1930s Semi Refurb - Part 4 of ... (Edition: Loft Insulation)

[Mason-]

Ah that's good to know! I've already hacked 2 of the 400mm lengths down to size which wasn't fun with a stanley knife. I'll saw it down in the bag going forward. I've also got the added fun of having to remove the old blown insulation first by hand. Potentially odd question but did you find any random bits of slate on your lath & plaster ceiling? I'm wondering whether it was used an an old school form of insulation or sound proofing.

I used a bread knife for cutting it. Found it easier to handle.

 

[dlockers]

Ah that's good to know! I've already hacked 2 of the 400mm lengths down to size which wasn't fun with a stanley knife. I'll saw it down in the bag going forward. I've also got the added fun of having to remove the old blown insulation first by hand. Potentially odd question but did you find any random bits of slate on your lath & plaster ceiling? I'm wondering whether it was used an an old school form of insulation or sound proofing.

Mate I found all sorts of crap including a dead bird. I guess over 100 years lots of fun ideas were had by ex homeowners. I must have lifted at least 12 different types of carpet, too. Everything but adequate insulation essentially

 

[Zefan]

Thread is good. Enjoy. Will come back when I do loft legs plus insulation top up to refresh brain on tips etc. Aware a bit late to the party/season but better late than never.

Old loft had similar issues but it was all boarded and we had so much stuff (due to lack of storage space, being a 2 up 2 down) that I couldn't bear the thought of doing anything with it. New loft much bigger but not boarded, so it's a no brainer job.

 

[dlockers]

Am dying. Have managed to get all but two of the hip cellotax down, and 80% of the 100mm. One more big push I hope - although that may mean I need to temporarily seal the old loft hatch versus making it good.

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[Berger]

Looks like a quality job though!

I cut the mineral wool insulation using big sharp garden shears as then you can chop it quickly and cleanly. Not sure about length wise but width it worked well.

Or compress down with a wooden baton and a sharp knife.

 

[dlockers]

Looks like a quality job though!

I cut the mineral wool insulation using big sharp garden shears as then you can chop it quickly and cleanly. Not sure about length wise but width it worked well.

Or compress down with a wooden baton and a sharp knife.

Thanks!

I've not had a reason to try something other than the mitre saw (this one) but if I did I'd be going bread knife + shears for sure.

I really need to have a think now as I only have 5 boards total. 2 are in first-fix position, the other 3 are just "in the way" at the moment. The loft legs are really annoying @ 4 screws each plus semi-correct spacing on twisted joists.

I think I'll try and get the bit in front of the new loft hatch done, as I can then build up the wooden frame/board, as I can then move the ladder, which then lets me do the middle, and then finish off on the old loft hatch area.

Loooooong.

Edit: buying more boards is definitely a 2023 problem.

 

[Kohaashi]

Looking good @dLockers
How many rolls of insulation did you get through?
Ours looks like it needs redoing, even though it was only done 5 years ago. Whoever did it didn’t do a very good job.

Did you put celotex in all the eaves? Is there any risk to this preventing the loft from breathing?

 

[dlockers]

Looking good @dLockers
How many rolls of insulation did you get through?
Ours looks like it needs redoing, even though it was only done 5 years ago. Whoever did it didn’t do a very good job.

Did you put celotex in all the eaves? Is there any risk to this preventing the loft from breathing?

Thanks,

I ordered 15 and there is 8 left, I think I am cutting it fine on the 100mm and possibly have too much 170mm but it is hard to eyeball (as roll length depends on roll thickness, i.e. the 170mm is 5.68m but the 100m is 7.28m).

I've put celotax in the hipped roof - it is 50mm, and the gap is "theoretically" 100mm, so I should be fine. In reality though it looks like the gap is more like 20mm/30mm. It'll be infinitely better than what I removed though which was wedged in to capacity.

Annoyingly I can't get to two sections so when I take the eaves off to put proper ventilation in, I'll squeeze the remaining bits up.

