Part boarding the loft in a new build

[Paulh]

We have been in our new 4 bedroom detached home now for about 10 weeks and still have boxes from our old houses loft. I was advised by the builders that boarding the loft is not advised as they don't support the same weight old houses used too!? Also the double layer insulation makes this difficult.

I have seen several solutions that provide legs to raise the floor but speaking to most people they advised they removed 1 layer of insulation and boarded that area, putting the additional insulation round the edges of the loft boarding. I am not too worried about the small possible heat loss but more the impact on the beams and ceilings. Surely if you can walk about up there an area of boarding for the usual Xmas decorations and suitcases etc should be fine?

 

[NewHomeExpert]

This is not a great problem.
This is what you can do.
You need to fit some joists to support your loft boarding above the insulation level so the insulation thickness is maintained and is not crushed.
To do this run a 150 x 47mm sawn treated timber alongside each roof truss and fix it so that the bottom of the timevr is above the top of the insulation.
I would suggest you use 4" x 10 rust-proofed BZP screws. Keep the fixings in the middle section of the new joist and use one fixing at each point the joist touches to roof truss.
You should spread the weight over at least 4 trusses. You can then board with 600mm x 18mm T&G chipboard flooring which should be screwed to the timbers so you don't crack the ceilings hammering in nails.
Do not fully board the loft keep the area small for storage only. Say around 2 x 2 sqaure metres.
I would advise you to locate it adjacent to the trap hatch and fit a loft ladder before you start the boarding.
Be sure not to board over any extractor fans or pipework.
A loft ladder is money well spent.

A word of warning, roof spaces can be cold and sometimes damp. They have (should have) ventilation to the outseide air.
Never put anything in the roof space that you value unless it is in a sealed bin bag.

You are quite correct the loading for normal storage will not harm your roof trusses. People do walk on the trusess.
Remember too, quite a few roofs support the weight of sizable cold water storage tanks.
As usual the builder is giving bad and incorrect advice to its customer!

 

[Paulh]

Thanks for the reply. Apologies but I am not 100% sure what you mean, does the new timber sits on top of the existing rood beams making a cross, or just bolted on top to make the space for the insulation ? If you have any pictures of this I would appreciate it

 

[RecommendAHome]

I agree with NHE with his explanation and solution to this, but be aware that housebuilders tell you not to board the loft as the additional load imposed by the timbers & materials stored on it are not taken into consideration when the trusses are designed.

 

[NewHomeExpert]

Thanks for the reply. Apologies but I am not 100% sure what you mean, does the new timber sits on top of the existing rood beams making a cross, or just bolted on top to make the space for the insulation ? If you have any pictures of this I would appreciate it

You fix the timbers to the sides of the trusses using screws. ie parallel with each truss.
The timbers are not bearing on the trusses.
You will only be able to get fixings at the rafter and any vertical struts so you should choose your location so that it is central to the at least two truss struts.
It is not hard to figure out!

 

[Paulh]

You fix the timbers to the sides of the trusses using screws. ie parallel with each truss.
The timbers are not bearing on the trusses.
You will only be able to get fixings at the rafter and any vertical struts so you should choose your location so that it is central to the at least two truss struts.
It is not hard to figure out!

Apologies but this is all new to me soon sure the difference between a truss and beams etc so I doesn't make a lot of sense. I will look around other sites too

 

[NewHomeExpert]

Truss is triangular framed component with struts made off site.
A beam is a horizontal component used to support loads.
Rafter is the sloping p[art of the truss. (what the tiles rest on)
Ceiling joist is the horizontal part of the truss what the ceiling boards are fixed to.

I would suggest you employ the site carpenter to do the work for you!

 

[Paulh]

Truss is triangular framed component with struts made off site.
A beam is a horizontal component used to support loads.
Rafter is the sloping p[art of the truss. (what the tiles rest on)
Ceiling joist is the horizontal part of the truss what the ceiling boards are fixed to.

I would suggest you employ the site carpenter to do the work for you!

Thanks I think !

 

[NewHomeExpert]

No Problem - you're welcome!

 

[hoodwinked]

As long as you spread a reasonable load across a good few timbers you'd be fine. A modern house using factory made roof trusses will or certainly should be as 'stiff' if not better than an older property. Just be careful you don't put your foot through a ceiling, - that never impresses the missus!

 

[NewHomeExpert]

As long as you spread a reasonable load across a good few timbers you'd be fine. A modern house using factory made roof trusses will or certainly should be as 'stiff' if not better than an older property. Just be careful you don't put your foot through a ceiling, - that never impresses the missus!

This is not true!
Why do you think the NHBC standard is for tank bearing support to be at node points?
Modern trusses are narrow section and not able to support loads the big timbers used on older houses with 'cut roofs' may be able to do.
Stick to what you actually know something about - incorrect advice is worse than no advice at all.
(unless you are trying to get your post count up to "link drop")

 

[hoodwinked]

This is not true!
Why do you think the NHBC standard is for tank bearing support to be at node points?
Modern trusses are narrow section and not able to support loads the big timbers used on older houses with 'cut roofs' may be able to do.
Stick to what you actually know something about - incorrect advice is worse than no advice at all.
(unless you are trying to get your post count up to "link drop")

What I do remember all too well was that traversing the loft of my first house [built in 1840] was somewhat dangerous due to the beams being of quarter-cut thin logs, some still with the bark on and most with worm and almost all very knotty. So, I'd put any modern rubbish ahead of those. In my humble opinion, having owned many houses over the last 40 years I'd say that some Victorian builders were the epitome of cheapskates where they built cheap houses getting away with whatever they could materials-wise. No Building Inspectors or indeed strict planners around then. Of course quality varies widely if we go back through time but nowadays it's all minimums and I'll never buy a new house unless I specified the build myself.

As for insinuations regarding 'post counts' and knowing nothing about building I'd like to cordially invite you to come and see my photographic history of refurbishments after total burn-outs, putting right subsided properties, Listed buildings and much more over many decades. Alas so much hard graft over those years has wrecked my old back so now I simply watch and weep. 'Post Counts', - I'm too old for trying to score at anything!