On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 00:35:51 -0000, "Owain"
wrote:

"Mike Mitchell" wrote
| My ex-council house semi is basic in design, but built like the
| proverbial brick "outhouse". Since all the internal walls, ground
| floor and first floor, are of solid masonry, the joists in the
| loft seem really strong with no discernible spring when one steps
| along one. The joists are now partially boarded over, but I was
| wondering what a brand new house is like in the loft. In a modern
| house, the walls are usually stud type, i.e. not load-bearing.
| So how strong are the ceiling joists in the loft in a modern
| house? How to they stay up without load-bearing walls to support
| them?

The ceiling joists in a modern house have very little weight to carry (only
a plasterboard ceiling and some insulation). Their main purpose is to stop
the ends of the roof (and walls) spreading outwards, so they are held in
tension which helps stop sagging, and they will often be diagonally braced
to the rafters, both supporting and being supported.

Can one walk on them though?

MM