ᐅ Attic space - tongue-and-groove boards - installation tips?

Created on: 5 Nov 2019 20:54
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Andre77
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Andre77
5 Nov 2019 20:54
Hey,

the roof truss might be installed next week or the week after. On that occasion, I want to use the already available crane to lift the tongue-and-groove boards into place. Now I’m wondering which length would be best to order so that they fit optimally.

The general contractor mentions in his information that the attic floor should only be made walkable after two heating periods due to residual moisture in the wood and the risk of mold. However, he gives his approval (or recommendation) if you want to start work early on a partial area under the ridge, with a width of 100cm (40 inches). The attic measures 2.83m (9 feet 3 inches) by 9m (29 feet 6 inches). I was thinking of ordering 3-meter (10-foot) long boards and laying them from eaves to eaves. With the 100cm (40 inches) recommendation, that would leave a free strip to the eaves on each side that would eventually need to be covered. Or would it be better to lay the boards from gable to gable to better accommodate the 100cm (40 inches) area?

I’m a bit unsure about this...

Thanks for any ideas!
Dr Hix6 Nov 2019 09:46
You won’t be able to install the boards from gable to gable, as the joists (to which the boards are screwed) usually run parallel to the gable.

Regarding the length, you need to base it on the spacing of the joists, because with a 9m (30 ft) span, the boards will have to be joined on one or two joists. So, measure from one gable wall to the center of any joist up to 5.1m (17 ft) away to get your first length. Ideally, this length should closely match a standard commercial length (3000 to 5100 mm (10 to 17 ft) in 300 mm (1 ft) increments). Depending on this, you can then determine which standard lengths fit well to minimize waste and labor.
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Andre77
6 Nov 2019 10:16
@Dr Hix
Thank you for your feedback.

I assume you mean option 2, where you would ideally place three 3m x 3m (10ft x 10ft) sections in a row?
By option 1, I meant from eaves to eaves, so perpendicular to the gable.

Two rectangles: left shaded, right striped; 9 cm (3.5 inches) high, 2.83 cm (1.1 inches) wide.
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garfunkel
6 Nov 2019 17:27
It doesn’t really matter, does it?
How much wood do you want to have lifted up with the crane? Probably all of it, right?
Dr Hix6 Nov 2019 19:02
Yes, I meant option 2.

Option 1 (on the left in the picture) will not work, as stated, because the beam layer has the same orientation.
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Andre77
6 Nov 2019 20:35
garfunkel schrieb:

It doesn’t really matter, does it?
How much wood do you want to have lifted up with the crane, probably all of it?

Yes, all of it. But it would make sense to know how to plan the lengths so that they rest properly on the beam. In that respect, Dr Hix’s information was very helpful.