5x2 or 5x3 Wood 3.6metre - Where to buy from?

[headworx]

Hi all,

I'm trying to get the loft boarded and was going to use 3x2 wood across the rafters to support the boarding until I was told this would be putting a lot of strain on the rafters.

I was advised to buy some more heavy duty wood (sorry for lack of technical terms but i'm a newbie to this) and to lay them across the larger beams that exist up there (think they may be called purlins? They are about a third and two thirds along the loft that are supported by going into the brickwork to nextdoor).

The trouble I'm having with this is that the local builders merchants sell the wood but only up to 3.4m - I need 3.6m lengths.
Someone has mentioned to use joist hangers, but would take up the 20cm I am over allowing me to use the 3.4m lengths?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the longwinded post for such a simple question

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Try another merchant, yours only seems to sell kiddy sized timbers. Of course how you intend getting a 3.6m length of a timber through a loft hatch is we're sure something you've thought about.

 

[headworx]

OK, thanks.

Well have kinda thought about how to get it up there. I have just reboarded all ceilings and (more luck than anything) haven't yet plastered the bathroom ciling so was thinking of dropping one board down and bringing in through the bathroom window and up into the loft.

I'll try another merchant then, any ideas roughly how much they will be?
Spose I'll need 5-6 of them.

Do you think the joist hangers are a good idea as opposed to laying these on top of the existing 'purlins'?

Thanks in advance.