Why install attic stairs and flooring
#1. To increase usable space in the home to help you maintain a clean clutter free home.
#2. To add value. Easy access storage space will increase property appeal and maximise valuable space.
#3. To save on storage fee's by storing and organising items at home where they are close to hand.
#4. To take charge of storage by creating a space where boxes can be organised and kept dry.
#5, To safe guard treasures, your ceiling is not a obvious place and helps to conceal valuables.
How tall are Attic Island stilts?
The stilts are 8 inches or 200mm above the joist height. So you can have up to 310mm of insulation from the top of the ceiling board if your joists are 100mm deep. This is the optimum level of insulation. You can view the standards for NZ insulation on the EECA Energywise website
Which Attic boards can be used with the product?
18mm- Particle/chipboard or flooring product, or 12mm or thicker ply wood. To get the best value for money you should use 600x1200mm or 600x2400mm boarding. Strandfloor offer a 20mm flooring which is perfect and very strong.
What will I need to raise the boarded section in my attic?
A box or two of Attic Island storage stilts, some boards, an electric screwdriver or impact driver and some 35mm self-tapping screws.
Will they fit on the joists in my attic?
Attic Island storage stilts can be secured to any joist between 1½-2 inches(35-55mm). This covers most attics. The grippers fold flat so they can attach to anything.
The joists in my attic are 425mm apart so do not fit 1200mm boards well – Do the Attic Island Storage Stilts have to be on the edges of the boards?
No they do not. It is fine for the boards to overhang the top plate of the stilts but we recommend that they overhang no more than 200mm. You should also take care not to walk or store heavy objects on the overhanging sections as this will be weak.
What size boarded area will 24 Attic Island storage stilts create?
4.8m2 or larger depending on the joist spacing and board size.
How big is the circular platform on top of the stilt?
The top platform of the soft stilt is 150mm wide. This allows you to place 2 edges or the corners of 4 boards on 1 stilt.
How thick does ceiling insulation really need to be to prevent heat loss?
We advise a ceiling value of R4.0 to really stop heat loss. You will need a thickness of 200mm or more to achieve this with glass wool, polyester or sheep's wool insulation. Never squash the insulation as heat will then be lost through it.
What weight will the Attic Island storage stilts hold?
Each stilt can support a weight of more than 850kg, which is stronger than the joists in your attic. Along with structural engineers, we recommend a load of no more than 50kg stored per m² of boarded area in a loft just to play it safe, but they are safe to walk on once fixed.
How far apart should I place the Attic Stilts?
This depends on the thickness of your flooring/boards. If you are using 12mm ply we advise no more than 600mm spacing. If you have a reccommneded thicker boards of 18mm or above you can bridge up to 1m quite safely.
Can I walk on the raised storage platform?
Yes you can safely walk on the platform once everything is screwed down and you have used the correct thickness of boards.
I am having my ceiling insulated by an insulation company – Should I put the stilts in before or after the loft’s been insulated?
It is best thing for you to do is do steps 1 and 2 on the instructions before the fitters install the loft insulation (See the Installation page). They will then lay the insulation and the circular plates will poking out the top. You can then simply put the boards on and screw them into the Loft Stilts in a few places.
If you have blanket insulation installed its very easy to fit Attic Islands afterwards by simply rolling back the blanket. Once the Stilts are in place you can roll the blanket insulation over them, create a small slit and pop each stilt through the insulation to create a snug fit.
I do not want to take the boards up in my attic – Can I secure Loft Storage Stilts to boards?
Yes you can as the grippers at the end of the Stilt fold flat so they can be fixed to flat surfaces. Please make sure the surface you fix to is strong enough to take the intended weight.
How many Attic Island storage stilts will I need?
This will depend on the size of the storage space you need and the size of the boards used. Using larger boards will require the use of fewer Attic Island stilts – they should never be placed more than 1000mm apart.
What size boarded area will 12 Attic Island storage stilts create?
Up to 2.4m2. If you have joists at 900mm apart you can create an even bigger area with fewer stilts.
Can I put Attic Island storage stilts over spot-lights?
No. Spot-lights should never be covered. However it can be a good idea to use square boards so you can leave some boards missing that would have down lights below them otherwise. Always keep your insulation 200mm clear of any halogen down light and 50mm clear of any standard light.
You can also install 'Insulation Coverable' (IC) LED downlights. These are far safer and can be covered with insulation to close off the heat loss. They will also last far longer.