On 3 Feb 2006 08:35:46 -0800, "Weatherlawyer"
wrote:


Mark wrote:
On Fri, 03 Feb 2006 13:50:12 +0000, Chris Bacon
wrote:

Mark wrote:
I want to board my loft space but there are some small timbers that
I'm not sure what they are for.

Pic pic pic picture!

I'll try to locate a camera and some webspace to place pics on.

That could e a very good investment.

I've got one -- it's just a matter of finding it ;-)

I'm guessing these timbers were used during the construction of the
roof and never removed.

They sound more like a tank support that was left in after a refurb but
you could be right. Either way it sounds safe to remove them.

However there are four of them located at four corners (nowhere near
each other), one was used as a tank support.

The rafters will be be 3x2's at 2 foot centres (inside face to inside
face.) Which means that you will need to put extra 2x2s in at 4 or 8
foot intervals. But it depends on what you can drag thrugh the hatch. I
would suggest relocating the hatch and making it larger. Twin 18" doors
perhaps. as you are going to need to reinforce the floor and roof
joists.

The ceiling joists might well be 3x4s or 4x2s. Floor joists spanning 2
rooms will need to be 7x2s. It all depends on what span they are going
to be.

Check out a link for joists in the faqs.

Once you have a walk of planks up there, use a roller to give a quick
couple of coats of the cheapest emulsion to the roofing felt. Then
install a couple of 300W halogens. Or smaller wattage if you can get
them.

You next want to rewire and/if plumbing, the other necessaries.

If it is to take a fair weight, the ceiling joists need reinforcing.
And that means more than the boards as they will be adding to the grief
the joist will be getting.

Why? I am only using the loft for storage, not as a living space.

Mark