Hi, I am a retired structural engineer and having watched this video have a few concerns that you might want to consider. 1. The internal members are called struts and ties, they are designed to resist axial loads from roof, ceilin, wind and snow. You have introduced a point load that introduces bending in the members that they will probably not been designed for. 2. These struts and ties have been connected to the top and botomm cords with a single rectangular spiked plate , these have a fixed capacity and sized to suit the loads calculated at the design stage and I am pretty sure this would not have included “Shelving & storage”. 3. Snow and wind loading are are considereed as short term “Variable’ loading, so if there is no snow on the roof or significant wind loading there will be some spare “capacity’ within the truss frame to accomodate the installed ‘shelving” and that is probably why everything currently appears OK 4. In terms of standers variable loft loading a standard design load of 0.25kN/m2 is used and is applied to the bottom chord, this is usually sufficient fo allow the home owner to board out the loft and use for box storage (Just to give you and idea of what 0.25 comparres to the standard 1st and ground floors design loading, a figure of 1.5kN/m2 is used for these area, for the loft area, we are talking of just under 17%) 6. Lastly, there is the issue of deflection, with increased long term loading the trusses will defelct more and that could lead to cracks appearing in the plasterboard ceiling Could I ask that you advise your viewers to have their roof structures checked for their intended modification and signed off by a competent/qualified person before starting
Aye, I mean, lets be honest, it'll probably be absolutely fine and live on without issue, but I would personally never f with a roof unless I knew what I was doing, or had talked to someone who does...
@@sorbetingleSorry but this is mis-information. You just need to look at the latest video to see the recent damage caused by high winds that brought a significant sized tree down. The property is not located in an urban environment where there would be lots of buildings/structures to reduce the impact of high winds, they are clearly located out in the open countyside; A line of trees on the boundary is a traditional winbreak used in this type of location , but if planted now, could take up to ten years to become effective
With a can of different coloured spraypaint spray on the joists, where water crosses, and electricity with arrows indicating flow, so in a few years, you can send a contractor up there, and they will be able to read the loft without moving insulation, so connectors, taps, and important things are marked off. You could do a laminated map of the space as well, clipped to the side, and then you will get contractors in and out quicker. Also be aware that with some solar companies you are renting your loft space, and they dont like people up there in the way. Oh and nice to see this update,
I used kitchen cabinet legs to support the deck I put into my daughter's loft. The 'legs' were easy to buy and cost effective back in 2010. The floor was stabilised by borrowing lateral support from the roof structure.
@richardjones5255 - sorry, what do you mean by the floor being stabilised " by borrowing lateral support from the roof structure." please? Also, any particular kind of cabinet legs? Thanks
I have a very similar roof structure and I raised the flooring for deeper insulation by screwing 4"x2" CLS timber edge-on to each horizontal joist, with the screws recessed about 2". Then just placed the boards on these. I subsequently found out about plastic loft floor risers, specifically designed for this purpose, but both approaches work. Thank you for the tip on the shelving, I will be copying that 🙂
For the insulating floors, only bother where your feet get cold. I find a non contact thermometer useful to tell you where the floor is cold (but feet are very good at knowing :D). We've got a combination of uninsulated concrete, uninsulated suspended floors and insulated concrete. It depends on what the soil conditions are as to how much you'll gain with insulating, we're on very well drained sand so there's not a huge thermal loss through the floors, if your soil is much heavier and wet then you'll lose a lot more. You also lose the majority of your heat through the perimeter of a slab floor (whether insulated or not). Our suspended floor is by far the coldest because the uninsulated concrete floors are entirely internal and cold air can get to the whole of the underside of the suspended floor. As for the methods of insulating, about the only ones I've really found without digging up the concrete is thick underlay and carpet, for effective insulation you require space or a lot of money!
Thats answered my question too 🤗 Ive recently bought a bungalow in Meir Heath Staffs. The floors are all concrete and we’re told its like Siberia in the Winter. The previous owner had very thick underlay and carpets which I pulled up but will renew with the same method
Hi. Treat yourself to a three-line laser level. Best tool I've bought for a couple of years! I'm surprised how much I use it. (OK, you've done the loft shelves now, but)... I would use it to throw a dead horizontal line across multiple uprights all at once, and bishbashbosh plopping your support rails into place on the line! My spirit levels still make the occasional appearance to check stuff, but not setting out.
I can agree. I was so long unsure if I should by a 3 by 360 degrees laserliner. There's only one thing about it: I should have bought it years before. Not first just a cross-line one, or then a Typ with one 360 degrees and another laser line with about 120 degrees...
Make your own stilts from CLS offcuts. Cut one the length of the height you want to raise by then cut another that's 75mm longer, then screw them together so they're flush at the top and a 75mm difference at the bottom. Place the bottom of the shorter piece on top of your joist then put a couple of screws through the longer one and into the side of the joist.
Brilliant video, it's given me some ideas, as where I live there is alot in the attic, and I was going to use a loft ledge system pretty much similar to the Idea that you've gone for 👍👍👍
Excellent video! I undertook a similar project but opted for 9mm plywood to lessen the overall weight. Additionally, I added a 9mm plywood floor running along the length of the loft. I installed 2000x77x30mm beams between each pair of webbing, spaced 1740mm apart. Securing them with 6mm bolts and lock nuts was crucial to ensure the bolds didn't come lose, and carefully positioned the holes in both the beam and webbing was necessary to bear the weight without risking the wood splitting. The beams were positioned 430mm above the bottom cord to allow airflow above the loft insulation. For the flooring, I used 9mm plywood sheets, which were flexible but minimised weight. Each sheet was secured in place with a few screws at each end, allowing for easy removal to access the ceiling and cables beneath.
I did what you've done in the loft of my old house so it's good to see other people doing the same. I also boarded a part of the loft floor with 18mm T&G boards on little loft stilts that sit on top of the joists. As you said you want to try maintaining a little gap between the boards and the insulation.
Your loft is the same as mine. And l did that in a few areas for storage and l haven’t overloaded in one area. Either way if you put too many things on the shelf your putting weight of your roof rafters that could cause a problem. What l found is the bedroom ceiling plaster has now cracked due to the shelving in the loft. I only put Xmas tree and a few bits up there.
Me personally I would be looking to make my own loft legs, I think common sense would say to make an inverted U shape out of three pieces of timber that would straddle your joists allowing for fixing. A leg every 450mm across a joist should spread loads well and still allow good airflow underneath.
I put cable tray (cheap second hand ones) around my attic a similar fashion to your boards. I ran all my electrical cable on these so they were not hidden under insulation. I used the tray for storage like yourself afterwards. I wouldn’t dismiss loft legs. I used them and have been happy with the results. I drilled access holes in the floor for cable routes down to light fittings or switches. I drilled 100mm holes and covered them with 100mm aluminum checker plate. Great work in the attic though!
