building a raised floor with timber

by **desperado** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:48 pm

We are converting part of our garage into a playroom. The floor in the garage is lower than the adjacent room that leads into it so we are thinking of raising the floor with timber rather than concrete just in case we need to put it back to a garage at a later date. How do we buld a wall plate??? to hang the timber joists on? Is it possible?
Thanks

by **rosebery** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:38 am

An appropriately sized piece of timber fixed properly to the wall make you a wallplate onto which you can place your joist hangars.

Bearing in mind that you'll be need 4" x 2" joists as a minimum what is the floor height difference between the garage and the other room?

If it's less than about 6" then all a suspended floor will do is create another height difference (by the time it's boarded) but the other way round.

Cheers

by **desperado** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:51 pm

The floor in the garage is 4 bricks below the damp proof course. We want to raise it up level with the adjacent room so there is no need to step down when entering.

I was curious to know roughly what size wood is appropriate for a wall plate?

Thanks

by **rosebery** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:43 am

"The floor in the garage is 4 bricks below the damp proof course."

OK then sounds like theres planty of room. Just make sure your new floor is above the DPC then.

"I was curious to know roughly what size wood is appropriate for a wall plate?"

It has to support the joist hangars and thus the joists and the floor. So the answer is whatever size is appropriate for the load you intend putting on it. Depending on the span a dwarf wall might be needed as well. I'm not being evasive but this is a design decision.

Cheers

by **desperado** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:19 pm

[quote="rosebery"]"The floor in the garage is 4 bricks below the damp proof course."

OK then sounds like theres planty of room. Just make sure your new floor is above the DPC then.

"I was curious to know roughly what size wood is appropriate for a wall plate?"

It has to support the joist hangars and thus the joists and the floor. So the answer is whatever size is appropriate for the load you intend putting on it. Depending on the span a dwarf wall might be needed as well. I'm not being evasive but this is a design decision.

Cheers[/quote]

Thankyou :)