loft boarding question

gitbags · 23 Feb 2017 at 20:09

I'm looking to board my loft out for light storage (boxes, suitcases, etc), but I'm a little concerned as to whether my ceiling joists can take the weight of the boarding. I'm only looking to board out the center.

My ceiling joists are 36mm x 97mm, spaced at 460mm centers and span roughly 10m without any load bearing walls beneath (all second floor walls are stud construction). Should I be concerned about the extra weight causing the ceiling to bow? We already have a few joint cracks in the ceiling due to a lack of taped joints and I would rather not blow out the rest.

cheers.

Martynt74 · 23 Feb 2017 at 21:45

I'd have thought it'd be fine for light storage like that to be honest.

Siliconslave · 23 Feb 2017 at 23:12

Joints will cracking due to movement, shrinkage and the like but that doesn't mean that a little bit of extra weight will bow or knacker the ceiling.

Chances are you walking around the loft on individual beams will do more "damage" than putting some boards up and distributing the weight of you plus some light storage over several joists.

gitbags · 24 Feb 2017 at 12:48

I guessed as much, just wanted to double check as there is no supporting wall as such and it seems like a long span for the size of the timbers.

I excel at over thinking things.

Orionaut · 25 Feb 2017 at 13:16

gitbags said:
I guessed as much, just wanted to double check as there is no supporting wall as such and it seems like a long span for the size of the timbers.

I excel at over thinking things.

Do the joists go "Wall To Wall" across the attic, or are they like the bar on a capital A (IYSWIM)?

gitbags · 25 Feb 2017 at 13:35

The house is a mid terrace crossframed construction, so they run front to back off the finlocks.

edit: just had a dig around and they are fink trusses.