One option for the floor is the underfloor heating insulation which comes in 6mm, 10mm, 12mm thickness. XPS or EPS foam normally. If you have not the hight then just a good thermal underlay is better than nothing.
A really good video, Vikkie. Firstly, I'm pleased to see you not using that MDF as boarding - I find the stuff too slippery to walk on, even when my feet are dry. What you've done for shelving is superb. No need to board out in to the hard to reach eaves. I've used those plastic riser feet (whatever they're called) and they're very strong. Perfect for a loft that's used for storage, which I imagine will suit your needs and they're easy to fit.
Oh and when you do come to board it, I personally prefer to use 2.4m x 600mm sheets... They'll have to be cut to length before they'll fit through the hatch but I find them easier to fit than those 1220mm x 330mm boards you can buy. If your joists are at 600mm centres, you'll want 22mm board anyway.
@@OllyParryJones I used 2400mm x 600mm sheets on my last section to board out. As you said you need to cut them before putting them up the loft as they become quite difficult to move around in such small spaces. I probably would have cut them down more than I did to make it easier if I was doing it again. I can see the benefit of the smaller boards though with weight and maneuverability.
I am looking to make shelves like yours, the lip at the back is a cracking idea as I am a klutz !!! When we boarded our loft I used loft legs and sheets of osb 😊
You could put lengths of 3x2 in between the two storage bays giving an air gap of an inch for the floor insulation, with studs on the floor joists giving support. Then fill in with flooring (sorry don't measure in metric)
We literally finished this job last weekend. Decided on loft legs to raise and allow for 170mm insulation on top of the 100 in-between the joists. Legs are very easy to fit and spaced them out at approx 30cm (half the recommended max distance) which matches the board widths.I didn't like the idea of adding more weight with wood and the overall load will be low as its for storage only, not living space. It's really transformed the area. Will be checking out your new hatch video as that's the next job!
I did exactly the same in my loft last year & used T&G Chipboard & OSB loft boards for the shelving between the trusses. Used a laser to set up & level all the supports - very handy for all sorts of jobs around the house. Next job is to raise up the T&G floor I put in 35 years ago to get more insulation under it. I went for a Loftzone Store Floor kit. LED battens for lighting as well as Loft Lids to cover the downlights in the loft before I cover them with more insulation. Thinking about putting in a larger loft hatch in as well so I can get a hot water tank in the loft at a later date.
I'd be wary of storing cd / dvd in the loft. Ideally they should be stored between 10 deg C and 20 Deg C. Think how hot it can get in the loft during summer. Easily over 40 Deg C.
Hi, good storage solution, the same as I have installed in my loft. I would not store CD's and tapes in the loft as they will melt/warp in the summer. Regarding the flooring support just use lengths of CLS above the insulation as joists and board over them. Same as your shelving.
I did the same thing about 3 years ago in a UK 60s house much thicker timber in the attic but loads more weight no problems yet best thing I ever did millions off storage now and I can fined everything I nead too very quicky
Perfect timing. I was actually going to start doing something similar in mine today - there's still time to measure up at least. Very interested to see what you do in the middle section, I'll wait for you to do it then copy it But will make a start on the sides. I can use up some scraps I have too. I was thinking that if I batten both sides of the trusses, then I could even slot in separate pieces in each gap rather than one long board. This has the advantage of using up smaller bits of chipboard etc I'm thinking of old kitchen cupboards etc. I hoard too much of that stuff.
Yes, if I had old wardrobe doors etc or anything long and flat, I'd do the same as you 😊 Once I've found the best method for boarding the loft (I've watched SO many video on this 😅) I'll be ready 😊 It may be a few weeks or months though.
I work of a company in the Highlands of Scotland that produces gabbles the strength comes from how the weight is load onto them and they are constructed in such a minimal way. By introducing load on different point will unwanted stress and could cause collapse. They gain their strength dy triangulation and you are placing stress on them points.
Really great storage solution using that awkward space between the roof truss sections. Glad you are keeping the DVD's, I far prefer having my films etc on physical format, that can't disappear overnight at the whim of a scammy streaming service. Oh sorry to hear your Stihl bluetooth headphones died - I have a pair myself and love them. Send her a new pair Stihl!
I have exactly the same issue in my bungalow l bought. But l couldn’t find anyone to do the flooring insulation, l then found out it’s not just the case of laying insulation on top of the concrete floors, you have to dig down into the concrete to insulate. Also you can’t insulated on-top as the floor level will be raised and cause problems with external doors mostly. If your doing it from scratch full Reno then you might have a change of doing it. So it’s not simple to do and I’m not taking out my newly fitted kitchen to do it😊😊
Thanks! Raising the floor isn't putting me off at the mo as whatever I do, I'd plan to do all over if funds allow, to keep them level. I don't mind planing off internal doors, but don't think any external doors here would be problematic. That is, if I find insulation thin enough. Obviously don't want anything too thick
I went all-in on plastic XL loft legs and 600mm chipboard flooring panels. Easy(ISH) to fit and the storage space created was huge! Hardest bit was tearing holes in the insulation to locate the legs and screw them to the joists. Tips... Laser level and an impact driver with a long magnetic bit extension
I had a similar issue requiring boarding down the middle of the loft through the trusses. I simply fastened 3 X2 CLS across the ceiling and above the insulation to the angled spars extending the floor supports so that they attached to at least two of the angled spars on each side to spread the load.The frustrating part owing to the shallow pitch of the roof was being forced to use the small loft boarding panels which of course did not match the joist spacing so each had to be cut and losing nearly a quarter of the length on each
Great content as always Vikkie - follow with interest since discovering your channel..... Nice solution for the storage as ceiling joists aren't designed to be load bearing in the way that most people use them (ie boards directly on top and spanning the joists), Using loft raisers (loft legs etc) don't achieve anything different either!! Best solution is to use the tension bearers (as you have done here) and create a "raised floor" by tying into the angled beams with 2 x 6 or 2 x 8s and placing boarding on top of these As for your flooring issue, maybe a suspended floor type solution with some form of insulation (PIR maybe??), low joists with ply/MDF over and then either traditional floorboards (supplied by Dad maybe??) which can be stained, oiled etc., or engineered boards over the top..... End of the day it's your call on the solution your choose... You've shown creativity and nous here anyway!! Typical Yorkshire lass!! By 'eck!! Tha'll do for me!!......Cheers...Chris
Use strips of wood under the MDF sheets, then secure them with brackets to your loft battons with brackets. This will spread the load and will not compress the insolation.
