Roof construction

[Ian59]

Hi I'm looking for a bit of advice. I have insulated and boarded my loft purely for storage and a small pool table which my son uses occasionally. What it is there are 3 planks of wood going down the middle of the loft from the pitch to the supporting wall below. They measure 2cms thick and 7 cms wide. I have put supports across the pitch of the roof and would like to know if I can remove these or what are the purpose of them.

Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[blup]

Are the uprights on a load bearing wall?

May have no structural value if not but can’t really tell from the photo

Blup

 

[Ian59]

Hi yes i think the wall below is load bearing. The plank of grey coloured wood you can see on the floor is where the wall in between the 2 bedrooms on the floor is. The joiner who did my kitchen told me they were joist supports for the ceiling below but as I said there is a wall right underneath them.
Thanks

 

[Ian59]

UPDATE. I was told today that the 3 pieces of wood are not thick enough to support the roof but are actually there to stop the roof blowing off in high winds?
Can anybody confirm this?

 

[Leofric]

Wonder why anybody would put pieces of wood in a roof if they weren't really doing anything ? Still, if they are stopping the roof blowing off best to leave them

 

[noseall]

but are actually there to stop the roof blowing off in high winds

My guess is that if those pieces of wood are attached to the ceiling joists then it would be like anchoring a tent to a bouncy castle.

 

[Leofric]

My guess is that if those pieces of wood are attached to the ceiling joists then it would be like anchoring a tent to a bouncy castle.

but the pool table will add further weight to hold the roof down

 

[Ian H]

Have you got vertical posts under the front and back purlins?

 

[Ian59]

Have you got vertical posts under the front and back purlins?

Hi yes I've put 6 vertical posts under the front and back purlin.
So sorry to sound thick but am I right in thinking the info I was given about the 3 vertical planks down the center of the loft are not to stop the wind lifting the roof? And they can't be taken away? Or would I be best getting a se to have a look?

Cheers

 

[tony1851]

God knows why they're there - they look redundant to me.
They certainly won't be for 'holding the roof down'.

 

[^woody^]

They are hangers for the ceiling joists.

Take them out if you want your ceilings to crack, and the pool balls to all roll in to the middle pocket.

 

[Ian59]

They are hangers for the ceiling joists.

Take them out if you want your ceilings to crack, and the pool balls to all roll in to the middle pocket.

Thanks I was originally told that by the company that did my new roof. What I don't understand is where they are? Surely the joists sit on the supporting wall below which will be the ends of the ceiling joists. Why wouldn't they be in the middle of the joists rather than at the end where they sit on the wall?

Thanks

 

[tony1851]

Usually, the original hangers would have been scrap lengths of wood nailed to and supported off the purlins, which would mean the ceiling joists would be supported at roughly mid-point, which is the logical way; can't understand why they're in the middle?

 

[Ian59]

Usually, the original hangers would have been scrap lengths of wood nailed to and supported off the purlins, which would mean the ceiling joists would be supported at roughly mid-point, which is the logical way; can't understand why they're in the middle?

That's what I thought thanks. So what I did was put 6 lengths of 3x2 under the purlins to the joists to strengthen the joist below. That's why I'm trying to find out if these 3 pieces of wood are in fact doing nothing.

Thanks

 

[Ian59]