Hi I have just bought a house with that seems to be a very weak attic. The joists in the attic are on 80mm deep and I have been up there a few times recently to put a light and rewire the upstairs lighting. Since I have done this there are holes appearing in the ceiling below where it has been nailed up and you can see the plaster has or is coming away and revealing said nails.
I have a semi detached house with a pitched roof to 3 sides. The majority of the timbers run from front to back and are as mentioned 80mm deep only. Laying directly on top of these timbers are 2 175mm deep joists that are 4 metres apart and the same distance away from either end of the house which is about 1.5 metres.
The width of the house is 5 metres and length from front to back is 7.35 metres.
I would like to strengthen the attic considerably to allow for storage and obviously the weight of a few people.
What is the best way to accomplish this?
The loft hatch is about 300mm square. I was thinking to buy more 175mm joists and lay them on top in a similar fashion to the existing 2, however getting them up there would be a challenge, I would need shorted lengths and then join them somewhere in the centre section with an overlap. In my opinion this would comprise the strength at the join?
Your advice is appreciated.
Many thanks
I have a semi detached house with a pitched roof to 3 sides. The majority of the timbers run from front to back and are as mentioned 80mm deep only. Laying directly on top of these timbers are 2 175mm deep joists that are 4 metres apart and the same distance away from either end of the house which is about 1.5 metres.
The width of the house is 5 metres and length from front to back is 7.35 metres.
I would like to strengthen the attic considerably to allow for storage and obviously the weight of a few people.
What is the best way to accomplish this?
The loft hatch is about 300mm square. I was thinking to buy more 175mm joists and lay them on top in a similar fashion to the existing 2, however getting them up there would be a challenge, I would need shorted lengths and then join them somewhere in the centre section with an overlap. In my opinion this would comprise the strength at the join?
Your advice is appreciated.
Many thanks