How To Fit Loft Floor Panels

Loft boards and loft panels are a great basis for a loft conversion whether it ll be inhabited and used a bedroom for example or whether it ll be uninhabited and used for storage.

How to fit loft floor panels.

This customer wanted the very best insulation above his cold bathroom. Furthermore squashing insulation down to fit joist height is a bad idea as this halves it s effectiveness doubling your heat loss. Pir foam board kingspan insulation has been installed around the loft entrance. This makes for a tighter fit across the floor.

A floor in a loft conversion must be designed to carry a minimum of 150kg per square m. Below is an image of a loft entrance. 320mm wide non moisture proof loft flooring panels allow easy insertion through a loft hatch. This is 5 times more than a loft used for storage on loft boards or loft panels.

You can still board directly on to the joists if you want but it is worth noting that this would not. Step by step putting down boards to convert your loft into a usable storage space is a simple task which does not normally require any planning permission and should be affordable and manageable even for a diy beginner. Loft flooring panels like these have tongue and groove fittings a notch or groove along one length and one width then a tongue to fit into the groove along the other edges this gives a more secure joint than a straight edge would do. Continue to lay chipboard flooring across the joists for the rest of the floor ensuring the joints along the 600mm edges are staggered always avoid joining on the same joist wherever possible.

Creating greater load bearing capacity in the loft. By installing a simple inexpensive loft board floor you no longer need to worry about stepping on battens or falling through the ceiling of the room below. Unlike plywood the edges of chipboard panels are meant to lock together in a tongue and groove style. As above where for loft flooring or loft storage the ceiling or loft floor is designed to carry only 25kg per square metre.

This ensures easy loft access. The best solution is to build a raised loft floor above the insulation details of which are shown below. Floor level is lower at the loft entrance compared to the storage area. A loft can be a cramped and dusty environment to work in therefore gloves and a face mask are also advisable.