Loft Flooring

digital_biscuit

Hi All

I have two questions regarding the flooring in the eaves of my house. To install some insulation (as there was previously none) I had to lift up some tongue and groove flooring. In the process some of the tongues were broken. Can this flooring still be used?

Also, what are peoples consensus' regarding using old/unused wardrobe panels (chipwood) as flooring? If ok to use, are there any things I should bear in mind when securing them to the joists?

Many thanks
Digi

macman

If the loft is only being used for storage, it doesn't matter too much what you use, as long as it will take the weight of the items being stored.

gregorypeck

My loft is only used for storage so I use doors, floorboards and bits of an old wardrobe. make sure you place them where you know the joists are.

digital_biscuit

Excellent, thanks for the responses, would you nail the wardrobe bits down?

ariba10

digital_biscuit wrote: »

Excellent, thanks for the responses, would you nail the wardrobe bits down?

I would Screw the boards down.

Just enough screws to stop them moving about.

(Nailing might have some effect on the ceiling below)

Leif

ariba10 wrote: »

(Nailing might have some effect on the ceiling below)

Yes, nailing could crack the ceiling.

sillygoose

digital_biscuit wrote: »

Hi All

I have two questions regarding the flooring in the eaves of my house. To install some insulation (as there was previously none) I had to lift up some tongue and groove flooring. In the process some of the tongues were broken. Can this flooring still be used?

Also, what are peoples consensus' regarding using old/unused wardrobe panels (chipwood) as flooring? If ok to use, are there any things I should bear in mind when securing them to the joists?

Many thanks
Digi

Furniture chipboard is often only 15mm, flooring Chipboard is minimum 18mm so your doors are not rated to walk on safely. You can use them perhaps at the sides for storing lighter stuff and boxes but not for walking on.

Be careful when screwing the boards down for pipes and cables below - good idea to look carefully and mark no-go areas on the boards as you place them down with marker pen, hatch out areas with obstructions below.

27col

Agree with #7. I don't think that I would use boards of less than 18mm.

digital_biscuit

Sillygoose, could you double them up?

sillygoose

digital_biscuit wrote: »

Sillygoose, could you double them up?

To be honest, I don't know. Could still be problematic if there was an accident with insurance perhaps.

I use thinner boards out under the eves where its too low to stand on but ok to store stuff. 18mm every where else, even that can be a bit bendy at my weight!

18mm is only suitable if your joists are 450mm apart, if they are at the 600mm spacing (or more than 450) you must use 22mm chipboard!