Another brilliant video Vicky you have my support we always say use it or hide it if you put them in kitchen cabinet so much wasted space for decorations such a nightmare 😊
You have to also ask yourself were the trusses designed with the idea of being a ceiling or a floor with regard to loading. People get carried away storing junk in attics that are really designed for additional loads. Obviously not talking about a couple of christmas trees but went to a house with obvious bowed ceilings to find an antique sewing machine collection being stored up there. Boxes of books etc soon add up !
Nice idea. I wish I had thought of this before I filled my attic with over 45-50 cm of blown in insulation. But it also gave me a great excuse to tell wifey we just can't keep collecting stuff.
Two things. 1) keep a pencil behind your ear or in your hair. 2) I make my own "loft legs" out of 2x4 by 250 mm long to keep above the insulation. I put a pocket hole on one side and as soon as the deck is up against an edge it becomes solid.
Impact driver in an enclosed space... you might want to use ear PPE, the noise eventually gave me tinnitus. What is about the pencil when doing carpentry... I am working in two places and the things go missing so you go off and get another one... when clearing up you find five pencils within a few cm of each other. We have a summer house that has an issue with the boards but down for the floor, rotting, so to make out the boards that need to be removed I tried carpenters crayon almost impossible to see, pencil wasn't obvious either so I got chalk. Cheap simple and works a treat, although my wife asks why I am scribbling on the floor.
I have an impact driver but don’t routinely use for screw driving, always use the Combi DeWalt, not sure if that is what sheared the screw at the beginning
I used a 100mm celotex board for our loft walkway and 11mm OSB board on top. There's a 100mm of loft roll insulation under the celotex of course (between the joists) and 100mm celotex equals to 250mm loft roll (if I remember correctly). So there's plenty of insulation. With this you don't have to worry about pin pointing your ceiling as cellotex+OSB is distributing the load equally across the joists. Now you can buy a "ready to use" celo+osb board (glued together) but they come up almost twice as expensive.
I second this. 8x4 sheet cut into two x 2ft widths gives you a 16ft walkway. I think I'd run counter battens across the joists, 2x1 end on to give 2" air gap above your first 100mm. Then board with OSB deck, 100mm PIR and top with a deck to walk on. 1 sheet PIR, 2 sheets osb for 16ft of walkway. And for the top deck you could just lay down off cuts of board - OSB, ply, chipboard etc, securing them into the 2x1 at the edges.
we have the same problem with the floor in our sixties house. there's not an awful lot of information about how to overcome the cold concrete floor but i'm presently thinking a thin layer of insulation and carpet would be the best... also thought thin insulation, floating t&g chipboard and carpet but the heights with external doors could be an issue...i have loads to do here before i tackle the floor, the list is endless. 😂
Buy the screwfix or toolstation loft plastic raisers or something like that. I got the max height you can get and put boards on it and the house is warm and you still get somewhere to walk on 😊
I just gave my entire DVD Collection , about 200, to the local Oxfam Shop. Lady was delighted and said people still buy them . Glad I got rid of them as I haven't watched a DVD in years and were just on the shelf gathering dust.
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK I set up a Plex media server with an 8TB external hardrive. Currently I have nearly 700 movies on there. The rare DVDs I ripped using MVKMaker so now have digital copies therefore no longer require the DVD.
Great video. For the legs on your main loft floor you can use loftzone store floor legs and beams. They are very strong and will lift your boards up high enough to allow circulation etc
Pallets are a bit heavy to throw around for your loft flooring but failing that, I'd be inclined to layout some 2x6-12 bearers (whatever you can scrounge) and toss your fibre boards on top of that.
I cross battoned our loft , laid insulation between them and fixed 18x600x2400 tongue and groove chipboard flooring ontop. Much better finish than the loft flooring packs
I would not screw the shelves down at all (houses very rarely get tipped upside-down!). Just add end stops and drop them in so you can lift and tilt them onto their edge if you need easy access underneath to pipes, wiring, eaves, etc. I would leave a small gap all round of a few mm so as not to distort the struts and it would allow for small individual strut movement which otherwise could cause ceiling cracks, etc.
Put cling film around your trees with the decorations on. Lift trees into loft. Reverse procedure in December. Nice trees with no 12 month accumulation of dust on them!
Good video. only thought i have would be that the wood must be treated. I've heard of entire lofts ruined from using wood that was reclaimed. it was a fungal thing I think..long time ago when i was told this.. also, structural alteration to the roof-structure downwards extra pull. I suppose this could be a handy idea to factor in to a new build. maybe by using stronger timbers than usually required? nice idea good for storage if do-able
By what l remember l think the floor insulation had to be a specific thickness. I’m only here temporary in this bungalow as bought blind during lockdown as my house l was buying fell through, l had no choice but to buy this one. Hopefully will sell this year and move on. Good luck with your home, l was looking for something like that for years and couldn’t find anything. I was moving from home to home and doing a lot of Diy/lifting, l paid for it dearly as l twisted my pelvis and have been house bound for the past 8 years. So leave the heavy lifting to your hubby.
For having a floor to keep your insulation ok I agree I do not like those peg things. My solution is a 2foot wide walking space all down the loft raised by 2ft wide timber on the floor part of the loft. Just loosely screwed in place with off cuts of timber and the floor screwed to them. Try to use same width as the roof trusses at a height to just clear the insulation say 3 inch?
To raise the floor up I’ve seen these feet like things almost like a foundation you just put osb or ply on top and it’s acts as a floor I’ll find a link
If you're redoing the skirting/architrave, would a floating chipboard floor with pir underneath work? A friend used 25mm pir and it seems sturdy enough
I am a little worried about storing the CDs in the attic. I wonder if it will get too hot in the summer and melt or warp them. Also, if you have an old sheet etc, I would drape that over the Christmas trees to keep the dust away. Building the shelves is a really good idea and I will check my attic to see if something like that would work for me.
We had our loft boarded to accommodate the 300mm insulation and they used metal upstands attached to the ceiling bearers and then interlocking chipboard panels. Excellent. The boarding is certified to be good for so much weight per square foot, way more than we need. I'm the heaviest thing on the boards when I stand up there!
If you do not want to go the loft zone route because of cost, why not take a similar approach to the shelving arrangement using stouter timbers to clear the insulation and support the walkways?
I was looking at a product called loft zone. It seems sturdier than loft legs and more breathable than wooden options. Would love to know what you think of them x
Have you considered the amount of dust that your Christmas decorations will collect during the year? Don't use biodegradable black bags as you will end up with a loft full of black fluff. At my last house, I used OSB with 100m PIR backing for the loft floor.
