Extending a floor!

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:31 pm

Ok, some background. I bought a house that has been renovated from top to bottom by professionals. The top floor is an open plan room which means that a staircase leads up into the room. I want to make this room quieter and more private so I will build a partion wall with door. No sweat.

The problem is that by doing so I will lose a corner with a window and therefore natural light. I wish do overcome this by extending the floor area in that corner over the staircase. We are talking about an area og one square meter. Obviously I want the floor to be safe and stable.

I presume that fittings exist for this kind of work but I know not what. Please offer me any kind of advice. Its all welcome!

/ Paul Seager

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:21 pm

You should be able to extend the floor by using joist hangers and some joists the correct size-

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsess ... st+hangers

or if the existing joists run the correct way you may be able to join some new joists to the existing joists.

Is the current floor timber?

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:05 pm

Thanks.
I figured there must be something relatively straight forward for this.

Yes, the floor is timber and existing floor is covered using parquet.

The top of the stair case is panelled with simple pine so once I remove these I may be able to see the exising joists. That will take care of one side and I presume there will be something similar to fix onto the wall which is structural.

/ paul

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:08 pm

I'll move this to the joiners forum as they will best advise.

Wood Magnet · Post by **Wood Magnet** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:12 pm

Can you post any pictures Paul.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:19 pm

remember you must leave 2m headroom on the stairs [nosing to lowest part]

another idea

dont extend the floor area and build glass into the stud wall !!!

have you thought about safety and how gloomy the stair area will be if you remove light from the stairs

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:44 pm

Thanks for all of your feesdback,

I'll try and post some pictures (have to pinch the digicam off my daughter first!)

I am concious of the headroom factor (I'm a tall guy) and I have considered glass but I'm not that concerned about the light as there are electric lights up and down the staircase already. Its more about the space.

The corner which troubles me is a good storage area for things that I grasp regularly e.g. guitars. If I put up a wall where the staircase is now then the corner will be too tight to get in and out of comfortably.

I'll get onto those pictures as seeing is believing.

/ Paul

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:30 pm

To Big-all. Thanks for that light and safety comment. After some consideration I think you're right, a piece of glass in the stud wall would be an enhancement as the skylight window (see photo) does provide light to the statircase.

In the pictures, one can see an overhead beam which extends ca. 35cm. over the staircase. That will be an "attachment" point for the stud wall providing I am able to extend the floor.

My next step will be to remove the wood panelling and see what is under there. I don't expect to see open joists but how deep is the plaster likely to be before I can access them?

/ paul

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:20 pm

the way i would sort the floor

cut the facia back to where it needs to be
make up an oblong frame of 4x2" timber with the bit on the wall and opposit on the stairs the full length
mearsure a bit to fit in each end 3 or 4mm smaller for clearence
screw the frame together with 10x4" or 5x100mm screws or 4 inch nails

[assemble the frame on the floor]

introduce further joists every 400mm or 16" to match present flooring inside the frame

with help introduce finnished frame

you can ease this operation by temporeraly secuting 2 or 3 battons of 2x1" [use an offcut to mark the position]in position with three 4" screws or nails 1" proud this not only aids removing the nails it also allows yo to introduce the floor at a slight angle and miss the battons slightly without crashing to the floor

secure in place with 1screws per segment 2 inches from each side of the new joist

with 2 screws close to the end to support the last free standing joist

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:06 pm

Many thanks.

/ paul