How to make the most of your unused loft space

Through our years of working in the loft industry we’ve come to realise that homeowners too often forget about the potential of their own loft. People always think about extending their houses when they need more space, but for some reason lofts are often forgotten in their plans. The best way of making good use of your loft if you’re on a budget is to lay loft boards and use it for storage. 

 

Boarding a loft for storage does not give you any more living space but it can provide an economical storage area so you can free up space in your existing rooms. 

 

The first step in gaining access to your loft is to install a loft ladder. This can be done quite simply, and very inexpensively. If you fit a proper loft ladder you will no longer need to go into the shed and get out that rickety old ladder and lug it upstairs, only to risk breaking your neck! 

You might need to enlarge your loft hatch to fit the ladder and we have a project to help you with that. 

 

Sliding aluminium loft ladders are fine for the occasional foray into the attic, but if used more regularly a wooden loft ladder is perhaps more pleasing to look at, especially if the ladder is left extended for any period of time. 

 

Once you have gained access to the loft for your storage, the next stage is to introduce some light. The most cost-effective way of doing this is to fit electric lights, and it is a simple job for any qualified electrician to install lights for you. We recommend that you have a light switch with an ‘on’ indicator light fitted outside the loft, so you can tell if you have left the light on by mistake. You could have a two-way switch so you can turn the light on or off at the top or bottom of the ladder. 

 

Loft insulation is a barrier of material within your roof space. It can either be laid between the joists (the horizontal beams along the floor of your attic) or the rafters (the angled beams that support the roof). Either way, it slows down the transfer of heat between your living space and the outside world, creating a warmer home in winter and a cooler one in summer. 

 

Loft stowaway trays offer a unique solution to the issue of compressed insulation. This fantastic product is a simple enough concept; sliding trays which sit upon aluminium runners. 

 

The tray itself is made of the same material as the boarding, and when installed correct, sit on the floor joists and therefore above each roll of insulation. The trays are installed between the trusses or underneath the eaves, meaning that every inch of the loft can be used efficiently. 

 

A slight variation to the sliding tray, the loft shelves are a fantastic new product that can provide valuable extra storage space - specifically within trussed roof lofts. 

 

Installed between the trusses to create suspended storage shelves, this cleverly designed product is suitable to fit between standard width timbers. They are also energy efficient, as they don't come into contact with the insulation. The boarded area within the loft is also left free for the heavier items. 

 

Check out our Loft Boarding page for more information. 

 

The Loft Access Company have over 14 years’ experience in all things loft related - including installing loft insulation. If have any other questions or would like to book in a no-obligation survey, please get in touch. Thank you for reading!