How to Board a Loft | ADVICE | Homebuilding

[Music] if like a huge number of homeowners in the UK you're using or plan to use your loft to storage then you'll need to ensure your loft is correctly bordered to ensure to safe being accessible and thermally efficient the benefits of boarding your loft are it unlocks a large potential storage area in a home it creates a safe useable platform for storage it allows the correct level of insulation as per the government guidelines to be installed and ensures that it is not compromised before you can start boarding your loft you'll need to empty the space of any items you might have stored and ensure that your loft is correctly insulated if you're using mineral wool or quilt insulation the most common and most cost-effective method this will need to be at least 270 millimeters thick throughout to achieve the government recommended you value although some new built homes may have even more insulation already installed if your insulation is already at the correct levels then you need to be careful in the loft as you won't be able to see the joists or trusses to walk on squashing insulation down to joist level will reduce its thermal performance by over 50% so you'll need to clear away excess insulation to access the joists before starting the project ensure that access to the loft is safe and the ladder is secured ensure that the loft is well-lit so that it's safe to move around and the necessary work can be carried out and ensure the loft is correctly ventilated before any work is carried out the first thing you'll need to do is measure the distance between the Centers of the joists this will help when calculating the number of lot lengths required then you'll need to work out what size boards you're going to use the most common thickness used for a loft floor is 18 millimeters the main sizes available are 2400 millimeters by 600 millimeters and 1,200 millimeters by 320 millimeters the larger sheets are more cost-effective and are quicker and easier to fit however due to their size transport and accessibility issues can mean that they're not suitable for all lofts the smaller loft panels have been designed to be easily transported and lifted into lofts and are ideal for loft with restricted access smaller loft hatches or a restricted head height once you know the chipboard sheet size that you're using you can measure the loft area and work out how many sheets you will need to cover that area for new homes and homes with trusts roof constructions this is generally the area down the center of the trusses where there is plenty of head height if there are down lights in the ceiling these should be covered by a Down light cover or protector to ensure the insulation is not in contact with the light fitting if in doubt read the literature that came with the light fitting a sealed down light cover such as a loft lid can help maintain the air tightness of the ceiling as well as prevent dust and insect issues don't stand between the joists use loft boards as a platform don't install boards if there is any sign of damp in the loft don't interfere with ventilation you'll need loft legs 175 millimeter or loft leg XL and 300 millimeters loft boards a cordless impact driver or screwdriver with a magnetic bit PPE including gloves eye protection a dust mask overalls and knee pads screws we're using four millimeters by 30 millimeter multi-purpose screws a tape measure a handsaw a pencil a trimming knife and insulation rolls if it's not currently at the correct depth loft boards are installed perpendicular to the joists choose the loft leg that will give you enough height over your finished insulation to calculate the number of lock legs required simply add the number of joists the boards will cover then multiply it by the number of legs required along the joists to support the boards this will give you the total number of loft legs required loft legs are supplied in boxes of 12 so divide this number by 12 to get the number of boxes required if in doubt there is a handy calculator on the loft leg website start at a convenient place such as the loft hatch and work out from there screw the first loft leg into position by driving the four screws through the base and into the joist using a straight edge mark the positions of the loft legs to be installed across other joists and then install the loft legs in the same way loft legs recommend making a guide that is the width of a loft board - the width of the loft leg base here it's 320 millimeters - 90 millimeters this will give you an accurate guide to correctly space your loft legs along the joist [Music] repeat this process across the joists until all the legs are in place in a grid formation then roll the insulation into position where the insulation meets a loft leg carefully make an incision with a trimming knife using the loft leg top platform as a cutting surface carefully push the insulation over the loft legs ensuring it's not compressed and there is a tight fit around the leg once the installation is in place the chipboard loft boards can be installed place the first sheet on top of the loft legs and drive a screw through the chipboard landing it anywhere on the top platform of the loft leg continue driving the screw through the chipboard until everything locks together securely your loft boards may have a tongue and groove fitting make sure this is nice and tight repeat this process to secure the chipboard to all the legs it sits on lay the next board down and screw to secure continue until the platform is complete in some lofts the boards may need to be cut to shape to accommodate timber structural elements that may be present in the loft or simply to fit the space do not move or alter any structural elements you should be able to stand or walk on the finished floor once complete if you have a trust roof construction you can maximize the space at the size of the loft with a loft ledge system the loft ledge system creates a series of shelves between the trusses allowing stored items to be located at the sides of the loft to maintain a clear access way from front to back if your lot does not already have mains lighting a powerful battery powered LED light such as the loft leg loft light is ideal for installing permanently above the loft hatch once the storage area has been completed then all you need to do is organize and store your items plastic boxes with lids are great as they keep the contents clean and can be labeled stacked and moved around easily if you need any more advice or inspiration before you board your loft visit loft leg comm or head to home building co uk for articles and advice on storage loft boarding or anything else for your next home renovation you

Channel: Homebuilding & Renovating

Views: 300,443

Rating: 4.6833978 out of 5

Keywords: homebuilding, renovating, home, house, building, construction, housing, homes, bricks, ideas, inspiration, expert, advice, how to, construct, living, dwelling, dwell, family, brick, mortar, roof, walls, floor, LOFT, ATTIC, BOARD, BOARDING, SPACE, STORAGE, AREA, LOFT LEGS, LOFTLEG, LOFTBOARD, OVER, INSTALL, INSTALLATION, GUIDE, HOW TO, HOW, TO, ADVICE, EXPERT

Id: aqRAh9eY7tc

Length: 8min 3sec (483 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 19 2020