In the 1950’s house we’ve recently bought I have put 5mm foil backed foam down with 9mm plywood over that. Then whatever flooring on top. Much warmer underfoot than the solid concrete 😅
@@fredjames9867 I sealed the concrete first. But wouldn’t the layers on top of the concrete prevent condensation? I thought it was only a problem for exposed concrete.
Once there's 300mm of insulation up there. How is it possible to move about to continue working. Don't the temporay crawling boards just flatten down the insulation ? Or does it spring back enough OK once the crawl boards are removed ?
Needle Files. Cost about €3:00. She who must obeyed. Uses Jiff or some such cleaner. I use jif lemon 🍋 to clean the Hob. I have broken the middle jet. But am apprehensive about using an "Easy-out" 😢
I saw another structural engineer's (Thomas Emms) comment about not overloading the trusses and I though that he was going to mention another major fault with your trusses as they exist, but he didn't. And that is that there is no longitudinal bracing and I can't see any lateral bracing. Both these bits of bracing are essential for the long term stability of your roof. Do you have a copy of the Trussed Rafter Association giode on bracing trussed rafter roofs?
DVDs and CDs... I've bought several Storage cases(Mediarange BOX77) that holds 500 discs each, and are slowly sorting and placing the discs in the cases. I toss away the CD/DVD covers, but keep the inserts for the CDs, and the cover for the DVDs. For most of the CDs the case wasn't anything to keep anyway as a lot of them were cracked, or the tabs holding the center of the CD had broken off. DVD covers take up a LOT of space... Two exceptions, though; the Doctor Who collection is unmolested, and also All Creatures Great and Small.
What are the benefits of having a property reassessed for EPC? I have done a lot of work to my place to improve it's efficiency but never even thought about getting it reassessed. I understand it has to be done for rentals but in a private home I don't know what would be gained. It's funny how the jobs we do in houses to areas that you rarely or never see usually make the biggest improvement to the quality of life.
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK ah ok! Most of the grants I have looked at it was better to have an awful EPC rating 😂 I was hoping to get grants for double glazing and insulation but they weren't worth the hassle at the time. I love the idea of solar but it's way out of my budget, a heat pump wouldn't really work for me but if you can make it work that's great! Copious research is essential with heat pumps.
It's a Worx compact saw. I keep forgetting to mention it in my descriptions, but this is it (an affiliate link) amzn.to/2zWFwUW I love how light it is, but obviously it's cutting depth isn't as big as a bigger circular saw!
We have FloorQuilt as the final layer with boards on top and have just fitted underfloor heating Multifoil works best with a double air gap but we have just one on the floor due to not wanting to raise the level if your gong with a batten then boards it compresses 6mm for FloorQuilt and 12mm for superquilt both by YBS and both cheap at £100 for 10m sq I don't think the insulation rating takes into account of the air gap, the development of these types of multifoil material is off the back of space suit design.
For your saw dust collection could you do something like New North Yorkshire Workshop (I think thats the channel) collect it to mold it into pellets for Heating purposes? I will conceed its mahoosively overkill For loft boarding you obvvious have 450/600 cant remember the depths from last week's video If you imagine the loft insulation as lanes that. you put down when you unrolled it could you then add timber to between the 'lanes' to step it up so the boards arent screwing kind of what you've done for the shelving but with the loft insultation underneath
Ive been meaning to do this myself. After watching its not as daunting as i thought it would be. My last worry is adding too much weight to the trusses. Am I being daft worrying about that?
If you want to be cost conscious, you could have just put small steps (triangular blocks) on each rafter web leg instead of long studs. 18mm MDF Is strong enough & won't bend between the webs because they are not very far apart.
The gold standard would be 50 mm thick solid insulation (foil backed) with underfloor heating then plywood or moister resistant RMDF on top with flooring plank on top. Silver standard 50 mm insulation, RMDF and flooring plank. You also should invest in a laser level; they are coming down in price and once you have used one you will never go back to spirit levels.
Is this safe, read a few comments about over loading etc. video is 10 months now, how’s your roof ? I enjoyed the video & was going to tackle doing the same 🤔
Make a boarded walkway with legs or offcuts of wood. I wouldn't leave CDs & DVDs up their as summer heat may destroy them - people are buying them more now as streaming gets more expensive and all over the place.
Could you not construct a wooden gantry over your loft insulation fastening it to the loft supports? It would essentially be the same as the shelves that you have just fitted just closer to the floor. I have no idea if this is possible or even acceptable.
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Hi, I am a retired structural engineer and having watched this video have a few concerns that you might want to consider. 1. The internal members are called struts and ties, they are designed to resist axial loads from roof, ceilin, wind and snow. You have introduced a point load that introduces bending in the members that they will probably not been designed for. 2. These struts and ties have been connected to the top and botomm cords with a single rectangular spiked plate , these have a fixed capacity and sized to suit the loads calculated at the design stage and I am pretty sure this would not have included “Shelving & storage”. 3. Snow and wind loading are are considereed as short term “Variable’ loading, so if there is no snow on the roof or significant wind loading there will be some spare “capacity’ within the truss frame to accomodate the installed ‘shelving” and that is probably why everything currently appears OK 4. In terms of standers variable loft loading a standard design load of 0.25kN/m2 is used and is applied to the bottom chord, this is usually sufficient fo allow the home owner to board out the loft and use for box storage (Just to give you and idea of what 0.25 comparres to the standard 1st and ground floors design loading, a figure of 1.5kN/m2 is used for these area, for the loft area, we are talking of just under 17%) 6. Lastly, there is the issue of deflection, with increased long term loading the trusses will defelct more and that could lead to cracks appearing in the plasterboard ceiling
Could I ask that you advise your viewers to have their roof structures checked for their intended modification and signed off by a competent/qualified person before starting
Aye, I mean, lets be honest, it'll probably be absolutely fine and live on without issue, but I would personally never f with a roof unless I knew what I was doing, or had talked to someone who does...
Iv looked at the long range weather forecast, and there wont be snow or high winds for the next 50 years.
@@sorbetingleSorry but this is mis-information. You just need to look at the latest video to see the recent damage caused by high winds that brought a significant sized tree down. The property is not located in an urban environment where there would be lots of buildings/structures to reduce the impact of high winds, they are clearly located out in the open countyside; A line of trees on the boundary is a traditional winbreak used in this type of location , but if planted now, could take up to ten years to become effective
Do you have any advise on how to strengthen the trusses in order for this idea to be safe?