 

[PermaChanged]

I've so much loft insulating left to do, and I'm really not looking forward to it - hats off to you! Our roof shape, pitch and ridge height is really not suited to my size, and building an elevated and insulated platform for the new hot water tank to sit on, plus a single 1200x2400mm platform took me all weekend - given it's a bungalow I've still got an awful lot of hours to spend up there, I may just employ a tiny handyman

 

[kinetic747]

Thanks,

I ordered 15 and there is 8 left, I think I am cutting it fine on the 100mm and possibly have too much 170mm but it is hard to eyeball (as roll length depends on roll thickness, i.e. the 170mm is 5.68m but the 100m is 7.28m).

I've put celotax in the hipped roof - it is 50mm, and the gap is "theoretically" 100mm, so I should be fine. In reality though it looks like the gap is more like 20mm/30mm. It'll be infinitely better than what I removed though which was wedged in to capacity.

Annoyingly I can't get to two sections so when I take the eaves off to put proper ventilation in, I'll squeeze the remaining bits up.

Looks very much like our loft space. Annoyingly it's fully boarded by previous owner, but the insulation is squashed underneath i.e they haven't raised the floor. It's a big job to take it all up and redo properly, but might have no option if we want to reduce our energy costs.

 

[dlockers]

Looks very much like our loft space. Annoyingly it's fully boarded by previous owner, but the insulation is squashed underneath i.e they haven't raised the floor. It's a big job to take it all up and redo properly, but might have no option if we want to reduce our energy costs.

Honestly I've battled with the idea that if it was boarded it would have stopped me doing this, but I reckon I've had a harder job lifting all the crap and junk he put down than moving a few boards. No excuses, crack on! it should just be easier for you!

 

[kinetic747]

Honestly I've battled with the idea that if it was boarded it would have stopped me doing this, but I reckon I've had a harder job lifting all the crap and junk he put down than moving a few boards. No excuses, crack on! it should just be easier for you!

It would be if it wasn't full of stuff.

 

[Mason-]

Looks very much like our loft space. Annoyingly it's fully boarded by previous owner, but the insulation is squashed underneath i.e they haven't raised the floor. It's a big job to take it all up and redo properly, but might have no option if we want to reduce our energy costs.

I had that too, if anything it makes life easier as you’re not working just on the joists at the start.

I didn’t remove the squished insulation just put legs and more insulation on top. Maybe that’s the wrong thing to do but it still has 170mm of new insulation plus the squished 100mm underneath.

 

[dlockers]

Final day tomorrow I hope...altho I washed the cars today and I am definitely suffering from 'delayed on set muscle pain' from all the contorting and forgetting to wear knee pads!

Plan is to get the framing down to insulate and then board the middle, and then get the loft ladder relocated. It is plain sailing then........theoretically.

 

[kinetic747]

I had that too, if anything it makes life easier as you’re not working just on the joists at the start.

I didn’t remove the squished insulation just put legs and more insulation on top. Maybe that’s the wrong thing to do but it still has 170mm of new insulation plus the squished 100mm underneath.

I'm assuming you start at the sides and work inwards? I'm not quite sure how to begin.

 

[Mason-]

I'm assuming you start at the sides and work inwards? I'm not quite sure how to begin.

I was lucky really in that one side was boarded and the other side wasn’t so I didn’t have a choice really.

Can see in the photos in my post on this thread: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...dition-loft-insulation.18959718/post-35890758

 

[Armageus]

I'm assuming you start at the sides and work inwards? I'm not quite sure how to begin.

I started nearest the hatch which is fairly central and worked outwards from there in all directions on mine (which wasn't boarded at all).

 

[Armageus]

I started nearest the hatch which is fairly central and worked outwards from there in all directions on mine (which wasn't boarded at all).

Just to expand on that, it's easier this way as you aren't then having to step across the joists to get back to the hatch, and once you've got a little working area you can stack your boards there instead of balancing them across joists or having to go down the ladder and carry them up one at a time.

Also you generally don't need to board right to the edge, as there isn't any useful space at the edge, and it allows ventilation from under the eaves

 

[dlockers]

Almost there but am actually dying now. Lost my gloves and mask midway through but I'm now immune to fibreglass itches however minus 2 years from life expectancy.

Ladder was luckily oversized for where it was before so fitted great. Had some spare wood so went OTT on the loft hatch area lol.

Edit: this is what was under the middle bit by the loft hatch:

 

[Mason-]

Bootiful Bernard