Convert loft for storage space

bretts

Hi

I just want to know I plan to use loft in a better way as the loft space is huge.

I had a british gas engineer come out and said we have about 100mm insulation which needs to be topped up. I am planning to top it up to 270mm and then put loft legs and some sort of wooden board on the top so I can store some stuff upstairs.

My question is

1) Would I need any building regs or PP for this
2) If not what type of wood should I put on top so I can stand and put things, so it needs to be strong. I dont think I can put floorboards anyways if i am not wrong.

I do not want to spend a lot of money on this as I plan to do a proper loft conversion later on.

Can some one please advise.

Thanks in advance.

PasturesNew

My question would be whether going into the loft for storage is sensible. I've never fancied putting stuff in a loft (nor getting it out), it all seems so precarious .... a good quality, insulated shed, with a sturdy lock, in the garden (if you have one) would make stuff more accessible and probably be cheaper/safer.

bretts

Hi

Thanks for your reply

I do have a shed but it is in a really bad state as well, so storing in that is not an option either, its full of spiders, I had a thread about that too earlier as to how to get rid of them, I will have to get that built properly later on.

This weekend I did go inside and cleaned as many webs as I could and also kill some spiders but I am sure when I go back in it this weekend it will be back to the way it was.

Procrastinator333

If you are doing a loft conversion in the future, I would just buy a couple of packs of loftboards and chuck them on top of the insulation. You obviously will only cover off the area near to the hatch and it won't give you a lot of storage. But it will be cheap, not take long, give you a bit of extra storage and can then be disposed of without feeling it is a waste later on.

No you don't need building regs or PP for doing it.

This is the sort of thing that normally goes in a loft:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/T+G-Chipboard-Flooring-18x600x2400mm/p/164516

If you do want to do it properly, it will cost you more - which seems a waste if you are going to throw it away.

I personally don't trust loft legs - too worried they will move a bit and then come down through the ceiling. Probably overkill, but to do ours, I got a load of 2X4 and put it in out loft in the opposite direction to the existing joists. I then put insulation between the 2X4 and then put those tongue and grove boards on top. It took a bit of time, but it created a very stable surface up there, allowed for the insulation and worked well for me. I did an area of about 25sq metres and I think it cost a little over £200 for all the wood, boards and screws.

Norman_Castle

I've boarded areas to walk on and store lighter stuff on hardboard resting on the insulation.

ic

if you're going to squash the insulation, then there's no point having it. I installed knauf insulation boards under chipboard to form a large storage area I can safely walk around in.

http://www.space-insulation.com/products/space-board-eco/

Gloomendoom

If you are going to rip it all out anyway, there is little point in spending loads upgrading the insulation. You are unlikely to recoup the cost. Leaving 100 mm thickness between the joists will also make it easier to lay the boards. Having said that, relying on the just original ceiling joists for support will make it suitable for light storage only.

bretts

Hi

Thanks a lot everyone for your replies, I just want to store really light stuff but takes a lot of space otherwise in the house, like empty storage boxes when we moved in, I could keep it like that anyways without any chipboard or anything but I just do not want to put them right on top of the existing insulation.

Ectophile

I used the Wickes chipboard for my loft, and it does the job. It's sturdy enough to walk around on if you install it in accordance with the instructions.

scottishblondie

My Dad outfitted my loft using the loft legs (from Screwfix) and 18mm thick tongue and groove chipboard flooring (from the local timber merchant). It's perfect for storing all my lightweight but bulky stuff, and is plenty strong enough to walk on.

However, if you are planning on converting the loft in the near-ish future I wouldn't bother. I'd just lay some chipboard near the loft hatch for storage, and get the insulation topped up everywhere else.