boarding a loft

[steptoe]

finally getting round to boarding my loft out,

that is, if I get the US lights rewired ,  :slap

anyway,

600mm centres so I'm thinking I need to go for 22mm chipboard, [8x2], or would 18mm be ok,? price difference is minimal, just thinking of weight,

2nd, anyone got a good recommendation for a screw that self drills through chipboard well, or just use a normal size 8 , or 6 , ?

I was thinking about using a fine thread drywall as the bugle head should sit well in the chipboard,,,,,,,

the boards will be on 270mm stilts to allow me to get 340mm insulation, if that makes any difference.

 

[Andy™]

if its just for storage, id use 18mm boards. i normally use a standard size 8 screw

 

[steptoe]

yep, the usual carp,

xmas decs, some of the kids old stuff from being babies [its a woman thing apparently ] , suitcases, you know the general rubbish that gets put in lofts, i just want to try and organise it a bit, some flooring, and lightweight plastic shelving.

 

[Sharpend]

Concur with A!

 

[Manator]

From experience dry wall screws go into the boards better than normal wood screws, unless you want to pilot which I doubt anyone would.

 

[kerching]

i would go for  collated drywall screws and  hire a collated drywall gun for the weekend!...saves drilling into your fingers which can be considered a bad idea

just saying

 

[steptoe]

From experience dry wall screws go into the boards better than normal wood screws, unless you want to pilot which I doubt anyone would.

thats what I thought, and the bugle head would sit tighter too,

i would go for  collated drywall screws and  hire a collated drywall gun for the weekend!...saves drilling into your fingers which can be considered a bad idea

just saying

tbh, I dont have that many to do, I could borrow my mates gun, but hardly worth it, Ive only got 200 odd to bang in, his gun is 230v, and by the time i get it off him, sort out his dodgy socket in the garage, mess about with an extension lead, get my stuff done, and fix his lights that arent working when I return it,

its not really worth the hassle,  :slap

and, knowing what he is like, he prob wont have brought me any screws home from work, so I'd have to buy those too,,,,,  :shakehead

oh, Ive got a bit holder with a sliding sleeve on it, which is good for guiding screws whilst keeping the fingers intact, 

 

[Sharpend]

Just use a magnetic bit holder and impact driver job done. 

 

[steptoe]

ye, thats what I have, but my bit holder has a sliding sleeve that covers the screw allowing you to hold it in position without touching the screw, 

tbh, I'll prob just use the cordless screwdriver, a lot LOT lighter, and a better feel to the drive for something like this.

 

[Andy™]

why do people use impact drivers for screws? i have a 10.8v bosch driver, does the job nicely, plenty power to put in 4" x10, and it can do all that without making enough noise to wake the dead

i do have an impact version too that i use for nuts / bolts, but i hate using it for screws

 

[steptoe]

tbh, I would NEVER use my impact for pulling up bolts, always do it by hand,

my little 12v driver is what I normally use for screws,

just a lot quicker to use the impact for 4x10s and stuff like that,

 

[Sharpend]

the only reason I suggested impact is because chip board is the devils wood, getting started is hard at best particularly with the shorter screw, damage to fingers is inevitable. Whereas an impact would do the hard bit easier. 

Generally I agree an impact is overkill for driving in screws and mine only comes out when I'm working on the vehicle to remove nuts always do them up with spanner to get the feel for them. 

Now chippies seem to love the impact for driving screws??? You'd think they'd know better. 

 

[Rob_the_rich]

the boards will be on 270mm stilts to allow me to get 340mm insulation, if that makes any difference.

Only just read up on stilts after reading your post. b&q do clip on ones.http://www.diy.com/departments/diall-loft-storage-stilt-pack-of-12/181925_BQ.prd and the boards seem to rest on them. So the only screwing you will be doing is into the top flange, so self tapping drywall screws seems best.

 

[steptoe]

Only just read up on stilts after reading your post. b&q do clip on ones.http://www.diy.com/departments/diall-loft-storage-stilt-pack-of-12/181925_BQ.prd and the boards seem to rest on them. So the only screwing you will be doing is into the top flange, so self tapping drywall screws seems best.

thats very similar to what i have,

despite what they may tell you, they do NOT clip on, they still need screwed down to the joist, otherwise they flip over,

my mate used them, just slipped them on the joist, had a very wobbly floor, I went round and we had to take it all up and screw all the legs to the joists,

 

[Sharpend]

Crikey! No wonder it's taken you so long to get round to doing it. It's taken this long to save for the stilts! 

Whats wrong with a bit of 8x2 fixed crossways to rafters and boards screwed on top? It's what the chippies on site do. 

 

[steptoe]

you know what,?

my original plan was to use some 4x1 screwed across the trusses, but, i got told this was a crazy mad stupid idea, 

what do i know?  :C

 

[NozSpark]

It'd be much more stable than those poxy plastic legs,,,, however I'd imagine that wood would cost more and add a fair bit of weight...

 

[steptoe]

not really more cost Noz,

tbh, prob a lot cheaper if I think about it,

legs about 1.30 each, need 4 for a span, thats about 8' length of wood needed, so £6ish worth of legs Vs a length of 3x2 or 4x1, I'd guess the wood has it on price, weight maybe a different matter though,,,,

 

[kerching]

I put 6x2" parallel with ceiling rafters BUT kept them apart. Carried one end on load bearing dividing wall between front and back bedroom, other end on wall,plate so new loft floor was independant of first floor ceiling. But i do,go,over the top a bit AND it was 20 plus years ago when i was a bit younger and keener

just saying

 

[Rob_the_rich]

if the plastic legs were screwed top and bottom, and enough of them were used, they would create a box structure which would increase the structural strength of the ceiling/floor.

Not saying that 8x2 wouldn't, but we are talking 270mm.

Is the 270 on top of any insulation between the 4"(?) joists?