probably want to tear the insulation if it does go under otherwise it could be a bit itchy but it might give you a clue as to what it's for.

rjm2k · 7 Jan 2014

kbdiy said:
Have you tried to get your hand in underneath the boxing and have a feel around? You'll probably want to tear the insulation if it does go under otherwise it could be a bit itchy but it might give you a clue as to what it's for.

not yet but will do, will be a while before I get on with this job but always wondered what these were.

I asked the previous owner and he said he didn't know and hadn't seen them in another house either ( he was an estimator for a building company)

there was cavity wall insulation added at some point so I wondered if this was to cap off the cavity at the top?

kbdiy · 7 Jan 2014

I wondered about closing the cavity too but it does seem rather large for that.

Am intrigued to know what they are for.

rjm2k · 7 Jan 2014

Had a bit more of a look, there isn't anything under them as far as I can see. I pryed a corner of one of the panels up and it seems to just be a long empty box all the way along on both sides!

Only other thing is there are small amounts of white fluff stuff on some bits, possibly cavity fill? As above, they are rather large and also nailed down which seems over the top for capping?
.

rjm2k · 8 Jan 2014

No other ideas? Looks like I can just cut through but still wondering what they are.

If it had been a timber framed house, what would they have been?

The timbers that make them up are not small things and are nailed to the joists. I'm wondering if it was some kind of remedial work carried out after construction so not shown on the plans.

May ask a neighbour if there house has them too!

kbdiy · 8 Jan 2014

Beats me. They look like overkill just to seal a cavity but from their position I would say they would have gone in at the construction stage rather than a later addition.

Will be interesting to know if the neighbours have similar.

rjm2k · 9 Mar 2019

Updating this old thread, the boxing is a box beam

Ian H · 10 Mar 2019

Box beam to do what?

I would have guessed it was something to keep the insulation from blocking ventilation at the eaves.

rjm2k · 11 Mar 2019

No Idea, the plans say box beam support over' at that point in the rooms below. Maybe to provide Extra rigidity for the truss roof , or act as ties

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Strange boxing in loft along eaves

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