replace attic insulation

clovers

hi, the house I live in was built about 30 years ago. the attic was used as a storage space for years but papers, books, boxes etc was scattered around and the insulation (yellow stuff) has become dislodged and kind of thrown everywhere, instead of being neatly laid along between the boards.

I'm wondering about getting some wooden sheets (plywood maybe?) and placing them down on the boards to make a kind of wooden fllor up there... prob not explaining this very well but I want to create an attic space where I can have stuff more organised.

has anyone on here done something similar before? Any recommendations on how to put wooden floors down up there? Is it worth getting the insulation re-done and how much does that stuff cost?

Victor

Moved from Interior Design & Decoration.

These people can help you better.

311

This was posted a while back http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54886772

I'm up in attics everyday and thats the best attempt at flooring I've seen.
If you haven't much height though ,laying timber on the ceiling joists is good enough.

Reyman

An impressive job I must say! I hazard that it wasn't as easy as it looks.

Attics are challenging places

GreeBo

Do you think just using those angle brackets is enough to support the cross joists?
It looks like the easiest way but Id just worry that they might twist under load...

whosedaddy?

I was wondering about the angle brackets too. Considering similar fixing solution.

Reyman

Maybe use 4" brackets? and notch the cross joints and put in a couple of 2"x1" cross battens flush with the surface for lateral support.

More work I know but a better job

311

Personally I'd just put down some 2 x 1 and lay it on its side .
Once the timber keeps the flooring over the pipes and cables ,everything will be fine.

I think compressing insulation a little ,would only make it better.

GreeBo

311 wrote: »

Personally I'd just put down some 2 x 1 and lay it on its side .
Once the timber keeps the flooring over the pipes and cables ,everything will be fine.

I think compressing insulation a little ,would only make it better.

I dont follow your suggestion regarding 2x1, that wouldnt give u much room for more insulation and also how would you fix it?

Compressing insulation like this removes air from it, its the trapped air that is doing the insulating!

Reyman

311 wrote: »

Personally I'd just put down some 2 x 1 and lay it on its side .
Once the timber keeps the flooring over the pipes and cables ,everything will be fine.

Lest there be any misunderstanding - I'm suggesting screwing in 2"x1" stabilising battens in slots at the top of the new cross joists perpendicular to the existing joists.
i.e. the new flush surface would be about 8-10" above the ceiling allowing plenty of space for insulation.

Under no circumstances should the existing joists be notched.

Aeneas

GreeBo wrote: »

Do you think just using those angle brackets is enough to support the cross joists?
It looks like the easiest way but Id just worry that they might twist under load...

I had a similar fear when doing my attic a few weeks ago. I used a kind of metal shoe, which I got from a builders supplier, called "speedy hangers" which I screwed to the gable walls and into which I slotted the new cross joists. These hold the cross joists upright and transfer some of the load onto the concrete walls. For added stability I screwed the cross joists to the older joists below driving the screw in at an angle.

Keano

I have just moved into a house and half the attic is done so I am eager to get the rest finished! Good to see a few have a tried and made a good job of it

311

Aeneas wrote: »

I had a similar fear when doing my attic a few weeks ago. I used a kind of metal shoe, which I got from a builders supplier, called "speedy hangers" which I screwed to the gable walls and into which I slotted the new cross joists. These hold the cross joists upright and transfer some of the load onto the concrete walls. For added stability I screwed the cross joists to the older joists below driving the screw in at an angle.

That is the best way to do it aneas. I've never seen people raising their floors before ,up in the attic. The less weight on the ceiling the better ,cracks might start appearing otherwise:(

A word of caution to anybody in an old house ,some older houses have joists that are not supported by the exterior walls of the house.
You can tell by the slope of the ceiling ,in the bedrooms upstairs towards the exterior walls.

It wouldn't be advisable to put excess weight on these ceilings ,the joists are only hanging from the apex.

Aeneas

clovers wrote: »

hi, the house I live in was built about 30 years ago. the attic was used as a storage space for years but papers, books, boxes etc was scattered around and the insulation (yellow stuff) has become dislodged and kind of thrown everywhere, instead of being neatly laid along between the boards.

I'm wondering about getting some wooden sheets (plywood maybe?) and placing them down on the boards to make a kind of wooden fllor up there... prob not explaining this very well but I want to create an attic space where I can have stuff more organised.

has anyone on here done something similar before? Any recommendations on how to put wooden floors down up there? Is it worth getting the insulation re-done and how much does that stuff cost?

The posts have probably got a little away from Clovers original questions. First if your insulation is old and dislodged it is worth sorting it out. You can lay new fibreglass insulation (yellow or pink stuff) over the existing insulation between your existing joists. The fibre glass is available in rolls from DIY shops and builders suppliers and you just roll it out. Not very expensive. Wear long sleeved clothes, gloves and mask when laying it.
Second, if you are not raising the level of your joists (which is what most of the posts above are about) it is a relatively simple matter to lay flooring chipboard across your existing joists. You can get large sheets, 8ft by 2ft, from builders suppliers but these can be unwieldy and may need a lot of cutting. DIY stores sell smaller tongued and grooved boards which are easy to lift and get through attic hatches. Screw them to the joists underneath. Do not nail the boards as this can crack the ceiling below. Be particularly careful about electric cables. Keep them above the insulation where possible. In my own case I brought them up above the boards whereever I could.

GreeBo

Aeneas wrote: »

I had a similar fear when doing my attic a few weeks ago. I used a kind of metal shoe, which I got from a builders supplier, called "speedy hangers" which I screwed to the gable walls and into which I slotted the new cross joists. These hold the cross joists upright and transfer some of the load onto the concrete walls. For added stability I screwed the cross joists to the older joists below driving the screw in at an angle.

But doesnt that mean that your new rafters would need to span from gable to gable otherwise they are still sitting on the rafters beneath?
Or did you join shorter rafters somehow?

Aeneas

GreeBo wrote: »

But doesnt that mean that your new rafters would need to span from gable to gable otherwise they are still sitting on the rafters beneath?
Or did you join shorter rafters somehow?

The attic I was doing was above an extension to the house and I was able to get joists long enough to span the gables. But, actually, because of the configuration of the roof supports I had to cut the joists in two to get them into one side of the attic. I made sure there was sufficient overlap between the two cut pieces and bolted them together with 2 x 6in bolts. The result seemed strong enough with no give or play at the join. But of course the joist does not run dead straight; its line shifts at the join by the thickness of the timber. Something like this might work with the problem you raise above. Even with the speedy hangers there will be some load on the joists underneath. My object was 1) not to do away with the load entirely but to reduce it, and 2) to keep the joists upright.