Loft boarding for storage

[DereksDontRun]

hi, have read many posts about whether ppl's joists are strong enough to convert their lofts into storage spaces, and still none the wiser.

my joists are 1.5x3" with a pitch of about 15.5 to 16" - plus there's some extra 3x1" planks/battens? spaced at about 44" pitch over the top.

tried to show in this pic:
http://www.dereksdontrun.com/pics/loft1.jpg
another shot, if it's any help:
http://www.dereksdontrun.com/pics/loft2.jpg

this suitable for light storage (only thinking of old diy-stuff, boxes of crud and bits/bobs (certainly not habitable or accessed more than a couple times a year)? biggest span, no idea - on the 1st floor there's a wall running practically down the middle of the property, so think the middle should be ok, at least?!?

I've bought a load of the 320x1220x18mm tongue & groove loft panels from Wickes. I understand I want to lay them on the joists, 90 degrees to them, but what do i do about the existing 3x1" planks? do i just do a botch job and fill in the gaps between them and have an uneven floor, remove/replace with the tongue & groove, or what?

look forward to any info, cheers.

 

[Shytalkz]

Putting your boards down on the existing and using it as light storage won't be any problem at all.

 

[DereksDontRun]

cheers for reply, but what should i do about the 3x1" cross-beams already on the top of the joists?

lay flooring between them (resulting in an uneven finish), remove them and lay the tongue & groove loft-panels over then entire area, or what?

any ideas?

 

[Shytalkz]

They are binders, which give intermediate support to the joists. If you're just using it for storage, leave them in and put up with the occasional step-up in the floor level: to do anything else will require joist strengthening and all of a sudden you're moving towards a "proper" loft conversion.

By the same token, putting additional timbers in to level up to the top of the binders will add weight to the structure as a whole and kick more load onto the binders, which they won't take.