@@sorbetingle lol
With a can of different coloured spraypaint spray on the joists, where water crosses, and electricity with arrows indicating flow, so in a few years, you can send a contractor up there, and they will be able to read the loft without moving insulation, so connectors, taps, and important things are marked off. You could do a laminated map of the space as well, clipped to the side, and then you will get contractors in and out quicker. Also be aware that with some solar companies you are renting your loft space, and they dont like people up there in the way. Oh and nice to see this update,
Ooh, I really like that idea! I think we'll have to do that!
I used kitchen cabinet legs to support the deck I put into my daughter's loft. The 'legs' were easy to buy and cost effective back in 2010. The floor was stabilised by borrowing lateral support from the roof structure.
@richardjones5255 - sorry, what do you mean by the floor being stabilised " by borrowing lateral support from the roof structure." please? Also, any particular kind of cabinet legs? Thanks
These are putting a point loads where the roof structure is not designed to receive it.
I have a very similar roof structure and I raised the flooring for deeper insulation by screwing 4"x2" CLS timber edge-on to each horizontal joist, with the screws recessed about 2". Then just placed the boards on these. I subsequently found out about plastic loft floor risers, specifically designed for this purpose, but both approaches work.
Thank you for the tip on the shelving, I will be copying that 🙂
For the insulating floors, only bother where your feet get cold. I find a non contact thermometer useful to tell you where the floor is cold (but feet are very good at knowing :D). We've got a combination of uninsulated concrete, uninsulated suspended floors and insulated concrete. It depends on what the soil conditions are as to how much you'll gain with insulating, we're on very well drained sand so there's not a huge thermal loss through the floors, if your soil is much heavier and wet then you'll lose a lot more. You also lose the majority of your heat through the perimeter of a slab floor (whether insulated or not). Our suspended floor is by far the coldest because the uninsulated concrete floors are entirely internal and cold air can get to the whole of the underside of the suspended floor.
As for the methods of insulating, about the only ones I've really found without digging up the concrete is thick underlay and carpet, for effective insulation you require space or a lot of money!
Thats answered my question too 🤗
Ive recently bought a bungalow in Meir Heath Staffs. The floors are all concrete and we’re told its like Siberia in the Winter. The previous owner had very thick underlay and carpets which I pulled up but will renew with the same method
Hi. Treat yourself to a three-line laser level. Best tool I've bought for a couple of years! I'm surprised how much I use it. (OK, you've done the loft shelves now, but)... I would use it to throw a dead horizontal line across multiple uprights all at once, and bishbashbosh plopping your support rails into place on the line! My spirit levels still make the occasional appearance to check stuff, but not setting out.
I can agree.
I was so long unsure if I should by a 3 by 360 degrees laserliner.
There's only one thing about it: I should have bought it years before. Not first just a cross-line one, or then a Typ with one 360 degrees and another laser line with about 120 degrees...
Make your own stilts from CLS offcuts. Cut one the length of the height you want to raise by then cut another that's 75mm longer, then screw them together so they're flush at the top and a 75mm difference at the bottom. Place the bottom of the shorter piece on top of your joist then put a couple of screws through the longer one and into the side of the joist.
This is genius!!
Brilliant video, it's given me some ideas, as where I live there is alot in the attic, and I was going to use a loft ledge system pretty much similar to the Idea that you've gone for 👍👍👍
Great video VIKKIE ,just love watching you because I understand everything your putting across fantastic tutor xxxx❤
Excellent video! I undertook a similar project but opted for 9mm plywood to lessen the overall weight. Additionally, I added a 9mm plywood floor running along the length of the loft. I installed 2000x77x30mm beams between each pair of webbing, spaced 1740mm apart. Securing them with 6mm bolts and lock nuts was crucial to ensure the bolds didn't come lose, and carefully positioned the holes in both the beam and webbing was necessary to bear the weight without risking the wood splitting. The beams were positioned 430mm above the bottom cord to allow airflow above the loft insulation. For the flooring, I used 9mm plywood sheets, which were flexible but minimised weight. Each sheet was secured in place with a few screws at each end, allowing for easy removal to access the ceiling and cables beneath.
I did what you've done in the loft of my old house so it's good to see other people doing the same. I also boarded a part of the loft floor with 18mm T&G boards on little loft stilts that sit on top of the joists. As you said you want to try maintaining a little gap between the boards and the insulation.
Great minds think alike 😀 How did you make your stilts?
I bought them 😊most DIY places have them if you search 'loft stilts'@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK
Your loft is the same as mine. And l did that in a few areas for storage and l haven’t overloaded in one area. Either way if you put too many things on the shelf your putting weight of your roof rafters that could cause a problem. What l found is the bedroom ceiling plaster has now cracked due to the shelving in the loft. I only put Xmas tree and a few bits up there.
Me personally I would be looking to make my own loft legs, I think common sense would say to make an inverted U shape out of three pieces of timber that would straddle your joists allowing for fixing. A leg every 450mm across a joist should spread loads well and still allow good airflow underneath.
Thanks! I think I'll be inclined to do this!
An XL loft leg is just a £1 though. If the wood is free though that’s a consideration.
I put cable tray (cheap second hand ones) around my attic a similar fashion to your boards. I ran all my electrical cable on these so they were not hidden under insulation. I used the tray for storage like yourself afterwards.
I wouldn’t dismiss loft legs. I used them and have been happy with the results. I drilled access holes in the floor for cable routes down to light fittings or switches. I drilled 100mm holes and covered them with 100mm aluminum checker plate. Great work in the attic though!
Hans dropping his food bowl and the banner were comedy gold! Loved it.
One option for the floor is the underfloor heating insulation which comes in 6mm, 10mm, 12mm thickness. XPS or EPS foam normally. If you have not the hight then just a good thermal underlay is better than nothing.
Have a look at Marmox for the floor. Comes in many thicknesses
A really good video, Vikkie.
Firstly, I'm pleased to see you not using that MDF as boarding - I find the stuff too slippery to walk on, even when my feet are dry.
What you've done for shelving is superb. No need to board out in to the hard to reach eaves.
I've used those plastic riser feet (whatever they're called) and they're very strong. Perfect for a loft that's used for storage, which I imagine will suit your needs and they're easy to fit.
Oh and when you do come to board it, I personally prefer to use 2.4m x 600mm sheets... They'll have to be cut to length before they'll fit through the hatch but I find them easier to fit than those 1220mm x 330mm boards you can buy.
If your joists are at 600mm centres, you'll want 22mm board anyway.
@@OllyParryJones I used 2400mm x 600mm sheets on my last section to board out. As you said you need to cut them before putting them up the loft as they become quite difficult to move around in such small spaces. I probably would have cut them down more than I did to make it easier if I was doing it again. I can see the benefit of the smaller boards though with weight and maneuverability.
