Thread: Attic ladder installed - What beams can I remove or move inside roof?

Ok, I have had an attic ladder installed and want to utilise the space in the roof. I have two beams (collar beams?) that go across from one side to the other that are about chest height when you stand up in the roof. Now I know they must be there for a reason but is there anyway I can remove them?

yup, they stop the walls from blowing out .... you can't remove them. Rather, you can replace/move them but you need more information before doing so.

Just had a read of the framing standard, collar ties must be located in all coupled roofs, on every second rafter or at 1200mm intervals, they should be immediately above the underpurlins, which yours are. So looks like options are limited without an engineer since without them you need to stick to the standards.

I'd be more worried about the small ceiling rafters and hanging beam, doesn't look like the floor of a storage area to me. If possible use a laser level or stingline to assess the deflection of the current ceiling, mine sagged 7cm in the middle over a span of 3.6m (about 1:50) Current span tables allow for 1:360 maximum deflection, so if your ceiling is more than that, you really can't store stuff up there. Find an area above a load bearing wall and build your own frame and platform instead,

Cheers
Pulse

It really depends on what you plan to store. Christmas decorations are a different story to boxes of old books. But, yeah, wouldn't touch the collar beans without an approved plan to do their job some other way.

Originally Posted by seriph1

yup, they stop the walls from blowing out .... you can't remove them. Rather, you can replace/move them but you need more information before doing so.

Well actually they are collar ties to stop the roof from collapsing (which might also have some interesting affects on the walls if cut . . .) but as has been said these are not to be played with - and they are not easy to replace to offer the space you seem to want. As Pulse has said you should simply place some panelling on top of those ceiling joists and expect to put much load - or even be walking across the 'floor'. You could add some support beams parallel to that existing hanging beam and extending from wall to wall then place some flooring on top of those, but the ceiling structure was designed primarily to carry just the weight of the sub-structure itself and the ceiling lining (plaster) so you are probably restricted to maximum 200 kgs in total across the whole area (maybe less and that would include the weight of any 'flooring' you put in)- it was not designed to carry floor loads. Pity you didn't jump on here before you installed the ladder eh . . .

Maybe ask an attic conversion company what they can do for you and check if it's ok.

There's one in Sydney that takes these out. I'm presuming that as they put in council submissions of these that their engineer knows what is feasible and what isn't.

They put floor joists in alongside each ceiling joist and hang these off fairly substantial cross beams alongside the roof edge.

They then put in large wooden ties at the top and tie in the joists/cross beams.

This may be entirely dependent on your house as I wouldn't think it as ok for the weight of a tile roof. I also have reservations about the weight transfer on older walls/bricks/foundations, but as other have said it depends upon the weight of your christmas decorations

From the look of it your roof is not much higher than mine, so by the time the top ties have been put it it's either walk along slightly stooped, or duck/crawl twice. It might not be worth playing around with them if you are not carrying around anything heavy in the first place.

I would DEFINITELY take Bloss/Pulses advice regarding the ceiling/floor joists. We have much larger rafters in the rear of our house and and with just a roofers weight there was enough deflection to hairline plaster joints, although at a much larger span- would hate to see what it would do with that size joist...

Hope this helps...

Hi Guys,

Reppan I have attached a pic of my roof space that I made using air cell insulation, I had a similar problem with the beam, I just built around it, after a few head knocks you remember that it is there. You could paint it or dress it in insulation. I also built a new doorway into my roof space , no need to pull the ladder out and crawl through a small manhole anymore.

You don,t really spend that much time up there so my advice is just build around what is already there, My main purpose was to keep it dust free and the aircell is really good and strong, I just used some cheap 42mm pine for the framing, some big washers and screws to hold the insulation in place.

Hope this helps

Anthony

Don't use your roof for storage, they become roach settlements, and they invade your home through the ladder gaps. we know from experience. put your clutter in your shed. keep your roof clear and spray 6 month roach-killer spray every so often.

We had a very bad roach problem until I realised where they were getting in. living in the drains, up the water pipe, into the roof and down the attic ladder gaps. Now roach free!

.

Originally Posted by SurfKnight

Don't use your roof for storage, they become roach settlements, and they invade your home through the ladder gaps. we know from experience. put your clutter in your shed. keep your roof clear and spray 6 month roach-killer spray every so often.

We had a very bad roach problem until I realised where they were getting in. living in the drains, up the water pipe, into the roof and down the attic ladder gaps. Now roach free!

.

That's, err, if you have a roach problem in the first place. I don't think they wait around the neighbourhood on the lookout for someone to install an attic ladder before settling a little colony.