Are you considering boarding a loft? Wondering if you can do it yourself or you need professional help? Learn five essential bits of information today.
If you're considering boarding your loft, you might think it's an easy task. Whilst it is something you can do for yourself, proper research and preparation should be carried out beforehand.
Here are 5 essential bits of information to know before boarding a loft.
Boarding a Loft
Many people think boarding a loft is a waste of time. In fact, boarding your loft provides safe and easy access to a whole new level of your house. It provides a huge amount of storage and can add value to your home.
A boarded loft also means any roof problems can be identified and located easily from the inside as well as allowing safe access to equipment in the loft such as a water tank or photo voltaic inverters.
Check you don't have any existing damp or condensation problems within your loft before you begin. You don't want to trap moisture or cover over a problem which will only get worse.
Fixings
Always use screws. This avoids the vibration from hammering nails and will be more secure over time.
The best way to board a loft is to lay boards at 90 degrees to joists. The ends of boards should always begin and end on a joist to ensure proper support. A join over a void or insulation may break, and you could have a big hole or injury to deal with.
Insulation
Insulation is an important part of any building. Because heat rises, the loft is the most important place to consider insulation. If you don't already have insulation, make sure to install some to the recommended depths before you begin.
Insulation should not be condensed or squashed when laying your loft boards down. You will need to raise the level of the floor above the insulation in order to give the insulation underneath adequate room.
We supply Loft Legs and Loft Ledges to help you avoid squashing insulation when boarding a loft.
Also, make sure you don't board a loft right to the very edges of the walls. Air should be able to circulate around and underneath the boards.
Cost
When deciding to undertake a project, the first thing on anybody's mind is cost. For a DIY solution, loft boards start at £7 per square metre and up to £10 per square metre for Loft Legs.
With outside help, the cost of boarding a loft can range from £1500 to over £3000. If you need insulation too, expect to add another £300 - £500. This depends on the type of insulation and the size of the property.
Planning Permission
Good news! If you're using your loft for storage, you don't need planning permission or building regulations. You can use a ladder to access the space which can fold up into the attic itself and be unintrusive when not in use.
If you're considering boarding your attic as an extra living space, you usually need Building Regulations to ensure the conversion is safe. For example, a proper staircase and fire doors will need to be installed.
Get Boarded!
Now you know how to board a loft, what are you waiting for? Contact us today to find out how our range of products could help when boarding a loft.
Don't forget to check out the rest of our blog for more great articles and advice too.