loft desighn

[spearzy]

hi wonder if you guys could give me any advice or ideas on what could be done with this loft space.

 

the loft space has loads of diagonal wooden beams all over the place severly restricting the over all space i have no prior experience with loft spaces so here goes   .

 

there are images ive uploaded of what look like 3 different air exraction ducts i do not know what any of them are for ,there is a gap in the brickwork though on 1 side not sure if id be able to get fresh air in orr air out from that so im not sure were to go with ventilation.

 

i wondered if a loft tent would fit but i dont know how to measure it as the beams go up into a triangle .

 

i can get more pics if needed its an akward area but there is a floor area 230cm height x 260 cm width .

 

im not sure how big a job it is to remove some of the beams baring in mind the structual safety that would be ideal but maybe to big a task .

 

any advice or ideas welcome thanks .

 

spearzy.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by spearzy

[Notorious B.U.D]

Do not remove any of the beams or any part of the roof structure what so ever !!!

 

You should easily be able to work something out in there as it looks of decent size but if it were me assuming you own the property I’d insulate and seal the whole loft properly with celotex or something similar but that will cost a fair bit if £ and also your time & effort. It’s not essential but you’ll be able to manage your environment much better in there and would be worth it if you plan to perpetually grow.

 

The ducts linked to the fans are likely from bathroom/on suite ceiling vents I would of thought with the output ducting leading to roof tile vents. 
 

You could disconnect one of these to use as the intake to your tent and then connect the extraction ducting of the tent to the roof tile vent so it goes straight outside although obviously still use a carbon filter to take care of smells

[Notorious B.U.D]

Oh yeah I forgot they might also be the vents from the toilets I forget what the proper name is for them now although they are usually passive and from your photos it looks like there’s some type of fan attached to the ducting but then looking at it I’m a bit confused as to where it extracts to if it is 

[spearzy]

26 minutes ago, Notorious B.U.D said:

Oh yeah I forgot they might also be the vents from the toilets I forget what the proper name is for them now although they are usually passive and from your photos it looks like there’s some type of fan attached to the ducting but then looking at it I’m a bit confused as to where it extracts to if it is 

 

Hi thanks very much for your reply there is a vent in the toilet and at the top of the stairs also ,ive no idea what the vent at the stairs is /was for ive never heard a noise from it i do hear the toilet vent though that is working .

 

i had a good idea the roofing beams would have to be left alone unless properly done by structural construction /engineer.

 

how do i measure for a loft tent with the beams joining and making a tight triangle ive no idea how to measure for it thanks for your help so far im starting to get a few ideas .

 

spearzy.

 

 

[Baron von greenback]

2 hours ago, spearzy said:

 

Hi thanks very much for your reply there is a vent in the toilet and at the top of the stairs also ,ive no idea what the vent at the stairs is /was for ive never heard a noise from it i do hear the toilet vent though that is working .

 

i had a good idea the roofing beams would have to be left alone unless properly done by structural construction /engineer.

 

how do i measure for a loft tent with the beams joining and making a tight triangle ive no idea how to measure for it thanks for your help so far im starting to get a few ideas .

 

spearzy.

 

 

I would build it mate then your maximising the space then go into the ducting that's already there one on the stairs sucking air in the one in roof blowing out if you can do a bit of DIY there's someone else on here who just done the same not sure if he took beams out or chimney and put Steel brackets in you seem to have a lot of cross beams in yours someone built it wellbe worth finding his thread mate also worth doing what notorious bud said about insulating for winter 

[spearzy]

Thanks not sure if id be able to insulate it all deffinately too big a job for me thats why i thought about a tent however i would have a good fan / climate controller heater and fans so think id still be able to control the environment to be honest it doesnt really feel cold up there not as cold as i thought it might  .

 

Spearzy 

[Head Rose'n'Tail]

Hi @spearzy bud, the bottom pic is your flue/chimney from the gas fire, does the gas fire still exist? If so 'DO NOT' touch this!

 

The extraction from the bathroom will be the bigger different sections and the one in your hall will be venting into the loft for air circulation in the house mate

 

[Notorious B.U.D]

22 hours ago, spearzy said:

how do i measure for a loft tent with the beams joining and making a tight triangle ive no idea how to measure for it thanks for your help so far im starting to get a few ideas .

 

If you look at the various loft tents they should have the exact dimensions for them stated in the description or in the photos and from this you should easily be able to work out if it will fit or not, but if you really wanted to be certain you could just get a large piece of cardboard and cut it to the exact dimensions as the front of the tent to which it would replicate and then you can hold it up and physically see if it fits your space in between the angles of the roof trusses or not.