Great job there Vikkie so much better in your loft now with everything that you have done, and neater as well. Take Care.
Barry (the Wirral)
I am looking to make shelves like yours, the lip at the back is a cracking idea as I am a klutz !!! When we boarded our loft I used loft legs and sheets of osb 😊
You could put lengths of 3x2 in between the two storage bays giving an air gap of an inch for the floor insulation, with studs on the floor joists giving support. Then fill in with flooring (sorry don't measure in metric)
great job and practical ideas as ever 😍 I'd be concerned about the CDs and DVDs in the summer though!
We literally finished this job last weekend. Decided on loft legs to raise and allow for 170mm insulation on top of the 100 in-between the joists. Legs are very easy to fit and spaced them out at approx 30cm (half the recommended max distance) which matches the board widths.I didn't like the idea of adding more weight with wood and the overall load will be low as its for storage only, not living space. It's really transformed the area. Will be checking out your new hatch video as that's the next job!
I did exactly the same in my loft last year & used T&G Chipboard & OSB loft boards for the shelving between the trusses. Used a laser to set up & level all the supports - very handy for all sorts of jobs around the house. Next job is to raise up the T&G floor I put in 35 years ago to get more insulation under it. I went for a Loftzone Store Floor kit. LED battens for lighting as well as Loft Lids to cover the downlights in the loft before I cover them with more insulation. Thinking about putting in a larger loft hatch in as well so I can get a hot water tank in the loft at a later date.
I'd be wary of storing cd / dvd in the loft. Ideally they should be stored between 10 deg C and 20 Deg C. Think how hot it can get in the loft during summer. Easily over 40 Deg C.
Hi Vikkie, Great work a good use of loft space ,keep up the great work that your doing ,catch you on the next one👍👍
Thanks so much 😀
Hi, good storage solution, the same as I have installed in my loft. I would not store CD's and tapes in the loft as they will melt/warp in the summer. Regarding the flooring support just use lengths of CLS above the insulation as joists and board over them. Same as your shelving.
I did the same thing about 3 years ago in a UK 60s house much thicker timber in the attic but loads more weight no problems yet best thing I ever did millions off storage now and I can fined everything I nead too very quicky
Great way to make use of the space without covering or compressing the floor insulation.
We agree! 😀
Perfect timing. I was actually going to start doing something similar in mine today - there's still time to measure up at least.
Very interested to see what you do in the middle section, I'll wait for you to do it then copy it But will make a start on the sides.
I can use up some scraps I have too. I was thinking that if I batten both sides of the trusses, then I could even slot in separate pieces in each gap rather than one long board. This has the advantage of using up smaller bits of chipboard etc I'm thinking of old kitchen cupboards etc. I hoard too much of that stuff.
Yes, if I had old wardrobe doors etc or anything long and flat, I'd do the same as you 😊 Once I've found the best method for boarding the loft (I've watched SO many video on this 😅) I'll be ready 😊 It may be a few weeks or months though.
Hi Vikkie loving your vlogs each week keep up the good work also was nice listening to you on the radio with jim davis
Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed my radio appearance 😀 I should be back on there 25th Feb, about 11:40pm-ish 😀
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK ill be listening again give me a shout out if ya can vikkie 😀😀
I work of a company in the Highlands of Scotland that produces gabbles the strength comes from how the weight is load onto them and they are constructed in such a minimal way.
By introducing load on different point will unwanted stress and could cause collapse. They gain their strength dy triangulation and you are placing stress on them points.
Really great storage solution using that awkward space between the roof truss sections. Glad you are keeping the DVD's, I far prefer having my films etc on physical format, that can't disappear overnight at the whim of a scammy streaming service. Oh sorry to hear your Stihl bluetooth headphones died - I have a pair myself and love them. Send her a new pair Stihl!
Looking good up there.
I have exactly the same issue in my bungalow l bought. But l couldn’t find anyone to do the flooring insulation, l then found out it’s not just the case of laying insulation on top of the concrete floors, you have to dig down into the concrete to insulate. Also you can’t insulated on-top as the floor level will be raised and cause problems with external doors mostly. If your doing it from scratch full Reno then you might have a change of doing it. So it’s not simple to do and I’m not taking out my newly fitted kitchen to do it😊😊
Thanks! Raising the floor isn't putting me off at the mo as whatever I do, I'd plan to do all over if funds allow, to keep them level. I don't mind planing off internal doors, but don't think any external doors here would be problematic. That is, if I find insulation thin enough. Obviously don't want anything too thick
Hello Vicki our loft needed doing, abit of mess of course but need boards for our shelves in the loft makes it look nicer tidy
I went all-in on plastic XL loft legs and 600mm chipboard flooring panels. Easy(ISH) to fit and the storage space created was huge!
Hardest bit was tearing holes in the insulation to locate the legs and screw them to the joists.
Tips... Laser level and an impact driver with a long magnetic bit extension
I had a similar issue requiring boarding down the middle of the loft through the trusses. I simply fastened 3 X2 CLS across the ceiling and above the insulation to the angled spars extending the floor supports so that they attached to at least two of the angled spars on each side to spread the load.The frustrating part owing to the shallow pitch of the roof was being forced to use the small loft boarding panels which of course did not match the joist spacing so each had to be cut and losing nearly a quarter of the length on each
Great content as always Vikkie - follow with interest since discovering your channel..... Nice solution for the storage as ceiling joists aren't designed to be load bearing in the way that most people use them (ie boards directly on top and spanning the joists), Using loft raisers (loft legs etc) don't achieve anything different either!! Best solution is to use the tension bearers (as you have done here) and create a "raised floor" by tying into the angled beams with 2 x 6 or 2 x 8s and placing boarding on top of these
As for your flooring issue, maybe a suspended floor type solution with some form of insulation (PIR maybe??), low joists with ply/MDF over and then either traditional floorboards (supplied by Dad maybe??) which can be stained, oiled etc., or engineered boards over the top..... End of the day it's your call on the solution your choose... You've shown creativity and nous here anyway!! Typical Yorkshire lass!! By 'eck!! Tha'll do for me!!......Cheers...Chris
Use strips of wood under the MDF sheets, then secure them with brackets to your loft battons with brackets. This will spread the load and will not compress the insolation.
Another brilliant video Vicky you have my support we always say use it or hide it if you put them in kitchen cabinet so much wasted space for decorations such a nightmare 😊
Omg your Doggo is absolutely beautiful.
Nice Job VlKKIE ❤
You have to also ask yourself were the trusses designed with the idea of being a ceiling or a floor with regard to loading. People get carried away storing junk in attics that are really designed for additional loads. Obviously not talking about a couple of christmas trees but went to a house with obvious bowed ceilings to find an antique sewing machine collection being stored up there. Boxes of books etc soon add up !
