Loft Storage

[ort67]

Good evening,

I've got a question regarding loft storage and was wondering if anyone could advise me.

To make more room in my loft I put 18mm sheets of plywood between the rafters where they form a V shape. I haven't secured them in to the rafters in anyway as they quite stable without being secured. I was thinking of putting horizontal bits of wood across the rafters under each longer side of the boards as a kind of strengthening but don't know if it's really necessary.

I'm only planning on storing light things on the shelves not boxes of books or anything.

Does anyone think that it is a bad idea to do this in terms of causing long term structural damage?

Pictures of what I have done are below:

View media item 96659
View media item 96660

 

[JohnD]

with that method, they will tend to push the truss members apart, as they try to move down due to weight. If you nail battens to the sides of the members for the "shelves" to sit on, they will not slide down.

Trussed rafters are calculated to be "just enough" for the anticipated loads on the roof, so beware of putting anything substantial on them.

 

[ort67]

Thanks for the feedback. I've decided against my shelve plan, it's not worth the risk of damaging the roof to store some junk.

 

[chappers]

with that method, they will tend to push the truss members apart, as they try to move down due to weight. If you nail battens to the sides of the members for the "shelves" to sit on, they will not slide down.

Trussed rafters are calculated to be "just enough" for the anticipated loads on the roof, so beware of putting anything substantial on them.

That being said I know someone who cut the centre members out of a trussed roof to create more space and to my knowledge that roof is still in that state many years later and the roof is still fine.
You should be OK if it is for genuine lightweight storage.

 

[SimonH2]

The trouble with "lightweight" storage is that some time down the line, someone else who doesn't understand such things will apply the "if it fits ..." approach to shelf loading capacity
In my loft, I've got on my list of things to do - to make some stencils for "feather" and "weight" icons to paint on the floor according to what's supporting it.

 

[TonyW2]

Supporting battens would brace the struts against spread and are essential to prevent the shelves tilting and slipping.
Its fine for sensible amounts of storage and electric train sets!

 

[aveatry]

I wouldn't go banging nails in - all that thumping "may" crack some plaster ceiling below or upset some ridge tiles ?
Use screws.
If you are only storing light weight stuff do you really need 18mm ply.
I have a rule in my loft that if something go's up then something else has to come down

 

[Shutpa]

If you nail battens to the sides of the members for the "shelves" to sit on, they will not slide down.

Did just that early 20 years ago and never had a problem since. That said, shelf is used for lightweight storage only.