 

In regard to not insulating the loft as you say you will be fine in the winter because you can always just add a heat to the grow to make up for the low loft temps although in the long run this doesn’t work out very economical but you will have problems if you intend to grow in the summer because depending on where your house is the loft space can get mega hot and there won’t really be much you can do about it even with your fans on full blast… for example mine is south facing and before it was insulated it could reach 40c on a clear hot day in summer from the sun beaming down on the roof.

 

[spearzy]

9 hours ago, Head Rose'n'Tail said:

Hi @spearzy bud, the bottom pic is your flue/chimney from the gas fire, does the gas fire still exist? If so 'DO NOT' touch this!

 

The extraction from the bathroom will be the bigger different sections and the one in your hall will be venting into the loft for air circulation in the house mate

 

there is no gas fire only electric fire so i guess i could use that to vent out of, not sure exactly were to pull fresh air in from though yet.

 

thanks for your help and giving me some more idea of whats what up there 

 

spearzy.

[spearzy]

20 minutes ago, Notorious B.U.D said:

 

If you look at the various loft tents they should have the exact dimensions for them stated in the description or in the photos and from this you should easily be able to work out if it will fit or not, but if you really wanted to be certain you could just get a large piece of cardboard and cut it to the exact dimensions as the front of the tent to which it would replicate and then you can hold it up and physically see if it fits your space in between the angles of the roof trusses or not.

 

In regard to not insulating the loft as you say you will be fine in the winter because you can always just add a heat to the grow to make up for the low loft temps although in the long run this doesn’t work out very economical but you will have problems if you intend to grow in the summer because depending on where your house is the loft space can get mega hot and there won’t really be much you can do about it even with your fans on full blast… for example mine is south facing and before it was insulated it could reach 40c on a clear hot day in summer from the sun beaming down on the roof.

 

thanks for the the info and ideas on how to measure for the loft tent,

 

i dont think the loft space would get that hot tbh because i know that the house only gets so many hours direct sun per day even in the height of summer a few hours at the back and less at the front but im not certain of how the loft actually feels in the heat  .

 

a tent would probbably make things easier i think .

 

spearzy.

[Devon Cream]

If your own the property I’d batten off the uprights wouldn’t go full height . I’d 4x2 or close to it fill the gaps with celotex folk usually do 50 mm plus in walls 100mm in the highest roof part cover inside in ply . If you can intake from the house like a bedroom ceiling etc helps loads in the winter with temps and either extract out a chimney , eeves , fake flue or into another room downstairs (last resort) or folk extract into there attic not the best choice with hot humid air plus will warm roof if we have frost or snow. Done right there spot on my friend had his best crop ever believe it or not summer just gone. Done right there spot on heated floor few added extras your be good . 

[Bobcharlieeeee]

have a look at my diary, iv built a Kingspan space. my rafters are just like yours. although you have alot more height than i do! you also have nice deep rafters so will be able to get insulation inbetween the rafters plus a 50mm air gap. You even have membrane vents already installed.

 

I take it this is a new build? is it you own home?

 

Only thing with building your own is ideally you need a few tools already, without my table saw i would have had to spend loads of extra money on timber. i can rip down any wood to the exact dimensions i need, also handy for cutting insulation with a nice square edge.

 

Kingspan, spray foam and foil tape are your freinds here

 

I would intake from your house below, this helps with extreme temp swings in summer and winter. If you are 100% convinced the gas flue is redundent, and you dont ever plan on recommisioning it. i would extract through that AND intake from that.

I also see a soil vent pipe that you could extract into, you would need a seperate intake for that however

Edited March 2, 2023 by Bobcharlieeeee

[Lux_Interior]

In a loft space I'd go insulation and reflective sheeting and a create a bespoke grow room. when I grew in my loft I used to extract to the eves and pull air from my landing.

 

 

[spearzy]

On 02/03/2023 at 8:37 AM, Bobcharlieeeee said:

have a look at my diary, iv built a Kingspan space. my rafters are just like yours. although you have alot more height than i do! you also have nice deep rafters so will be able to get insulation inbetween the rafters plus a 50mm air gap. You even have membrane vents already installed.

 

I take it this is a new build? is it you own home?

 

Only thing with building your own is ideally you need a few tools already, without my table saw i would have had to spend loads of extra money on timber. i can rip down any wood to the exact dimensions i need, also handy for cutting insulation with a nice square edge.

 

Kingspan, spray foam and foil tape are your freinds here

 

I would intake from your house below, this helps with extreme temp swings in summer and winter. If you are 100% convinced the gas flue is redundent, and you dont ever plan on recommisioning it. i would extract through that AND intake from that.

I also see a soil vent pipe that you could extract into, you would need a seperate intake for that however

 

 

thanks for the info /ideas lots of helpfull stuff ,ive seen the diaries, did you mean you had a diary that showed the building of the loft room?.