Hi,

I have already started a loft build,, well all i have done is deck out part of my loft so far

question i have about the rest of the build is not what materials to use but how to get them in the loft ,, I had a great design using plasterboard rigid insulation etc but suddenly realised that my loft hatch is way too small to fit most of this stuff through.

The obvious answer is to cut everything down but that would make the job much more involved and messy especially cutting insulation.

Has any1 got any alternative ideas (methods or materials) they can suggest please

thanks in advance

scoob

Chop a few cardboard boxes up for the wall...that's what i did

dont buy your insulation in 8x4ft sheets buy it in 18"x4ft sheets from builders merchants they are for cavity wall insulation and kingspan is the best!

For my loft grow I used Thermawrap insulation which comes in rolls. Looks like aluminium-covered bubblewrap. Available at diy stores, easy to cut and fix in place. Some diy places do their own versions - the type with foil on both sides is better, and more expensive, than the foil only on one side.

Good luck!

make your loft hatch wider! couple of metres of 3x2 , some nails , length of architrave and a bit of mdf for a new hatch and youre sorted. even if you don't know what youre doing its not a long job

nice1 thanks for replies i just thought that i could use the same loft board i used for the floor to deck the walls then drape either quilt insulation or what was mensioned above over it

wow never thought of that thanks!

I used rolled up insulation for the rafters, cut the plasterboard up to get it up there and just used black and white plastic for the growspace (and some wooden baton).

think thats what im gonna do KC if it works out cheaper to use plasterboard

thanks for your input

e2a: forgot my manners

I have just about finished my loft build and went for the thermal foil instead of kingspan for the same reason as yourself - no cutting or mess/ its lightweight (you could easily carry as many as your arms could fit) and i also found out that if you double it up it then becomes better insulation than 50mm kingspan

take a gander at my sig....its all there......changing my plans/mistakes/drama/turmoil

i would say double up the thermal foil - 2 rolls for the price of 1 at bnq now £20 that'll cost ya and also had i gone with kingspan it would've cost me around £80/120 to insulate the treehouse but the thermal foil cost me £40 so thats another big reason why i went with the foil

good luck anyways fella ill be keeping an eye on this

Roach

Here is how I did mine

cheers tworoach i like what you done there m8 i just had a look thro and found it very inspirational thanks,, took a while to read it all too

it was interesting to hear everyones comments about intake and extraction




cheers man will take a look soon for some more tips



just thought i would add a pic here to show the begining of my build. I guess im lucky due to the type of roof trusses i can use the inner triangle framework to make my GR, maybe you can see what i mean from the pics

by the way my room will be approx 2m high 1.8m x 2m. i plan on using 6" extraction and 4 " intake from the soffit vents, maybe extract into bedroom built in cupboard i dunno yet

anyway if anyone has some more pointers for me they will be greatly appreciated

scoob

looks like a good space there fella....i take it you will use the rafters as your frame and just board and insulate it? someone done more or less the same thing as you ill try and find the link for ya

i see you have used proper loft boards for the floor....better than my loft...which is just scrap bits of wood that were up there already
Roach

EDIT: heres that link.....id imagine your space will look like this.....Gus Hansens loft rafter build

Yes m8 i kinda have my frame already,, how lucky is that!? Just need a mini roof so i can get insulation on the top part too

I see the loft boards on offer in B&Q i was thinking about using them for the walls too as they are the rite size to fit through the loft hatch. Plasterboard would be cheaper tho im sure just a pain having to cut it into strips.

Then i will use either quilt insulatuion (thick stuff like 200mm) and reflective new type insulation on top of that

Thanks for the link, i now got more stuff to read , cheers for ya help m8y

plasterboards are easy to cut , score with a blade and snap! score deep enough and you get next to no dust at all

^ True dat

ahh cool

gonna finish decking the floor this weekend then off to buy some plasterboard

il update with some more pics when i get abit further on

check if youre near a selco builders warehouse , free delivery and cheapest on most materials

thanks sky

insulation can get for free

its just the wall cladding i need, and by the sounds of it plasterboard will be the cheapest option

i have checked for selco and we dont have one anywhere near but we have a jewsons

have a look for foil backed plaster boards bro there £5.50 per 8x4sheet saves money on mylar

He would be better off with the 6x3 sheets, easier to get through the loft hatch, most rafters are about 18 inches apart, so the 3ft width will span across 3 rafters, use a bit of heat resistant foil tape on the joints.

Thanks leepy



will do m8 got some alloy tape here already once i done that just a case of pinning some mylar to it?

not sure what to do about a door but to be honest thats a little way off yet

also im thinking about putting in a junction box to my shower electrics and tapping of that as it appears to be a much higher guage of wire so i assume its better for running hid(s) also if i muster up enough confidence im gonna try tap into the shower water supply too

thats how i did my loft bro except i did away completely with the shower just used its fuse in the leccy cuboard an put a tap onto the water feed

If you can sort a tap out in the loft get it done, takes me 5 mins every other day to tend my plants, saves the bride whinging,
joe