Hi,
I currently own a Atholl steel 1945 - 4 in a block type construction in Woodburn Dalkeith, I was just wondering if anyone has tackled flooring the attic area in this type of property and how they went about it.
I only want to floor for storage and not to create a living space and I'm not keen on the stilt and chip board type of flooring. My thinking was to somehow attach boards to the bottom roof trusses running towards the gable end so as to spread the weight and tied to the batons above the stud walls of the hall way and also at the underpurlins with struts attached to the rafters. I would then create framing using C16 to raise the level above the insulation so there is a gap of about 240 between the plasterbaord celling and attic floor, this framing would sit across the weight spreading boards so run from pitch to pitch (front to back).
Any help or suggestion on the above would be great, or even if you think this would be a terrible idea or maybe you have looked into doing this also and found it was not possible?
AbleServices 5 May 2023 9:43 PM
Hi Philip, I wonder if you have gotten anywhere with this question on whether it is OK to board out an attic in a steel framed house. I am a tradesman and have been asked by a customer with a Dorlonco house in Norwich to install storage boards and a loft ladder. I am wondering if there are any weight limits for an attic storage area in these properties and whether the flat steel attic trusses can be drilled through to secure fixings. Did you find anyone with some knowledge on this kind of question?
Kenneth
Philip Topic starter
5 May 2023 10:01 PM
Hi Kenneth,
No sorry I've not made any progress on this front, I was on the brink of buying loftzone to floor about half of the area as I believed it was suitable for all types of attic spaces where used for only storage. However if you read their website this is not the case.
I have been considering some other work in my property that will really need the advice of a structural engineer so I was thinking I could just get him to provide documents on flooring the attic also.
I would think the safest way would be to reinforce the steel structure above the internal ceiling, with the reinforcement being welded to the external wall plates. I would think any drilling of the roof trusses would still degrade the structural integrity. However I'm not a structural engineer but it's something I would not want to chance.
The fact that there are no other properties of the same type in my area at least that have never been converted slightly speaks for itself but then these where and still are to an extent local authority houses.
Sorry if that's not much help.
All the best.
Philip