Help with Loft

[BrettRogersUK]

Hello Everyone,

I wonder if there is anyone here who can help.

My house was built in 1999/2000. The house was first sold 25/02/2000 to the first owner. We purchased the house in 2014.

The loft still has original insulation in there from the looks of it, the pink fibreglass stuff. It looks in some places that there is only 100mm of insulation between the joists and the previous owner has put flooring directly on top of the joists using nails instead of screws near the hatch compressing the insulation to just 80mm I guess.

The design of my roof of a W shape truss roof. The joists are only 80mm high. I know that the regulations for insulation are now 270mm - 300mm. This would allow better insulation and lower energy bills by what I understand. I want to board over the insulation too so that I can store things up there.

I want to use the loft for general storage and that is it. Would there be anything I need to do to strengthen the joists or would they be ok?

Would I be able to get a grant or something for loft insulation and would they take out all the old stuff before laying the new stuff down? I wouldn't need planning permission or building regs for this would I?

Many Thanks,

Brett

 

[JohnD]

if you get a contractor in they will just roll the new stuff over what's there.

As you're on a DIY site I'd suggest taking up the old boarding, and counterbattening across the existing joists to give extra height, and spread the load, and roll new insulation between the new timbers.

I used garden decking timbers, which are quite cheap and easy to find. The longer the timbers, and the bigger the boards, the fewer joints you will have and the more rigid the deck will be. I can lift the 2400x1200 boards through my loft hatch and wangle them into position. Small pieces of chipboard are not much good. Rigid slabs of foam insulation can also be used, but if you saw Grenfell, you will not want them inside your house. I think the counterbattens give a stronger construction than loft legs.

If they are screwed down, and a ply deck screwed to the lot, it will be pretty rigid and capable of holding your christmas tree and decorations; but not your collections of books, records and iron weights, all of which are very heavy. You must not cut any of the roof timbers.

 

[BrettRogersUK]

Hi John,

Thanks for your swift and concise reply.

I assume by counterbattening you mean as the original joists run front to back, the counter battening would run from side to side.

Regards,

 

[JohnD]

yes.

 

[BrettRogersUK]

yes.

Thanks