CRF Services Ltd
Loft boarding for safe, usable storage
Loft boarding means laying a floor across the ceiling joists in your roof space so it can be used for storage without stepping between joists or crushing the insulation. For most homes the best approach is a raised floor, where the boards sit on supports above the insulation so it keeps doing its job. Danny boards lofts across Rochester and Medway, often in the same visit as a new loft ladder, and can clear an old loft first so there is a clean space to work in.
What loft boarding is, and why raised boards
The joists in most lofts are ceiling joists, sized to carry the ceiling below rather than a full floor. Boarding spreads light storage loads across them and gives a firm surface to walk on. The catch is the insulation: current depths are much deeper than the joists, so laying boards straight onto the joists squashes it flat and much of its value is lost.
Raised boarding solves that. Supports are fixed to the joists to lift the boards clear of the insulation, leaving an air gap underneath. The insulation stays at full depth, the boards stay dry, and the loft still gets the ventilation it needs at the eaves.
Loft clearance before boarding
Many lofts need emptying before they can be boarded. Old boxes, offcuts left by previous owners and loose debris are cleared, and anything you want to keep is moved to one side. Clearing first also gives a chance to look at the condition of the insulation, check for signs of damp or pests and see where cables run across the joists.
Cables are never buried or pinched under boards. Where wiring needs moving or making safe, that is work for an electrician, and the handyman or specialist guide explains where that line sits.
- Clearing the loft so the joists and insulation can be seen
- Checking the insulation, roof timbers and ventilation
- Fixing raised supports to the joists
- Laying tongue and groove boards across the chosen area
- Leaving access to junction boxes, tanks and pipes
- Boarding a safe landing around the hatch
Loft boarding regulations and sensible limits
Boarding a loft for light storage is generally treated as a repair or improvement rather than a conversion, so it does not usually need building regulations approval. Turning a loft into a room is a different matter, with structural, fire and stair requirements, and it is not part of this service. Boarding is also kept clear of the eaves so air can move through the roof space and condensation does not build up.
It helps to be realistic about weight. A boarded loft is for boxes, suitcases and seasonal items, not heavy furniture or a water tank full of books. Keeping heavier things near the walls where the joists are supported is good practice.
Loft ladders and lighting
A boarded loft is only useful if getting into it is easy. A fitted loft ladder with an insulated hatch door makes the space part of the house rather than somewhere you avoid. Boarding and the ladder are naturally done together, because the landing area at the top of the ladder is part of the floor plan. A loft light needs an electrician and can be arranged around the boarding.
The boards themselves are carpentry work, cut around roof timbers and trimmed neatly at the hatch, so loft boarding also sits alongside carpentry jobs such as new skirting or doors elsewhere in the house.
What affects the cost
The cost of loft boarding depends on the area to be boarded, whether a raised system is used, how much clearing is needed first, how easy the hatch is to get materials through and whether a ladder is added. The loft boarding cost guide explains these in more detail.
Loft boarding is one of the handyman services Danny takes on. To book a visit, send photos of the loft from the hatch, a rough idea of how much floor you want and your postcode through the contact page, or call 07470 053613.
If the opening is too small, see loft hatch installation. Boarding over deep insulation is explained in the loft boarding over insulation guide.
This work is part of our Handyman Services service.
Common questions
Loft boarding for safe, usable storage questions answered
Useful guides
Jobs a handyman can do, and when you need a specialist
A straight list of what to book a handyman for, and what not to.
Preparing your house for winter: a maintenance checklist
The autumn jobs that stop small problems becoming expensive ones.
Loft boarding cost: what decides the price
Raised or direct, small or large, and why the hatch matters more than you think.
Have a job in mind?
Tell Danny what needs doing and get a clear, no-obligation quotation.