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03 Oct 12
18:29
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10 Jan 02
I'm going to floor my daughter's loft and will have to put dowm lengths of 2" x 2" batons (at right angles to joists) to raise the flooring above the insulation. If I'm using standard 8' x 2' chipboard flooring boards how many 2x2 batons should each floor board be in contact with if I lay them long ways parallel to the joists (i.e. at right angles to the batons?
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Replies: 75
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if you can force the insulation down with the batons to nail to the joists, you should be able to nail the chipboard to the joists also, thereby not needing the batons
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Screw them down, if you nail them, then chances are you will crack the plaster on the bedroom ceilings.
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tommysmum, from what I've read the insulation apparently circulating air to be effective. Also, pushing the insulation down can lead to sagging in the ceilings below.
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Thx koi, I read that somewhere too.
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Theres a few vajoiners about on this place.
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16 inch centers then, same as joists should be.
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feck, you need to screw your batons on top of the joists.
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i have absolutey no idea - but may i suggest that you get a pro in and pay the going rate ya Feck N. Eejit
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Are the joists in good nick Feck.....i've seen some older houses where they havnt really been suitable for load bearing.
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btw - i wish i could spell absolutely correctly
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use batons with 12 inch nails 5 in each one if out goes wrong at least your always trying just blame MJ
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Tnx for the replies.
scaredm, yeh they seem ok. swifty, why on top of the joists rather than at right angles? |
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Sorry swifty, were you meaning screw rather than nail (correct) as opposed to screwing the baton onto the joist long ways?
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16 inch centers then, same as joists should be.
tommysmum, so that means one 8 foot length would be in contact with 7 batons? Is that not overkill? |
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feck, if your joists are only 4*2 then i would pack on top of the joists, if you lay your batons perpendicular then the weight is bearing only on the 2*2 batons. Plus you won't need to cut up all the insulation. Is this purely for storage? In which case try to load the weighty items near to the walls where the joists are bearing. If you are intending to use the loft space then you really need new 7*2 minimum joists which should be bolted to the 4*2 joists.
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Just for storage swifty. Putting the batons on top and parallel to the joists would save having to cut a strip out of the top layers of insulation. Almost every thread I've seen on the subject someone suggests putting the batons at right angles but I don't see the advantages or logic in it myself. Thanks swifty.
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Feck
I've been a Joiner for the best part of 40yrs and if I was doing it I would run the 2x2 battens in the opposite direction to your joists. Space them every 2ft to catch the joint and screw everything. If you run them on top of the joists you are not sure to catch the joint.. Good luck and watch yer back.. |
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If your existing joists are 3x2 or 4x2 and spanning a distance of say 12 foot (unsupported), then just adding a 2x2 sawn, which in reality is just 46/47mm square, will add very little strength to the joist, so you will be relying on the chipboard alone to stop each individual existing joist from flexing when the floor is walked on, and will likely crack the plaster joints in the ceiling.
By having the 2x2 across the existing joists (or much better if the budget allows, 3x2) then the load is being spread over several of the existing joists causing less flex in individual joists. Yes, it will always be like a trampoline but better several/many joists flexing than just one. |
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Feck - do you know the difference between a joiner and a carpenter
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Our Lord was a carpenter, Ronnie Biggs (on now) was a joiner.
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Billy & Pugs, thanks for the advice. Funny enough Billy "watch yer back" was a thought that did enter my mind earlier.
thebrave, a carpenter is a joiner who is also a great prophet imo. |
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Another 2nd
. I hope you're not Richard Hughes Billy. |
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Thinking about it Billy, spacing the battens so that either side of the boards sit on a batten is the way to go. Any advice on the positioning and number of screws per board?
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pay someone you miserble coont...
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Wish I had someone I could trust Slim. Every tradesman I get I end up having to tell them how to do the job. If you've got to stand over them you might as well do it yourself.
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Feck - a joiner nails wid the gither, a carpenter paints cars
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What's the old girl look like, is it the front or back loft that needs doing, I could call by
and put down some of my own piping, my baton is 9 by 3, do you think she'd like that. |
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Because its in the loft you don't have to go mad, 2x2 PAR battens (planed all round) screw every joist and screw the boards about every 2ft. You can lay the 2x2 as you go along if you want to save running out on the joint. Use 1 1/2 x6 screws for the boards, they get a good grip. 3 inch screws for the 2x2.. Watch your knees as well
and any wires.. |
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Feck, technically speaking you don’t have to support proper (tongue & grooved) chipboard flooring, and as Billy has 15yrs more experience than me I'm not going to criticise his 2 foot centres, but I wouldn’t go much more than 18inch centres because that's all chipboard was designed for. Floor boards or ply board would be ok at 2 foot but chipboard (only my opinion) would be at risk of cracking the tongue and groove. One screw every 12 to 16 inches would be ample
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Sorry Billy, I type very slow
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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, that's it i'm off to the ploughing c/ships in norfolk
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Reading Billy’s post, I do over engineer slightly, but then again I am 18 stone
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75mm x 50mm battens across joists screwed down every 400mm
battens laid down every 400mm 22mm chipboard fixed to battens by screws four in each batten and make sure you glue all joints easy peasy |
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Thanks pugs & whiteowl.
I take it those in the 400 mm camp are suggesting the length of the board should be perpendicular to the battens? 4 screws in each batten sounds overkill whiteowl. Surely 1 screw through the board into each batten would be enough given each board is held in place by the other boards? |
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Whiteowl, that’s almost exactly how I’d do it, but in far less words
Feck, you know you’re going to probably use 100+ 3 or 4 inch screws (depending on baton size) to screw the batons down, so forget the bad back and knees, if you don’t have 2 x 2.5mm/3mm long series pilot drills, an electric drill, a good quality cordless drill with back up battery and a few screwdriver bits, your wrist and forearm will be good for nothing for days, not even for the “Bet Now” button |
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Nope four screws to each batten
screw either side of joint at length of chipboard {4 screws on each board} glued and screwed at these specifications you will have no problems trust me its important to glue the boards except where any lifter boards are required for access to any services |
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Feck, I think Whiteowl is thinking of an 8x4 board, where you would have somewhere in the region of 4 screws down each baton giving you a total of approx 16 screws per board.
You’re using 8x2’s so approx 8 screws per board is ample. And yes, you could set the end of each board in line (normally you would stagger, like with laminate flooring) but if you set the middle/last baton on the joint then no need to cut every other row of boards |
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Sorry Whiteowl, slow typing
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