Nice idea. I wish I had thought of this before I filled my attic with over 45-50 cm of blown in insulation. But it also gave me a great excuse to tell wifey we just can't keep collecting stuff.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Two things. 1) keep a pencil behind your ear or in your hair. 2) I make my own "loft legs" out of 2x4 by 250 mm long to keep above the insulation. I put a pocket hole on one side and as soon as the deck is up against an edge it becomes solid.
Impact driver in an enclosed space... you might want to use ear PPE, the noise eventually gave me tinnitus.
What is about the pencil when doing carpentry... I am working in two places and the things go missing so you go off and get another one... when clearing up you find five pencils within a few cm of each other.
We have a summer house that has an issue with the boards but down for the floor, rotting, so to make out the boards that need to be removed I tried carpenters crayon almost impossible to see, pencil wasn't obvious either so I got chalk. Cheap simple and works a treat, although my wife asks why I am scribbling on the floor.
you could try 20mm thick vacuum insulation panels, for your floor.
I have an impact driver but don’t routinely use for screw driving, always use the Combi DeWalt, not sure if that is what sheared the screw at the beginning
I didn't have any problems after that. I think I was trying to screw it in at too awkward an angle
Watching from USA Madison Wisconsin. So hello from the states!!
Hi 👋 thanks for watching & hope you're enjoying them 😊
I used a 100mm celotex board for our loft walkway and 11mm OSB board on top. There's a 100mm of loft roll insulation under the celotex of course (between the joists) and 100mm celotex equals to 250mm loft roll (if I remember correctly). So there's plenty of insulation. With this you don't have to worry about pin pointing your ceiling as cellotex+OSB is distributing the load equally across the joists.
Now you can buy a "ready to use" celo+osb board (glued together) but they come up almost twice as expensive.
I second this. 8x4 sheet cut into two x 2ft widths gives you a 16ft walkway. I think I'd run counter battens across the joists, 2x1 end on to give 2" air gap above your first 100mm. Then board with OSB deck, 100mm PIR and top with a deck to walk on. 1 sheet PIR, 2 sheets osb for 16ft of walkway. And for the top deck you could just lay down off cuts of board - OSB, ply, chipboard etc, securing them into the 2x1 at the edges.
could you make a walk way the same way you made the shelves?
we have the same problem with the floor in our sixties house. there's not an awful lot of information about how to overcome the cold concrete floor but i'm presently thinking a thin layer of insulation and carpet would be the best... also thought thin insulation, floating t&g chipboard and carpet but the heights with external doors could be an issue...i have loads to do here before i tackle the floor, the list is endless. 😂
To raise the floor make cross saddles from OSB to fit over the ceiling joists, buying ready made plastic joist legs are expensive..
Buy the screwfix or toolstation loft plastic raisers or something like that. I got the max height you can get and put boards on it and the house is warm and you still get somewhere to walk on 😊
About to get my own solar done in a couple of months. Interested to see how yours goes.
I just gave my entire DVD Collection , about 200, to the local Oxfam Shop. Lady was delighted and said people still buy them . Glad I got rid of them as I haven't watched a DVD in years and were just on the shelf gathering dust.
Do you not miss them? Or did you copy them first? We dug ours out over Christmas... namely our Cornetto trilogy as Netflix didn't have any available 😬
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK I set up a Plex media server with an 8TB external hardrive. Currently I have nearly 700 movies on there. The rare DVDs I ripped using MVKMaker so now have digital copies therefore no longer require the DVD.
Dvds are making a comeback . And some are getting good money. People want original versions .that streaming services don't show or delete
Great video. For the legs on your main loft floor you can use loftzone store floor legs and beams. They are very strong and will lift your boards up high enough to allow circulation etc
Pallets are a bit heavy to throw around for your loft flooring but failing that, I'd be inclined to layout some 2x6-12 bearers (whatever you can scrounge) and toss your fibre boards on top of that.
I cross battoned our loft , laid insulation between them and fixed 18x600x2400 tongue and groove chipboard flooring ontop. Much better finish than the loft flooring packs
👍👍👍.Thank you Vikkie
❤️
I would not screw the shelves down at all (houses very rarely get tipped upside-down!). Just add end stops and drop them in so you can lift and tilt them onto their edge if you need easy access underneath to pipes, wiring, eaves, etc. I would leave a small gap all round of a few mm so as not to distort the struts and it would allow for small individual strut movement which otherwise could cause ceiling cracks, etc.
Put cling film around your trees with the decorations on. Lift trees into loft. Reverse procedure in December. Nice trees with no 12 month accumulation of dust on them!
I use old duvet covers... seems to work well
Would love a video on how you fit boards up there! I have been assuming i need to buy those plastic stilt thingies?
As you found out, a plastic bag on the dust extractor won’t work. It needs a cloth bag so the air can escape through it.
Great storage solution Vikkie, instead of expensive perspex why not use builders clear membrane and staple it taut ?
Thank you. I am considering that also if I see it on my travels
Good video. only thought i have would be that the wood must be treated. I've heard of entire lofts ruined from using wood that was reclaimed. it was a fungal thing I think..long time ago when i was told this.. also, structural alteration to the roof-structure downwards extra pull. I suppose this could be a handy idea to factor in to a new build. maybe by using stronger timbers than usually required? nice idea good for storage if do-able
By what l remember l think the floor insulation had to be a specific thickness. I’m only here temporary in this bungalow as bought blind during lockdown as my house l was buying fell through, l had no choice but to buy this one. Hopefully will sell this year and move on. Good luck with your home, l was looking for something like that for years and couldn’t find anything. I was moving from home to home and doing a lot of Diy/lifting, l paid for it dearly as l twisted my pelvis and have been house bound for the past 8 years. So leave the heavy lifting to your hubby.
For having a floor to keep your insulation ok I agree I do not like those peg things. My solution is a 2foot wide walking space all down the loft raised by 2ft wide timber on the floor part of the loft. Just loosely screwed in place with off cuts of timber and the floor screwed to them. Try to use same width as the roof trusses at a height to just clear the insulation say 3 inch?
To raise the floor up I’ve seen these feet like things almost like a foundation you just put osb or ply on top and it’s acts as a floor I’ll find a link
If you're redoing the skirting/architrave, would a floating chipboard floor with pir underneath work? A friend used 25mm pir and it seems sturdy enough
I put my pencil in my ponytail, so I know where it is all the time loving your show
I've done this a few times... then forget where it went until I get in the bath 😅😅
I am a little worried about storing the CDs in the attic. I wonder if it will get too hot in the summer and melt or warp them. Also, if you have an old sheet etc, I would drape that over the Christmas trees to keep the dust away. Building the shelves is a really good idea and I will check my attic to see if something like that would work for me.
