Attic Floor - New Build Home

Poncke · 24-07-2018 11:58am #1

Hi all,

I am going to put in the floor of the attic myself.

The attic is built with attic trusses to facilitate future conversion of the attic space, but for now I just want to put a king-size bed in for sleep overs and store your regular stuff, like a tent, suitcases, boxes with stuff, mattresses, etc.

The floor I want to put in is chipboard, but I just need to know the thickness, which I think will be OK at 1.8cm

Woodies 3 Pack Loft Boards

What do you guys think? Would you advise to use plywood instead?

Cheers

Tefral · 24-07-2018 12:01pm

If you are putting in a bed I would advise going with OSB or plywood. You might end up putting one of the legs of a bed between a joist and all you need is someone to hop on the corner and the leg would break the chipboard.

18mm is fine

seamus · 24-07-2018 12:04pm

I think 18mm is the minimum requirement for a living space. You can get 12mm loft panels, which are fine for storage, but as you're planning on putting a bed up there I wouldn't go with anything less than 18mm.

Poncke · 24-07-2018 12:16pm

Tefral wrote: »

If you are putting in a bed I would advise going with OSB or plywood. You might end up putting one of the legs of a bed between a joist and all you need is someone to hop on the corner and the leg would break the chipboard.

18mm is fine

Thank you for your input.

The bed is like a box, it doesn't really have legs.

http://www.beds.ie/6ft-evelyn-ottoman-bed-latte.html

Particle board is going to cost me roughly 450 euros

I looked at plywood and the cost would almost triple at 1150 euros

I just looked at OSB and it would cost me about 750 euros

18MM OSB3 FLOOR T&G

Just not a fan of T&G, so this might do

I might go with OSB just be on the safe side, not sure how to get a 2.4 meter long board into the attic through a loft ladder. LOL

Poncke · 24-07-2018 12:17pm

seamus wrote: »

I think 18mm is the minimum requirement for a living space. You can get 12mm loft panels, which are fine for storage, but as you're planning on putting a bed up there I wouldn't go with anything less than 18mm.

Yes, definitely 18mm, cheers

mick121 · 24-07-2018 12:58pm

T&g is a better job as the boards are interlocked on all sides.you don't need to join them on joists but you will with non t&g.you'd be surprised at the waste with non t&g.

Poncke · 24-07-2018 1:06pm

mick121 wrote: »

T&g is a better job as the boards are interlocked on all sides.you don't need to join them on joists but you will with non t&g.you'd be surprised at the waste with non t&g.

Thank you for that advice

Poncke · 24-07-2018 4:15pm

I got a quote on that OSB T&G boatd at the same price as the partical board. Good to go.

Thanks for the advice on here.

5T3PH3N · 24-07-2018 8:35pm

That seems really expensive for the materials, what size is the area?

Poncke · 24-07-2018 8:57pm

5T3PH3N wrote: »

That seems really expensive for the materials, what size is the area?

Stated in the OP, 42 sqm.

The panels are 2.44 x 0.59, so I need 30 of them.

I think the price is right at 450 euro including delivery. If you have a cheaper source, by all means share.

5T3PH3N · 24-07-2018 9:23pm

Poncke wrote: »

Stated in the OP, 42 sqm.

The panels are 2.44 x 0.59, so I need 30 of them.

I think the price is right at 450 euro including delivery. If you have a cheaper source, by all means share.

I can’t see where it says 42sqm anywhere in your above posts.

Make sure you stagger your joints on the joists, space the screws relatively evenly and make sure the end of your board is half way on a joist or on sufficient bridgers.

Poncke · 24-07-2018 10:29pm

Hey, I am sorry, I must have edited it out by accident, I had it in there at first. Apologies. So yeah, its 42 sqm, and thank you for the advice.

Poncke · 29-07-2018 9:52pm

Guys, the joists are about 55-57 cm apart. Does that need cross bars to support the floor?

I am putting in OSB T&G boards of 59cm wide.

gctest50 · 29-07-2018 9:59pm

You might be able to use 8" x 4" sheets

If there is a built-in wardrobe ( on the right wall ! ) rip it out and cut a slot in the ceiling

Or maybe cut a slot in the bathroom ceiling and redo it

depends

Water John · 29-07-2018 10:05pm

Do not use nails, only screws. Any hammering will damage underneath ceiling.

Poncke · 29-07-2018 10:07pm

Water John wrote: »

Do not use nails, only screws. Any hammering will damage underneath ceiling.

I am aware of this, thanks.

Poncke · 29-07-2018 10:09pm

gctest50 wrote: »

You might be able to use 8" x 4" sheets

If there is a built-in wardrobe ( on the right wall ! ) rip it out and cut a slot in the ceiling

Or maybe cut a slot in the bathroom ceiling and redo it

depends

Not sure what you mean, but there is an attic ladder.

I am not asking about how to get the boards to the attic, I am asking if I need cross bars to support the floor boards when the joists are 55cm apart.

gctest50 · 29-07-2018 10:16pm

Poncke wrote: »

Not sure what you mean, but there is an attic ladder.

