Adding height to the joists for more insulation in the loft

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Our loft is a fairly standard shape, you go at one end of the middle, it has a walkway down the middle and then two similar sized spaces to either side which reduce in head height until they reach the floor. (Standard square based apex).

A few years back I got some loft insulation to bring our insulation up to the recommended thickness.

I rolled it out on top for either side. The old insulation was left underneath which ran between the joists. The new insulation was rolled out at 90 degrees to this.

However the section in the middle I left - I still have the rolls of insulation left to finish it.

I left it as the walkway in the middle is boarded and is used for storage. I need to somehow raise the floor to allow me to add the insulation on top. I have seen plastic feet which step it up but they worked out quite expensive and required the floor boards to be something like regular. The flooring pieces in mine are made out of old boards, and off cuts.

I'm trying to think of a way of doing it on the cheap as I don't really want to spend much money on it as it is only the loft (although I recognise it could give potential savings in heating etc)

I have some spare 4"x2" lengths of wood. They're used but still fine. Could I use these at all and run them at 90* to the existing joists? Then roll the loft insulation out between them? I would probably have to space them half a roll apart as I think a full roll would be to wide to support the flooring.

Does that sound OK?
 
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Get yourself a box of bullet screws and skew screw the 4x2"s to the existing joists and "recycle" that old timber. It'll be fine! Obviously watch out for cables and add nogs where you feel the over-joists need bracing. Other than that, I can't see why not... Diynot :D
 
Thanks, I've started with a section and used a roll of insulation so far. The original joists were a bit thinner than these and were spaced at 400mm. I've gone at 90 degrees with the new ones and spaced them at 600mm.

My only issue as I go further may be the loft ladder. I'm hoping I can just lift the loft ladder up 4" onto the new height.

I also need to make something up for the hatch. Currently the hatch has no insulation but it is the kind that drops down to let the ladder come down.
 
Stuff some insulation into a rubble bag or two and staple it to the top of the loft hatch. Or a slab of celotex or kingspan if you can get hold of a small bit from somewhere!
 
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Nearly finished now. Took a little longer than anticipated as I decided to fit proper lighting in the loft and the floor boards need fitting at 90*to how they were originally fitted to go over the new joists which are now the other way.

All raised though and boarded - just need to make that part for the loft hatch to try and insulate the hatch itself a little.
 

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