Thanks so much for the heads up!
We had our loft boarded to accommodate the 300mm insulation and they used metal upstands attached to the ceiling bearers and then interlocking chipboard panels. Excellent. The boarding is certified to be good for so much weight per square foot, way more than we need. I'm the heaviest thing on the boards when I stand up there!
Are the brackets attached v shaped?
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK yes, I think so from what I have seen in Wickes, but I didn’t see them doing the job.
How about netting for shelfs 👍👍
Very very good idea!
If you do not want to go the loft zone route because of cost, why not take a similar approach to the shelving arrangement using stouter timbers to clear the insulation and support the walkways?
Wire mesh or possibly plastic mesh might be an alternative solution to perspex? My dad used bubble wrap though I'm not sure about that myself.
Thanks! I'll keep a look out for those too on my travels!! 😀
well done
I was looking at a product called loft zone. It seems sturdier than loft legs and more breathable than wooden options. Would love to know what you think of them x
I thought they looked better than loft legs... I just don't like the price 😂
Have you considered the amount of dust that your Christmas decorations will collect during the year? Don't use biodegradable black bags as you will end up with a loft full of black fluff. At my last house, I used OSB with 100m PIR backing for the loft floor.
In the 1950’s house we’ve recently bought I have put 5mm foil backed foam down with 9mm plywood over that. Then whatever flooring on top. Much warmer underfoot than the solid concrete 😅
That's the kind of thing I had in mind. I do wonder if there's special underlay available these days with a foil back on it also?
I used Diall Aquastop underlay@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK
The only issue is if you don't have a membrane. The concrete will sweat .
@@fredjames9867 I sealed the concrete first. But wouldn’t the layers on top of the concrete prevent condensation? I thought it was only a problem for exposed concrete.
Have you considered the LoftZone system for flooring?
Once there's 300mm of insulation up there. How is it possible to move about to continue working. Don't the temporay crawling boards just flatten down the insulation ? Or does it spring back enough OK once the crawl boards are removed ?
Needle Files. Cost about €3:00.
She who must obeyed. Uses Jiff or some such cleaner. I use jif lemon 🍋 to clean the Hob. I have broken the middle jet. But am apprehensive about using an "Easy-out" 😢
I saw another structural engineer's (Thomas Emms) comment about not overloading the trusses and I though that he was going to mention another major fault with your trusses as they exist, but he didn't. And that is that there is no longitudinal bracing and I can't see any lateral bracing. Both these bits of bracing are essential for the long term stability of your roof. Do you have a copy of the Trussed Rafter Association giode on bracing trussed rafter roofs?
If those screws are from screwfix I had the exact same issue with heads snapping!
Toolstation on offer the other week 😅
DVDs and CDs...
I've bought several Storage cases(Mediarange BOX77) that holds 500 discs each, and are slowly sorting and placing the discs in the cases. I toss away the CD/DVD covers, but keep the inserts for the CDs, and the cover for the DVDs.
For most of the CDs the case wasn't anything to keep anyway as a lot of them were cracked, or the tabs holding the center of the CD had broken off.
DVD covers take up a LOT of space...
Two exceptions, though; the Doctor Who collection is unmolested, and also All Creatures Great and Small.
Space blanket for the floors? Or insulated lvt.
What are the benefits of having a property reassessed for EPC? I have done a lot of work to my place to improve it's efficiency but never even thought about getting it reassessed. I understand it has to be done for rentals but in a private home I don't know what would be gained. It's funny how the jobs we do in houses to areas that you rarely or never see usually make the biggest improvement to the quality of life.
We did ours to be able to apply for some government grants, like ground source heat pump etc
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK ah ok! Most of the grants I have looked at it was better to have an awful EPC rating 😂 I was hoping to get grants for double glazing and insulation but they weren't worth the hassle at the time. I love the idea of solar but it's way out of my budget, a heat pump wouldn't really work for me but if you can make it work that's great! Copious research is essential with heat pumps.
Very true about the research. We're still not convinced, so saving up for solar first 😆
What mini circular saw are you using? I bought one and it was so heavy l had to send it back. You said yours was lightweight.
It's a Worx compact saw. I keep forgetting to mention it in my descriptions, but this is it (an affiliate link) amzn.to/2zWFwUW
I love how light it is, but obviously it's cutting depth isn't as big as a bigger circular saw!
A question about the attic flooring. Why not cover the whole attic with wooden sheets so you can easily walk around and also have it as storage space?
You can use a cheap laser called a string to mark the rafters😊
We have FloorQuilt as the final layer with boards on top and have just fitted underfloor heating
Multifoil works best with a double air gap but we have just one on the floor due to not wanting to raise the level if your gong with a batten then boards it compresses 6mm for FloorQuilt and 12mm for superquilt both by YBS and both cheap at £100 for 10m sq
I don't think the insulation rating takes into account of the air gap, the development of these types of multifoil material is off the back of space suit design.
For your saw dust collection could you do something like New North Yorkshire Workshop (I think thats the channel) collect it to mold it into pellets for Heating purposes? I will conceed its mahoosively overkill
For loft boarding you obvvious have 450/600 cant remember the depths from last week's video
If you imagine the loft insulation as lanes that. you put down when you unrolled it could you then add timber to between the 'lanes' to step it up so the boards arent screwing kind of what you've done for the shelving but with the loft insultation underneath
Ive been meaning to do this myself. After watching its not as daunting as i thought it would be. My last worry is adding too much weight to the trusses. Am I being daft worrying about that?
If you want to be cost conscious, you could have just put small steps (triangular blocks) on each rafter web leg instead of long studs. 18mm MDF Is strong enough & won't bend between the webs because they are not very far apart.
The gold standard would be 50 mm thick solid insulation (foil backed) with underfloor heating then plywood or moister resistant RMDF on top with flooring plank on top. Silver standard 50 mm insulation, RMDF and flooring plank. You also should invest in a laser level; they are coming down in price and once you have used one you will never go back to spirit levels.
Is this safe, read a few comments about over loading etc. video is 10 months now, how’s your roof ? I enjoyed the video & was going to tackle doing the same 🤔
Make a boarded walkway with legs or offcuts of wood. I wouldn't leave CDs & DVDs up their as summer heat may destroy them - people are buying them more now as streaming gets more expensive and all over the place.
Could you not construct a wooden gantry over your loft insulation fastening it to the loft supports? It would essentially be the same as the shelves that you have just fitted just closer to the floor. I have no idea if this is possible or even acceptable.