I mean you can use bigger boards instead of 1 foot wide things

Lantus · 29-07-2018 10:42pm

If attic can be used as room then wouldn't you be putting in stairs? Plaster boarding and adding ventilation via a window. The ope for the stairs should easily accommodate the 2.4 osb boards
.

You can't just put a bed in the attic. It would be miserable.

Poncke · 29-07-2018 11:01pm

gctest50 wrote: »

I mean you can use bigger boards instead of 1 foot wide things

The boards are 2 foot wide. Thanks for the advice.

GreeBo · 29-07-2018 11:04pm

OP if you are putting a bed in there you need fireescapes and a proper stairs access...presume this was all done if it was setup for conversion?

You cant just bung up some flooring and lash in a bed, its a death trap if you are just using a Stira type of thing for access. Not to mention it will be stupid warm these days.

Poncke · 30-07-2018 1:15am

It will be a guest bed maybe used 5 times a year. And you only need all those things if you want to list the room officially as bedroom. Thanks for the heads up though

GreeBo · 30-07-2018 7:43am

Poncke wrote: »

It will be a guest bed maybe used 5 times a year. And you only need all those things if you want to list the room officially as bedroom. Thanks for the heads up though

I didn't realise you are planning the fire for the other days of the year, my mistake!

Seriously, there is a really good reason for these regulations.

Poncke · 30-07-2018 8:06am

I didn't realise new build houses are fire prone and burn exactly on the days I have guests over.

The regulations are for bedrooms or habitable space, there is no regulation for sticking a bed in the attic for a short period of time.

I appreciate your concern though. Could you link me to a source that says what I am doing is not regulatory? I am more than happy to refrain from placing a bed in the attic if it is not allowed.

GreeBo · 30-07-2018 10:29am

Poncke wrote: »

I didn't realise new build houses are fire prone and burn exactly on the days I have guests over.

Thats exactly my point, you have no idea when a fire is going to start.

Poncke wrote: »

The regulations are for bedrooms or habitable space, there is no regulation for sticking a bed in the attic for a short period of time.

I'm not going to argue with you are about it, but suffice to say you are putting a bed in a room. That makes a bedroom.

Poncke wrote: »

I appreciate your concern though. Could you link me to a source that says what I am doing is not regulatory? I am more than happy to refrain from placing a bed in the attic if it is not allowed.

http://www.atticconversions.ie/images/fire_regulations.pdf

Poncke · 30-07-2018 10:35am

Thanks, I have read that PDF before, but I am not doing a conversion. When we do the conversion in a year from now, it will be according all regulations and legal requirements. Anyway, thanks for the advice, I will not put a bed in then.

GreeBo · 30-07-2018 11:19am

Poncke wrote: »

Thanks, I have read that PDF before, but I am not doing a conversion. When we do the conversion in a year from now, it will be according all regulations and legal requirements. Anyway, thanks for the advice, I will not put a bed in then.

Converting means "converting the use" from an attic to a bedroom, it has nothing to do with the quality of finish etc.

seamus · 30-07-2018 11:32am

You'll always get rules lawyers on this issue.

Short answer is that if you have people coming over for a single night on the very odd occasion, then you're not really putting them at any greater risk than if you put them on a bed out in the shed.

If it's to be used as a more regular guest room or permanent bedroom, then it's not worth the risk.

Poncke · 30-07-2018 11:38am

seamus wrote: »

You'll always get rules lawyers on this issue.

Short answer is that if you have people coming over for a single night on the very odd occasion, then you're not really putting them at any greater risk than if you put them on a bed out in the shed.

If it's to be used as a more regular guest room or permanent bedroom, then it's not worth the risk.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. It won't be regular use. We have 3 bedrooms of which one is a guest bedroom. The idea was that in the odd occasion we have more guests than fits the 3 bedrooms and a couch, they could use a bed in the attic.

I mean, if I don't put a bed, I would put an inflatable mattress for the night. That doesn't make a difference in my opinion. Or should I follow all safety regulations for putting in an inflatable mattress for one night as well?

GreeBo · 30-07-2018 11:44am

seamus wrote: »

You'll always get rules lawyers on this issue.

Short answer is that if you have people coming over for a single night on the very odd occasion, then you're not really putting them at any greater risk than if you put them on a bed out in the shed.

If it's to be used as a more regular guest room or permanent bedroom, then it's not worth the risk.

You can get out of a shed, its pretty difficult to get out of an attic if the landing is on fire.

If that's "rules lawyering" to you then fair enough, I'd hardly call it rules for the sake of it. People die in their beds in housefires everyday, nevermind being trapped in an attic with rising smoke and no way out.

GreeBo · 30-07-2018 11:45am

Poncke wrote: »

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. It won't be regular use. We have 3 bedrooms of which one is a guest bedroom. The idea was that in the odd occasion we have more guests than fits the 3 bedrooms and a couch, they could use a bed in the attic.

I mean, if I don't put a bed, I would put an inflatable mattress for the night. That doesn't make a difference in my opinion. Or should I follow all safety regulations for putting in an inflatable mattress for one night as well?

Just put the mattress on the floor in another room or in the sitting room or any room that isnt a death trap.

Fires are very annoying, they always happen at the most annoying of times. :rolleyes:

Attic Floor - New Build Home

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