Replacing loft floor joists without removing tiles?

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Hello All,

This is probably a silly question but it has stumped me.

Put simply, i thought i would be able to put joists in diagonally and then slide them square on one at a time (remove a damaged one put a new one in) untill the job is complete... but having removed 1 joist i cannot get the new one up even diagonally, i suspect i could get one up diagonally if i take out 2 existing joists but dont think i will be able to slide it straight because the rafters will block me. Is there a trick im missing? The only solutions i can think of are:
A) Remove a few rows of tiles so i can shoot the joists straight through from the outside but the roof is fine so i really dont want to mess with it and on top of scaffold or a ladder with 16foot of joist does not soun like fun.
B) Joint the joists in the center of the room with say a 3 foot overlap. But the plan had been to leave the bottom of the joists exposed so this way it would look a right mess.
C) cut the new joists a bit shorter than the existing ones so that they are only sitting on the wall plate by a couple of inches each end... but would that create problems with the walls themselves?

Additionally i have found that the existing joists are nailed to the wall plate but not the actual rafters. Is this normal? I guess either way it ties the walls togeather but presumabley when refitting the joists it would be better to fix them to teh wall plate AND the rafters?

Back story:

I've taken on an 1850s semi detatched cottage where the loft had been intenally boarded and clad to make it a livable space (although the internal height means it cannot actually be considered a room) the existing joists were 2" x 4" and very woodwormed they spanned 16 foot (outside wall to outside wall) and then running internal wall chimny on party wall there was a retrofitted 6"x10"exposed beam running through the center of the room below to help support the center point off the joists.... the chimny had to be removed (as it only existed in the upstairs room, the lower and upper part having already been removed) so the beam did as well, and I really dont want to refit a longer beam to do the same job due to what will already be a fairly low celing height in the upstairs room. I had planned to rejoist with 8"x2" and notch them on the ends to not reduce the height in the loft too much and then plasterboard between them to the bottom inch or so of the joist is exposed.

photos below, lighter greenish joist is the "correct" length and jammed at an angle 4 foot isgh to the left of where it is meant to be.

any help, advice of comment welcome.

Cheers!
 

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assuming that the joists run front to back, is there a central wall?
I'm not a pro but could it be ok to have 1/2 joists that overlap on a supporting wall?

Take down a ceiling?
 
Cheers Triumph chap!

I have expanded my earlier post and added some photos. Sadly no center wall. Ceiling aldready gone. It just feels like therre should be an easier way or a way the professionals always do it,. Then again, i guess im part snookering myself wanting exposed beams but not wanting to re-fit a center support joist.
 

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