Loft Boarding

Laying loft boarding is the easiest and cheapest way for any of us to make use of that wasted space in the roof.  Putting down loft boarding is something that most of us should be able to do and it is quite simple and straight forward to create a simple storage room in the loft.
 
The boards themselves are very cheap to buy and the big DIY stores now sell a type of loft boarding that is chipboard bonded to insulation material.  This makes it even easier to create a simple storage room without any hassle.
 
These boards are usually sized around 1200 x 400 and start at around £7 – £8 each.  It is possibly to board out a fairly large area both quickly and cheaply.
 
For a light storage solution the loft boarding is laid across the existing joists and simply clamped together using their easy snap together mechanisms the boards are secured to the joists with a couple of 150mm screws at each end.
 
If using traditional chipboard then it is likely the existing joists will need to be raised and levelled.  Timber battens, usually of 2x1, can be used for this.
 
An important point to remember is that whichever loft boarding is used the boards must be screwed into the joists.  Don’t hammer them with nails as you not only will you cause the plaster to fall from the ceiling below but you will have great difficulty in getting the boards back up again to get at the wiring running along the joists.
 
This kind of very simple loft boarding exercise doesn’t require planning permission nor usually building regulations approval.  Though, if you are adding anything more than just boards and a new light, it is always worth seeking the advice of the local councils building control officer.