Make sure the orientation of the loft board is correct. Tongue and groove boards are designed to slot together. The system is compatible with any insulating material including Batt or blanket insulation, blown-fibre and loose-fill loft insulation. It is worth noting that if you squash down, or compress, loft insulation it reduces the effectiveness of the insulation material. Loftleg shows that the siting of the legs needs to be very precise as up to four boards need to meet on any one of the legs. If your measurement of the position of one of the legs is a little out, this could affect the rest of the legs. This method also restricts the shapes you can build a floor to in your loft. Where there is a heavy installation in the loft, like a water tank, that section of floor is always reinforced to allow for the extra weight. Often the rafters in that section are also given additional support using hanging timbers attached to the pitched section of the roof trusses. I do need the loft for storage and want to know how to board above the new insulation without putting new joists/joist hangers in across the walls. I know new joists would be the 'proper way', but it does seem extreme when most of the year the loft will be closed shut. It'll only be used for storing things anyone could carry up the ladder and for heavier stuff I put that across the load-bearing wall in the middle to take the weight.

Most ceiling rafters are set at 600mm centres, or 400mm centres. (This simply means that measurements are taken from the centre of one rafter to the centre of the next one). The StoreFloor loft flooring system is designed to fit into these standard measurement perameters. The same criticism can be levied against Loft Storage Stilts who use a very similar leg system. While both systems will undoubtedly do the job they both look a little flimsy to us and the fact that each leg has to be so precisely placed (especially when working in a hot, confined, obstruction filled area as a loft space) adds an unnecessary degree of difficulty to a job which we think LoftZone have made so easy by using a crossbeam on top of the legs which allows a great deal of positioning movement with the boards. The crossbeam also makes StoreFloor very much stronger than either Loftleg or Loft Storage Stilts. You could save many square metres of boarding needed by reducing the loft floor area by 500mm on each pitched roof elevation. What is the point of paying out for an area that will never serve any purpose? Leave a little space Although most loft boarding jobs are relatively straightforward, there are a few additional costs to consider. These include:I Want to Increase my Loft Insulation, but how do I Fit the Minimum Required Loft Insulation Material and Still Maintain my Storage Space? The Loft Boys get a lot of calls from folks who decided to have a bash at boarding their own loft. To then only realise that the job in hand is far more taxing than they first thought!

The next factor to deciding how much of the loft area to board is what your loft will accommodate. It is absolutely pointless wasting your time and money boarding an area of your loft that will never get used. Even if you’re looking to maximise on the loft floor space we always try to convince people not to bother boarding right into the eaves. Where the pitch of the roof meets the floor reduces the usability of this area hugely. No, only when the boarding is combined with a good quality insulation material such as mineral wool will you achieve a properly insulated loft. In addition, there must be a gap between the boarding and the insulation to allow for proper airflow, otherwise, condensation and its related problems could arise. Can I convert my loft into a storage space myself or should I leave it to the professionals? The loft legs used in this guide are incredibly strong, and can handle loads up to 500kg per loft leg. However, before converting your loft into storage space you must first consider how much weight your loft joists are designed to handle. It is usually ok to store general household items such as Christmas trees, books, clothes, boxes, portable electrical items, etc. But if you plan to store something ridiculously heavy, then please do your research regarding your joists first! Space blanket is glass fibre wool wrapped in aluminium foil. It offers more protection against itchy fibers, making it more comfortable to lay. It also have a heat reflective foil surrounding it. You can board out your loft without Building Regulation approval but laying or fitting loft flooring in the loft or attic must only be done to store light items, such as empty suitcases. If you mean to convert your loft into living accommodation of some kind then you need to find out from your Local Council whether you need planning permission. You will certainly need Building Regulation approval to convert your loft into anything other than a storage space. Please note, even if you planning to use your roof space as an office or study it still counts as living accommodation.The more insulated your house is, the colder your loft will be. This is because the insulation is slowing down the heat trying to escape your house. A colder loft does also means warm moist air can condensate within the loft. It’s a good question, and we get asked this a lot! Deciding on how much of the loft area to board depends on a couple of factors. The first is how much you intend on storing up there, and please do take into consideration how much more stuff might end up there compared to what you have currently. The benefits of all that extra storage space should also be pretty clear by now. With storage space at a premium, utilising any available space in your home is a no-brainer. And doing it the right way, with properly installed insulation could save you a lot of money in the long run.

An excellent cordless drill popular with building contractors. This powerful Milwaukee drill comes with charger and case. Decide whether or not the whole loft needs to be boarded. Many people only board a small area of the loft to keep costs low. Also the amount of boarding should depend on how much you want to store. Both these things tidy and neaten up the loft and make it less likely you’ll get splinters on your hands when getting in or out of the loft. Electrical cables and pipes Remember that working on a shower is notifiable work (you have to notify building control) and it has to be performed by a qualified electrician. We have a project to show you what is involved in an electric show insulation if you need more information. Alternatives to LoftZone Make sure your loft space have adequate ventilation. Ideally there should be a cross flow of air in your loft, from one eave to another. The air enters your loft via the soffit boards within the eaves.

Sound familiar? Well you can fit a loft boarding system that allows you to have the recommended 270 mm loft insulation, plus an air gap to allow air flow, which prevents condensation building up in your roof space (helping to prevent rot in your roof timbers). Fitting Storefloor by LoftZone raises the loft boards over the increased loft insulation, provides an air gap, and a secure storage floor for your suitcases, Christmas decorations and old photo albums. This system allows you to board out your loft yourself, and you can fit it in sections so you don’t have to clear out your whole loft before you begin. Loft boarding involves moving insulation around. Usually insulation is of the glass fibre wool type. This type of insulation is harmful to your lungs if breathed in. Please do the sensible thing and ensure you wear protection. If your home is more than 10 years old, its likely you will benefit from extra insulation. The largest majority of heat lost from a building is via the roof. The purpose of loft insulation is to slow down the heat loss process. Loft insulation can also save you a lot of money on heating bills per year. And finally, asbestos-containing materials could be present in your loft if your home was built before the year 2000. If you suspect there is then don’t take the risk, talk to us about how to safely remove those materials.