Firewall and/or partition in open loft.

[thesled]

Hi. Just wondering what folks would think on this.

I have an Victorian era house. Long story short, it's effectively a semi, but it's been cut in 'half' (badly). It was originally one house. So, the loft is open into 'nextdoor' (which is effectively a lot smaller, because my half got the front door and hallway).

So in the loft, it's just open right across. Then there's a brick wall at the 'far' end. I'm just waiting for nextdoor to tell me they need access into 'their' loft because they have no hatch. So I'd like to put up a partition cum firewall at 'my' end. Then they'll have to make a hatch. However there's no question of brick or blockwork. The dividing wall between the houses is just a stud partition type affair which would have been an old internal bedroom wall.

I was thinking of screwing some sheets of OSB or ply to the roof timbers somewhere over the partition wall (guess it would have to be on my side) to form a reasonably solid wall and then screw or stick (maybe both) some fire rated plasterboard over it on my side. I'm wondering how I would seal it to the roof slates (and the partition wall at the bottom come to that), as it's just bare on the inside (no underlay or felt type stuff).

I'm at an early stage on this so any thoughts welcome.

 

[motorbiking]

Make a standard stud wall filled with rockwool. You can go double thickness on your side which will give at least a 30 minute fire break. If you attach the board on the far side to battens you can run screws at 90 degrees when attaching to the stud (adjacently) this will mean you can do everything from your side.

Check your deeds first however, this may be regarded as common area, in which case you have no right to prevent access.

 

[John D v2.0]

I'm just waiting for nextdoor to tell me they need access into 'their' loft because they have no hatch

This statement intrigued me, why do you think they're going to tell you that, and even if they do, is that their right according to the deeds? And if they do, what's to stop the work only going ahead at that point?

 

[thesled]

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, I should have a look at the deeds, as I actually do have them which is a bonus. However, any notable rights for others are normally summarized in the Land Registry extract and I know there aren't any. However I certainly don't want to build a wall and then find my neighbours have got a legal right through it.

I like the idea of the rockwool wall and the method of attachment is suitably crafty. I assume this would mean the board type rockwool, not the soft sort you roll out in the loft as insulation.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Mineral wool batting (the "solid type") would be easier to install, but not that much. Just wear a P3 dust mask and gloves when handling it. A £20 investment in a Stubai insulation knife is well worthwhile (they work with many types of insulation). They may look like a bread knife but they cut faster and cleaner than any bread knife or saw and with less dust, something you come to appreciate in an already a hot, dusty attic. I've had mine about 6 years and it helps make insulation installation a less horrible job

 

[thesled]

Great tip !
Hopefully I'll be able to cut the insulation outside or at worst in the garage but even so.