Making loft dry and warm for storage

[softyengin]

Hi, Few questions regarding making a dry/warm? loft for storage..

I have a new build 'SEMI-DETACHED' wimpey 'Tiree' house, 5 years old now, with W trussed rafters.

in a nutshell.... (from my previous thread...)

(data about loft floor removed from this one) MODERATOR

I'd like to create a 'drier' environment for storing my stuff, currently its all open.

So my next question would be, for storage, not living space, can i add some vapour barrier material to the roof (with a gap between roof and barrier), then somehow erect boards up there with insulation attached to them, giving a kind of internal living quarters type look.

i dont want a liveable room but i do want to at least partition off some/all of the loft in such a way as it stays dry and can handle storing stuff without the need for plastix boxes.


basically can i seal it off/create a little dry room up there easily enough? what would be the best plan of action for that?
It will def be for storage only, no children's play areas etc! although i may hide up there myself with the laptop if I cant get any peace downstairs!

Many thanks for any advice guys...

 

[Static]

So you basically want to convert your loft to storage.. lofts are ment to be cold drafty spaces where air circulates to give longer life to the roof.. why not just bag up what you wish to store?

Anyways, unless you plan on bearing those extra bits of timber onto load bearing walls then they are just dead weight that wont help strengthen anything.. you would effectively need to convert the space, so insulate the rafters etc to get a warm/dry environment..

 

[softyengin]

check my previous forum post about the loft restructuring //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=254183.

I intend to add more support.

yeah I can bag stuff up, but if there is a relatively simple way to make it more 'snug' i'd like to try

Cheers

 

[ajrobb]

How much space to you need?

If your loft hatch is under the apex of the roof, you could construct a warm space by fixing Celotex to the beams coming down from the apex. Probably leave a 300mm gap below the apex with a horizontal slab of Celotex as a ceiling. Finish off with end panels. I wouldn't cover the Celotex as that would reduce the insulation effect of the low emissivity foil.

Once you've created a Celotex 'tent', you must lift most of the insulation off the ceiling below; allowing heat in to prevent condensation. Then put down boards. You should leave a small vent to allow moisture to escape into rest of the loft. If there isn't a vapour barrier under the loft insulation, consider painting the ceiling below with two coats of an oil-based or acrylic paint to act as a vapour barrier.

EDIT: It might be worth leaving the last metre or so open (2 roof trusses, assuming 600 mm spacing), with the end panel on the 3rd truss. You can cut an access hatch to the rest of the loft through this Celotex end panel and possibly just hold the hatch in place with duct tape.