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lining a loft?

What is the cheapest way to line the rafters in my loft? I've thought about hardboard, but the weight worries me, I've thought about inch thick sheets of polystyrene, but am concerned about the fire risk. I checked on lining boards at B&Q they're £16.65 each (8ft x 4ft)and I need twenty of them.

Anyone got any good advice?

10 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    We recently used thin MDF (craftwood) ... we did find that in the large sheets we were using, it buckled a bit but if that doesn't bother you, it is cheap!

    In retrospect, we also thought that if we'd have run a few thin pieces of timber across, before attaching the MDF, it would have stopped the buckling (by nailing the MDF into that timber as well) and wouldn't have cost much extra.

    Check out the various thicknesses too! We used the thin one.

    Hope it works for you,

    Cheers

    Lindy

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    Loft Lining

  • 6 years ago

    This Site Might Help You.

    RE:

    lining a loft?

    What is the cheapest way to line the rafters in my loft? I've thought about hardboard, but the weight worries me, I've thought about inch thick sheets of polystyrene, but am concerned about the fire risk. I checked on lining boards at B&Q they're £16.65 each (8ft x 4ft)and I need twenty...

    Source(s): lining loft: https://bitly.im/LK9qS
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Never tried this, don't know if advisable

    but just as an idea - look at polycarbonate triple wall,

    as sold at Wickes for conservatories?

    Or, try "Mr Plastic" (they do plastics for houses, mail order).

    Plastic is a lot lighter than chipboard & mdf,

    it can be cut to size,

    and painted (to hide the look of the glass fibre insulation)?

    But I'm not sure about meeting the fire reg's aspect.

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  • Hi T
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    Fibre glass insulation between joists. Then tongue and grooved chip board on top, but the boards need to be small enough to get through your loft hatch.. You could go to a builders yard and ask them.

  • r m
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    do you mean rafters, the pieces that go from the edge to the top of the roof

    or joists, the bits that are horizontal and the ceiling attaches to

    what is it to be used for?

    if rafters ensure you keep an airgap next to the felt/paper etc lining assuming you have a cold roof.

    if joists use chipboard, preferably tongue and groove, 18mm min if you want to walk on it

    i dont quite get the polystyrene thing is there a reason not to use normal insulation

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Use slate lath and hardboard and insert insulation in the gap this is the cheapest and the more important the lightest method all other ideas cause weight problems on the roof structure. you are right about polystrene it does create a fire risk the lining boards at B&Q ARE REALLY THE BEST SOLUTION even though they are costly to buy

  • 1 decade ago

    depends what you want to do with it. if its for storage purposes, then you wont be worried about how it looks so go for loft insulation between the rafters then line it with plastic sheeting, stapling it to each beam. you could go further by using plasterboard. not too heavy.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    They are not and there would be no benefit to using them.

  • 1 decade ago

    done mine in chipboard.

    cheap, light and strong!

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