Re-Inforcing loft floor to use as play room

[eglwysman]

Hi All,

Right after much deciding we are finally going to try and turn our loft into a storage / playroom. The loft size is 7m by 7m we have good head height, As we are not doing this to regs by friend who converts lofts for a living is going to be using 4x2 timbers, They 4.8 in length each and we have 18 of them altogether, We are using 22mm floor boards. We are havign a staircase put in that will have a fire door at the bottom before you enter. The walls we are putting insulation inbtween the rafters like rockwool type as it is cheap at the moment at £3 a roll so we got 20 of them from homebase, My friend then said we would have to put a clear ploy sheet over them to stop sweating before we put the plasterboard on.

I have been reassured by him that the floor will be nice and secure and able to take the weight of kids playing up their on Xbox etc. As I am a worry freak I want to get the opinions of others also that maybe in the trade. The two main large joists run 9ft apart.

I have included some pictures of the loft from photobucket so just hope they come through as not sure how to add them on here



[IMG]http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/eglwysman/17012011128.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/eglwysman/17012011127.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/eglwysman/17012011126.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/eglwysman/17012011125.jpg[/IMG][/img]

[stoneyboy]

eglwysman,
The BRs are a good indication of the timber sizes you should be using, for a lightly loaded floor your 4x2 joists set at 400 centres would be able to span about 2m.
If you have a 2 storey house the regs require that there is a fire protected route to an exit door on the ground floor.
If you don't comply there may be problems when you come to sell.
end

[andy01]

i belive you can also have an escape out the window in some circumstances.


if your a 'worry freak' and this room is for your kids, why not do it to regs

your timber needs to span onto load bearing walls, and yours are too shallow, should be more like 220mmx 75mm off the top of my head

not all insulation is equal in terms of thermal properties. you may need two layers to comply to regs, depends on u-value

where in the build up of the wall is the poly sheet. people, cooking, drying laundry etc increase water in the warm air. if the sheet is on the inside of the insulation teh condensation will form on the platserboard. if its in the other side of the insulation it will form in the insulation (interstitial condensation)

answer - ensure proper ventilation and heating

make sure when you put the insulation in you leave 50mm gap between the insulation and tile/sarking. also require vents at eaves and ridge to ensure enough ventialtion to stop roof getting damp and rotting