The Lemon Fool

I'm fitting a loft ladder shortly - in preparation for that I am laying some chipboard panels 320mm x 1220mm over the joists.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Chipboar ... 3/p/116420

The instructions say to lay in a staggered pattern. I just wonder why? - it's a small area, probably less than 2.5sq.mm and the boards will be laid at right angles to the joists and all the joints will be over a joist.

Also, just having a bit of a moan.......... some 1.5 t&e lighting cables in the area have been run on top of the joists. I can move them to the side of the joists and will mark the boards for future reference................BUT why would someone do this, it just makes them so prone to damage :

Thanks

GG

it's a small area, probably less than 2.5sq.mm

I reckon you'll be needing a magnifying glass, then.

WRT running cables over the joists, I have a dim recollection that you're not supposed to allow them to be covered up by the loft insulation. Fire risk, apparently. I can see the logic of not allowing connector boxes, etc, to be covered by insulation, but I'd have thought that uninterrupted cable runs would surely have been safe?

BJ

Yes, magnifying glass at the ready

I'll have to check further.

Thanks

GG

GarraGee wrote:I'm fitting a loft ladder shortly - in preparation for that I am laying some chipboard panels 320mm x 1220mm over the joists.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Chipboar ... 3/p/116420

The instructions say to lay in a staggered pattern. I just wonder why? - it's a small area, probably less than 2.5sq.mm and the boards will be laid at right angles to the joists and all the joints will be over a joist.

Also, just having a bit of a moan.......... some 1.5 t&e lighting cables in the area have been run on top of the joists. I can move them to the side of the joists and will mark the boards for future reference................BUT why would someone do this, it just makes them so prone to damage :

Thanks

GG

I think that staggering the joints is just generally good practice. It may not make a difference but might result in a more rigid installation.

John

Thanks for all the comments in such a short time.

Fortunately, there's only a small amount of cabling, so I will just keep that area clear of insulation.

FWIW, this thread is interesting:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/sho ... p?t=606627

Also, just noticed that some cable has been clipped to the top of a joist - that, to me, is really careless. If I can't run it somewhere else, I'll have to raise the boards somehow.

Happy New Year.

GG

GarraGee wrote:Also, just noticed that some cable has been clipped to the top of a joist - that, to me, is really careless. If I can't run it somewhere else, I'll have to raise the boards somehow.

Is it possible to cut a small notch across the top of the joist to run the cable through, to avoid having to raise the boards?

Staffordian

Is it possible to cut a small notch across the top of the joist to run the cable through, to avoid having to raise the boards?

Yes, I think so. This is what I will aim for.

GG

Sorry, I haven't got the gist of the formatting options