Flooring Loft

[carlday]

Hi

I have had a look around and still am unsure what to do. I would like to board my loft for storage and use as a office (desk and chair only) Occasional use. The joists are 4*2 at about 14" centres. across the joists runs a 5*2 joist, there are also small noggins between the joists. There is a purlin (i think) supporting roof this runs across loft about 3/4m high from joists and has triangle bits of wood connecting it to the joists. I can get picture if it helps. The house is 1920's semi 3 bed.

Thanks

Carl

 

[Softus]

Consult your local Building Control Office - the people there will tell you what is a safe weight of boarding to use on those joints.

 

[carpenter les]

as its a 1920s semi and will have internal brick walls helping to support the joists , if it was me and i needed the space desperately , just for a desk and chair , i would board it and use it ( unofficially ) but wouldnt try to use it as a room with lots of weight in it , as its not got a fire escape etc ....it will take a fair bit of weight remembering how much some people store in the loft, but if you are gonna use it for more id go down the official route of the BCO .....

 

[Softus]

as its a 1920s semi and will have internal brick walls helping to support the joists , if it was me and i needed the space desperately , just for a desk and chair , i would board it and use it ( unofficially ) but wouldnt try to use it as a room with lots of weight in it , as its not got a fire escape etc ....it will take a fair bit of weight remembering how much some people store in the loft, but if you are gonna use it for more id go down the official route of the BCO .....

It doesn't matter as much what the walls are made of, more the cross-section of the joints, the centres between them, and the span across them.

 

[carpenter les]

very true ...the only info not given was the span ... for example , based on my house, i have a 60 s semi with traditinal roof and a purlin , as carlday described , the joists run from back to front in line with the rafters ( as they do) ....in the center of the house we have a dividing bedroom wall which runs from foundations to bedroom ceiling , and the joist sit on this wall ( even though its one length) , so from my point of veiw ( in my house) i could do it , so if yours is the same you shuold be ok for a little weight , imo..

 

[carpenter les]

btw , my house from back to front is approx 30 foot

 

[Softus]

btw , my house from back to front is approx 30 foot

That isn't the span of the joists (edited - used to say "joints")

 

[carpenter les]

joints of what???? if you mean joints for the timber ( because 30 foot is too big for one length) then they will join halfway ( which will be on the internal wall) so its irelevent ..

 

[Softus]

"joists" - I meant to type "joists"

 

[carpenter les]

i think you will find that the 30 foot is the overall span of the house , or 15 foot is the span of the joists between walls

 

[carlday]

Thanks for info so far the house is roughly 27 foot front to back and 20 foot side to side.