Purlin to joist 2x1's - name and purpose?

[Twilo]

Hi all,

I have a Victorian three bed end terrace. The loft is currently being used to store junk on a few loosely placed old loft boards that will shortly be removed along with said junk. I'll then get it boarded out properly.

My question is, what are the vertical 2x1's running from the purlins to the joists for and what are they called? They're pretty flexible, so don't appear to be doing much and fixed in with a nail on either end. I can only assume that collectively they're for additional joist support to prevent bowing or something?

Only feedback I've had so far is that they might be something from the build stage and "could possibly be removed". However, the ceilings underneath are lovely and flat with no cracks so there is concern they wont stay that way if these are removed. There is a supporting wall running the width of the house through the middle.

Can these be removed?

Thanks

 

[RandomGrinch]

My question is, what are the vertical 2x1's running from the purlins to the joists for and what are they called?

They're 'hangers', they support the ceiling joists from the purlin, to help avoid sagging ceilings.

Whether you get rid of them, may depend on what size your existing ceiling joists are and what you attempt to do to strengthen them - also are your ceilings plasterboard (overboarded or not), or lath and plaster?

 

[Twilo]

Thanks for the info.

The joists are 2x3" spaced approx 21" apart. Ceilings are all plasterboard as the whole upstairs layout has been modified from the original at some point in the relatively recent past.

I would be getting a tradesperson in to do any modifications to the roof but purely out of interest, what kind of strengthening would generally be applied? Fixing secondary joists to the originals?

It's already sounding like it's not worthwhile, just for storage, but it would be nice to have the whole space opened up as I'm tall and clumsy and would probably be accessing it fairly regularly to retrieve various items.

Thanks

 

[Dereekoo]

Thanks for the info.

The joists are 2x3" spaced approx 21" apart. Ceilings are all plasterboard as the whole upstairs layout has been modified from the original at some point in the relatively recent past.

I would be getting a tradesperson in to do any modifications to the roof but purely out of interest, what kind of strengthening would generally be applied? Fixing secondary joists to the originals?

It's already sounding like it's not worthwhile, just for storage, but it would be nice to have the whole space opened up as I'm tall and clumsy and would probably be accessing it fairly regularly to retrieve various items.

Thanks

And the span from side wall to centre wall?

 

[Twilo]

12 - 13ft

 

[RandomGrinch]

The joists are 2x3" spaced approx 21"

2x3's are a little bit slim for decent storage, over that span.
But at least it's plasterboard, rather than lath and plaster that could crack, or over boarding - where the joists are already supporting extra weight.

but purely out of interest, what kind of strengthening would generally be applied? Fixing secondary joists to the originals?

It depends on what you want to achieve. If you are planning on a loft conversion at any point, you could go the whole hog and get a floor suitable for that, installing separate larger joists, maybe even steels etc.
If it's only going to be a bit of light storage, you could consider sistering some larger joists to the existing, using cross joists, or as I've done, add some reinforcement to the existing, along these lines...

Strengthening Loft floor

I am looking into having my loft converted for storage. I want the floor boarded, roof plasterboarded and loft ladder installed. The loft currently is full of a lot of boxes possibly 100kgs worth. I have had someone come round to quote for the work and they have advised me ''that...

www.diynot.com

 

[Dereekoo]

12 - 13ft

Depending whether you span 4m or 2m (with hangers) give deflection of joists 6mm or 1mm (assuming ceiling loads of 10kg/m2 and c16 wood) so defo do not remove your hangers.