Garage Conversion , from Junk to ... ???

[azzwuff]

Hi Chaps, right here goes I'm pretty competent at attempting anything DIY related and love to do things myself however i do work in IT so bear with me! I am going to convert my garage into a summer house. Currently it sits at the end of the garden and collects junk. My plan is to (and this is where i will seek professional help) brick up the door and have bi-fold doors put into the side, which will open up onto my garden... every other job I'm going to try to do myself.

However before i even start to think that far ahead I want to board the top of my garage for storage, I will eventually put a loft hatch in. My first aim is to clear the floor space. To do that I need to board the roof area out to use as storage. I was thinking of cutting 18mm OSB 3 boards to sit on top of the rafters (see pic) for now. Then come back and insulate between the rafters (from below) and then start the plasterboard etc. my question is can anyone recommend a starting place. I'm not sure how to damproof the boarding if it needs it at this stage? I'm conscious that the top area will be cold and the bottom, once finished, (hopefully) warm.

The garage does have electrics and a v shaped loft area which i currently use to throw any old junk up there. The garage was built 4 years ago and is a double with my neighbour.

Thanks for any advice you can give you guys were awesome in helping me last time, this is the first step of many which I will be seeking your help with...

Thanks, Aaron

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[azzwuff]

Can anyone offer any advice on this, I was hoping to board the top of the ceiling today to enable me to get storage and clear the floor?

 

[r1flyguy]

I'm not sure insulating between the rafters is going to do any good unless your going to insulate the rest of the garage.
Personally if your not going to use the loft space as storage maybe fill it with a couple of layers of rockwool.

If you are using it as stotage, loftboards will do the job just as good, you can cut them easily to suit and then you can use a Celotex between those and the plasterboard to offer some insulation. I'd then go as far as using insulated plasterboard for the rest of your walls if they are single skin brickwork.

Someone else maybe able to offer further/better advice

 

[bernardgreen]

You will need to consider how much weight the joists can carry before commiting to storing too much up there. Some garage trusses can only take the weight of the roof and bend to much if used to support a floor in the loft of the garage.

 

[azzwuff]

thanks that's a good point, the storage space is not going to be used for anything heavy. I'm guessing 18mm OSB/loft boards would be thick enough to spread the load.... at this stage can i just board it off or would i need to think about what i will be doing in the long term i.e. insulation/vapour barrier?

 

[r1flyguy]

If your putting a loft hatch/access panel in then it's no different to your home I'd believe.
It's just how you choose to insulate it

In my loft I've fitted 175mm risers and boarded onto these to allow 270mm rockwool

As your doing a garage I don't think it's overly important on how much insulation you use its just how you choose to do it.
Rockwool above or board or board & Celotex between the loft board and your ceiling boards (much easier than trying to hold the rockwool in place & you'd be compressing it.

 

[tomfe]

What is your definition of a summer house? Mine is a shed with lots of glass in it.

 

[azzwuff]

Summer house is how I'm advertising it to the wife i.e man cave - essentially a garage with some bifold doors on the side with a sofa bed for guests....

I made a start using 18mm loft boards as they are much easier to handle, should have the boards complete this week with space for a loft hatch, then I need about 10 trips to the skip to clear the junk!!

 

[tomfe]

Are you sure you don't want to end your boards over a joist?
I would not be happy sleeping under that lets just hope your guests bring their hard hats