Remove purlin cross braces?

[Sloper]

Hi, I'm in need of some expert advice.

I'm flooring my loft just for storage purposes and, if it's possible, would like to remove those cross braces (I'm not sure of the correct terminology) that run across the loft between the two purlins.

I remember the builder who did our bathroom a few years back, telling me that those braces could go, as they were just used when the roof was being built. However, I'm not so sure he's right! If they have to stay, it's no biggie, it's just that walking around up there would be so much easier without them in the way.

Can they go or should they stay?

 

[Sloper]

Nobody knows?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Wrong time of year, ask in January!

 

[Sloper]

Wrong time of year, ask in January!

Haha 😃 My back will be ruined by then.

 

[KenGMac]

Sloper, hi.

Could be that the cross bracing is designed to attempt to prevent the purlin from twisting? but, the dimension's of the cross bracing is small and the cross brace would tend to buckle or bend, and deform itself?

 

[ldoodle]

I asked a builder friend the same question, for exactly the same reasons

Untitled

• ldoodle
• 8 Jan 2014
• 2

If I remember correctly, he called them 'collars' or 'collar ties' and said they really ought to stay.

I have 2 in my loft and it's like the hurdles getting from front to back and back again!

Interestingly, mine are bolted directly to the rafters, not to purlins, like this:

Untitled

• ldoodle
• 30 Dec 2014
• 1

Although mine aren't run in doubles.

I wanted to cut the collars where they run past the struts and bolt them to them.

 

[catlad]

Measure the distance between the purlins and knock the braces out, then measure again I don't think there will be much difference. On the left hand side of your picture were its narrow between your chimney and purlin and are not likely to go much then you could cut one of those pieces of timber to size to prop the purlin against chimney and you could do one for the other side to and just knock it out while you are up there storing stuff.