I want to board out my loft for storage, but would also like to get daylight in there, so I don't need the light on during the day. I have installed a new loft ladder. I cannot make a habitable room as I only have 6'2" from ceiling joist to Ridge board, and I have a 4"x 2" tie bar across the roof in the centre, on top of the purlins. The way the roof is constructed fitting larger joists would be difficult, as the ceiling joists do not sit directly onto the outside walls but are fixed the the rafters some 18" in from the outside walls. The existing joists are 4" x 2", and the boarding would only extend for 5' either side of the centre wall, could I put in some form of tie to support the joists from the purlins which are 8" x 3", the rafters are 4" x 2" on 16" centres. The roof is tiles over felt, re-roofed about 15 years ago, when another support was put in the take the extra weight. The joists don't seem to bow when walked on, I had thought of making a tie wall out of Chipboard, as the bottom of the purlin is only 18" above the ceiling at the edge of the proposed boarded area, and the strengh of the chipboard should be enough to support the joists, or should I use metal straps bolted through the joists. Any advice would be gratefully recieved.
Cheers,
Cheers,