Hi there, am currently planning on increasing insulation in my loft to 6" more than there is now. This means the new floor of my loft needs to be 8" higher. In order to do this i was planning on using 2 lengths of 4" x 2" timber on top of each existing beam. Is this possible? And if so what is the best way to join the new timbers togehter to hold them sturdy. I got told to use some sort of metal piece that you screw onto the side of each of the beams..is this the right idea? Any suggestions? Thanks!!
Loft floor...how to join timbers to increase height?
- Thread starter adamfernadam
- Start date
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thanks softus,
is it best to lie the new joists on top of the existiong ones upright or flat. if they were flat then i wiould have more room for screwing my boards to when i board it? Why at 90degrees to them and not along the existiing ones?
is it best to lie the new joists on top of the existiong ones upright or flat. if they were flat then i wiould have more room for screwing my boards to when i board it? Why at 90degrees to them and not along the existiing ones?
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thanks softus!
i am confused as some people say to lie the new timber along the joists and some say lie them at 90degrees? I would not be able to get single lengths into my loft to span right across at 90degress so they would have to be cut and joined at one of the existing joists which in some places are narrow and therefore this may be difficult and may actually not increase strength at that point am i correct?
i would really like to raise the floor 8" which is why i thought 2 2x4 timbers upright, if i were to lie them flat it would need 3 on each existing joist. or would i use a different size timber?
Also if i lie them along the existing ones they will be secured at each end on a truss rather than putting them at 90degress in which case they would just be spreading the weight about and wouldnt be secured to a truss? Hope i make sense!
what are your thoughts on these?
i am confused as some people say to lie the new timber along the joists and some say lie them at 90degrees? I would not be able to get single lengths into my loft to span right across at 90degress so they would have to be cut and joined at one of the existing joists which in some places are narrow and therefore this may be difficult and may actually not increase strength at that point am i correct?
i would really like to raise the floor 8" which is why i thought 2 2x4 timbers upright, if i were to lie them flat it would need 3 on each existing joist. or would i use a different size timber?
Also if i lie them along the existing ones they will be secured at each end on a truss rather than putting them at 90degress in which case they would just be spreading the weight about and wouldnt be secured to a truss? Hope i make sense!
what are your thoughts on these?
My thoughts are:
1. If you're putting flooring down, then check out whether or not you actually need to increase the depth of insulation at all.
2. If you're making this into a room, then you may need LABC approval.
3. If you're involving the LABC, then you might as well ask their advice on the structure.
Your observation about spreading the load is relevant - spreading the load was the reason I suggested a 'lattice' of joists.
As more details emerge this is getting more complicated. Please could you recap and reveal more about your intended use of the loft space? A couple of photos would help as well.
1. If you're putting flooring down, then check out whether or not you actually need to increase the depth of insulation at all.
2. If you're making this into a room, then you may need LABC approval.
3. If you're involving the LABC, then you might as well ask their advice on the structure.
Your observation about spreading the load is relevant - spreading the load was the reason I suggested a 'lattice' of joists.
As more details emerge this is getting more complicated. Please could you recap and reveal more about your intended use of the loft space? A couple of photos would help as well.
Hi and thanks for trying to help softus,
1) The current mineral wool insulation laid between the current joists is very small and old maybe 3" or something. The new house regulations is about 10" now. So ideally i would like to increase the height of mine before boarding over.
2) This is in now way going to be a room and it never will be there is not enough room/height/access etc. It will only be used to store boxes/clothes/xmas decorations/general junk.
3) They dont need to be involved.
It isnt too complicated maybe just how im explianing it. If i was to top up the current insulation to a deeper level, the current joists are only 4" and would therfore be like 8" below the new insulation. Therefore i cannot board over it unless the current joists are raised above the height of the new insulation when iv topped it up. hope that gives a better picture!
1) The current mineral wool insulation laid between the current joists is very small and old maybe 3" or something. The new house regulations is about 10" now. So ideally i would like to increase the height of mine before boarding over.
2) This is in now way going to be a room and it never will be there is not enough room/height/access etc. It will only be used to store boxes/clothes/xmas decorations/general junk.
3) They dont need to be involved.
It isnt too complicated maybe just how im explianing it. If i was to top up the current insulation to a deeper level, the current joists are only 4" and would therfore be like 8" below the new insulation. Therefore i cannot board over it unless the current joists are raised above the height of the new insulation when iv topped it up. hope that gives a better picture!
I understand. The 250mm requirement, I believe, assumes no boarding. Since the boarding will itself insulate, I would expect that you don't need to add as much new insulation - LABC will advise on this, and they won't insist on being involved.adamfernadam said:
It could be this one:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37387
Or this one:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39743
Or this one:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17265
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37387
Or this one:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39743
Or this one:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17265
Thanks for your help guys Softus and John D...both a great help to me!!!
I feel ready to tackle it now...just to watch where i put my feet upthere now!!
I feel ready to tackle it now...just to watch where i put my feet upthere now!!
now then
I have the same question,
Im going to increase the depth between the joists in the loft so as to allow deeper insulation before boarding.
we currently have 3 x 2 some of which are slightly saggy across the span causing the ceilings to belly. fortunatley I can acro them up a little to reduce the belly and then fix a vertical timber hanging down from the collars across the rafters.
But i need to raise the depth by 2" to allow the insulation to be laid in. would people recommend laying timbers at 90 deg to the joist or on top of the joists and screwed through into the origional at regular intervals say 400mm?
The loft is not being used for anything other than crimbo decorations etc.
thoughts appreciated.
Jonno
I have the same question,
Im going to increase the depth between the joists in the loft so as to allow deeper insulation before boarding.
we currently have 3 x 2 some of which are slightly saggy across the span causing the ceilings to belly. fortunatley I can acro them up a little to reduce the belly and then fix a vertical timber hanging down from the collars across the rafters.
But i need to raise the depth by 2" to allow the insulation to be laid in. would people recommend laying timbers at 90 deg to the joist or on top of the joists and screwed through into the origional at regular intervals say 400mm?
The loft is not being used for anything other than crimbo decorations etc.
thoughts appreciated.
Jonno
yeah i read that earlier and i also read that it is for strength, question is
why does it make it stronger?
and is this necessary in the case where you are not planning to use it for taking loads of weight.
why does it make it stronger?
and is this necessary in the case where you are not planning to use it for taking loads of weight.
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