Raised loft boarding and storage that protects your insulation

The problem with boarding straight onto joists

Insulation works best when it keeps its full thickness. Many lofts have been boarded by fixing chipboard directly to the ceiling joists, either with thin insulation underneath or with thicker insulation squashed flat. Compressed insulation does not do its job properly, so the rooms below can end up colder.

Boarding laid tight over insulation can also trap moisture in some lofts and makes it harder to keep the eaves ventilated. A little planning avoids both problems.

We often find the opposite problem too: insulation that has been pulled back or removed to make room for boxes, leaving bare patches of ceiling. Those patches can become cold spots in the rooms below. The aim is to have both full-depth insulation and somewhere sensible to store things, without one undoing the other.

Raised boarding on legs

The usual solution is to fix loft legs, sometimes called stilts, to the joists and lay the boards on top. This lifts the floor above the insulation so it can sit at its full depth underneath. It also leaves a small air space, which helps.

We use loft legs and boards designed for domestic loft storage, fitted to the manufacturer's guidance. Where depth is limited, a slimmer insulation build-up, such as SuperQuilt multifoil combined with other insulation, can sometimes help, but performance always depends on the full build-up and we will explain the options for your loft.

Joist loading: a loft is not a room

Most ceiling joists were sized to hold up a ceiling, not to carry heavy furniture or a room's worth of use. Boarding spreads loads a little, but it does not make the joists stronger.

• Light to moderate storage, such as boxes, suitcases and seasonal items, is what most boarded lofts are used for.
• Very heavy items such as gym equipment, large book collections, water tanks or safes should not go in the loft without advice.
• If you want to use the space as a room or for heavy loads, a structural engineer should assess the joists first.

We will tell you honestly if we have any concerns about how you plan to use the space, and we will not board a loft and describe it as a room.

Walkways, layouts and lighting

Not every loft needs boarding wall to wall. Often the most practical layout is:

• a boarded area close to the hatch for everyday storage
• a safe walkway to tanks, aerials or anything that needs occasional access
• open, full-depth insulation left towards the eaves where headroom is low

Keeping boards back from the eaves also helps ventilation air get into the roof space. Good lighting makes a big difference too. Any new electrical work, including loft lights and switches, should be carried out by a qualified electrician, and we can plan the layout around it.

Our process

1. At the free survey we look at the joists, existing insulation, headroom, hatch size and what you want to store.
2. We suggest a layout and give you a written quote.
3. We top up or replace insulation if needed, fit the loft legs and lay the boards, keeping ventilation and access routes clear.
4. We tidy up and show you the finished area.

If boards will not fit through your hatch, we can enlarge it and fit a loft ladder at the same time.

When boarding is not right

We may advise against boarding, or suggest a smaller area, if the joists look undersized or damaged, there are signs of damp or leaks, headroom is very low, or wiring and pipework would make it unsafe. Damp, electrical and structural concerns should be assessed by a qualified specialist before we board over them.

Plan your loft storage

If you would like more usable storage without losing the benefit of your insulation, book a free survey. Call 07835 254 241, email info@energyloftinsulation.co.uk, or see how boarding fits into a complete loft makeover.