Loft Stilts (Ok to walk on?)

Aruffell

Aruffell

Aruffell

Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2004
Posts
5,653
Location
Chatham, Kent
Hi all,

Have a house that's 2 years old now and running out of storage so was looking to maximise the loft as much as I can so was looking at loft storage stilts much like - https://www.diy.com/departments/diall-loft-storage-stilt-pack-of-12/181925_BQ.prd

Anyone had experience using these? I'm guessing walking on them should be fine as you'd be spreading the load across the joists which I currently walk across to put boxes etc... up there.

Any experiences would be great to hear about.

Thanks.
 
I put them in 2 years ago, no problems at all with walking on them. Only thing I would say is if they don't come fully pre-drilled (mine didn't) to attach to the joists, then drill them through first. It just makes them a bit easier to fix.
 
mjd said:
I put them in 2 years ago, no problems at all with walking on them. Only thing I would say is if they don't come fully pre-drilled (mine didn't) to attach to the joists, then drill them through first. It just makes them a bit easier to fix.
Click to expand...

It doesn't look like they come pre-drilled but will keep that in mind.

I have some things that weigh around 15-20kg. I'm guessing that would be ok for semi-long term storage weight?

Thanks.
 
If it's of any use I made my own legs by cutting lengths of 38x89 timber to size (https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Studwork-CLS-38-x-89-x-2400mm-Single/p/107713), i think it was a tip I read on here. I put down 8 loft boards with about 70 legs and It worked out quite a lot cheaper than the proper legs. I'm glad I did because I've an old house and most of my joists seemed to be at a different heights so it was the only way to get the boards level. I just drilled/screwed four screws in each leg at a ~45' angle through into the joists. It feels rock solid with no movement at all when I'm walking on it.

I thoroughly recommend torx head screws for it. My normal pozi screws just kept getting stripped. I used ForgeFast ones, they come with the drillbit in the box which is a nice touch:

5x30mm (to screw the board onto the leg): https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Screws+&+Fixings/d90/Torx+Fast/sd3267/ForgeFast+Multi+Purpose+Self+Drilling+Wood+Screw/p63592
5x50mm (to screw the leg into the joist): https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Screws+&+Fixings/d90/Torx+Fast/sd3267/ForgeFast+Multi+Purpose+Self+Drilling+Wood+Screw/p57582

(paired with an impact driver they just munch through wood!)
 
I've used those loft legs although admittedly only have a crawl space in loft. They work well. Admittedly if I was doing it again I think I'd just use CLS timber battons across the ceiling.
 
I've boarded out quite a large section of my loft with those stilts - can't fault them really, easy to install, very sturdy to walk on.
 
I done a large section last year and will do the rest later this year.

Really easy but defo +1 on the pre-drilling as it will save you a lot of time. Also stagger the boards.

Absolutely no issue walking around the loft
 
I looked at getting these, but in the end went with a loftzone system.

Worked out better for me as I have nice thick insulation up there and the stilts would have squashed it a bit.

Was nice and easy to fit, and no problem walking on it afterwards.
 
Pho said:
If it's of any use I made my own legs by cutting lengths of 38x89 timber to size (https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Studwork-CLS-38-x-89-x-2400mm-Single/p/107713), i think it was a tip I read on here. I put down 8 loft boards with about 70 legs and It worked out quite a lot cheaper than the proper legs. I'm glad I did because I've an old house and most of my joists seemed to be at a different heights so it was the only way to get the boards level. I just drilled/screwed four screws in each leg at a ~45' angle through into the joists. It feels rock solid with no movement at all when I'm walking on it.

I thoroughly recommend torx head screws for it. My normal pozi screws just kept getting stripped. I used ForgeFast ones, they come with the drillbit in the box which is a nice touch:

5x30mm (to screw the board onto the leg): https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Screws+&+Fixings/d90/Torx+Fast/sd3267/ForgeFast+Multi+Purpose+Self+Drilling+Wood+Screw/p63592
5x50mm (to screw the leg into the joist): https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Screws+&+Fixings/d90/Torx+Fast/sd3267/ForgeFast+Multi+Purpose+Self+Drilling+Wood+Screw/p57582

(paired with an impact driver they just munch through wood!)
Click to expand...
What centres did you place these at?
 
SIR said:
What centres did you place these at?
Click to expand...

I laid the boards with the long edge perpendicular to the direction of the joists and put legs on every joist, which was about every 40cm for me. Then one on each end of the boards' short edge.

In my crude diagram below:

____ = joists
x = legs

Code: 
         _____________
    ____|x           x|____                
        |             |                    
    ____|x           x|____                    
        |             |                    
    ____|x           x|____                
        |             |                    
    ____|x           x|____ 2400mm            
        |             |                    
    ____|x           x|____                
        |             |                    
    ____|x___________x|____                                
             600mm
  
  
         <===========>
         Direction of joists



I did it about two years ago, I've since put a lot of fairly heavy stuff up there and the ceiling hasn't yet caved in yet!
 
Did mine recently. Bought the legs from Screwfix (2 or 3 packs) (https://www.screwfix.com/p/diall-loft-storage-stilts-210mm-12-pack/243gf) and 10x 60x240 loft boards. Took me about 3-4 hours and each board had to b cut down. Rally easy to do and feels solid one done. Got plenty of stuff up there on it and now have easy access to the boiler instead of balancing on joists! I'd recommend both the boards and the legs/stilts.
 
It really depends on the thickness of the joists in the roof. Some properties have joists that appear only thick enough to hold the ceiling up. You may need to beef the ceiling joists if you want to put a lot of heavy stuff up there.
 
As above, it depends on how it’s made.

Most will certainly not be suitable for long term storage of heavy items and you need to take into account the weight of boards and insulation too.

Joists will have a load rating, if you put up some pictures and measurements, there are a few builders/surveyors and engineers that browse these forums and they might pick up the thread.
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
As above, it depends on how it’s made.

Most will certainly not be suitable for long term storage of heavy items and you need to take into account the weight of boards and insulation too.

Joists will have a load rating, if you put up some pictures and measurements, there are a few builders/surveyors and engineers that browse these forums and they might pick up the thread.
Click to expand...

When designing trusses the standard loading we use for "light storage" is 250N/m2 so approx 25kg/m2
 
I recently did my loft to get the 300mm insulation I think they recommended nowadays. The Loftzone system is seriously easy and sturdy, the metal joists I think have a higher load strength than the wooden joist they sit on. Keeping everything in a straight line when laying it will help you a lot though, there's a fair bit of tolerance if you go off a tiny bit, but set out a string line for each run and you'll be good, I neglected to do that and had to reposition a few of the stand offs, quick enough to do.

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