Lofts are the perfect out-of-sight, out-of-mind solution for your undesired belongings that come down just once or twice a year: suitcases, Christmas decorations and the odd bits and pieces. Most people don’t even know exactly what is in their loft. What happened to that 14-year-old suitcase when you upgraded? Why do you lose Christmas decorations every single year?
This magical disappearance of your property doesn’t need to be the norm. Structuring your loft storage carefully can make the most out of your space and ensure you know exactly what you are hoarding…. or storing.
Loft Shelving for added space
You can get more storage space by making efficient use of your loft through intelligent loft shelving. LoftZone’s innovative and simple-to-fit steel truss shelves are the ideal solution for this.
LoftZone’s shelves work perfectly for trussed-roof lofts, otherwise known as the V or W shaped timber beams (typically found in most UK houses built since the 1990s). These sturdy steel shelf panels are super simple to install, automatically finding the right level between the loft beams before being securely fitted with the provided screws. They offer 600x610mm of storage space, able to withstand 12kg of household possessions.
When it comes to preparing your loft for shelving, you’re going to want to ensure you have ample space. How much space you might need will depend on the number of items you wish to store. In order to easily access these new shelves and safely manoeuvre in your loft space, you’re going to want to have your loft boarded.
Boarding your loft to add a storage room
While most people tend to opt for boarding their entire loft space, it’s not essential, and our modular StoreFloor allows you to start and then build more later when your storage requirements go up. Alternatively, you can be sparing and create walkways to provide access to your shelving. However, if you’re looking to maximise your storage solution, the more boarding you have, the more storage space you’ll get.
At LoftZone, we have designed our StoreFloor boarding system, which is the most robust raised system available! LoftZone StoreFloor can hold up to an impressive 500kg per square metre due to its Tri- and Uni-Supports made from solid engineering-grade recycled plastic, making it much stronger than the joists of a typical loft. And our StoreFloor Compact is made from the same strong material.
StoreFloor and StoreFloor Compact will strengthen your joists (they act as a lattice beam); however, you should still be careful not to overload your loft. This is a great opportunity to sift through all the belongings you’re keeping up there and make sure each item is still used (even if it’s not often) and adds value to your life. If it’s just going to take up space and overload your loft, perhaps think about storing it elsewhere, donating or disposing of it.
Not only will this boarding provide great new freedom with your storage capabilities, but raised loft boarding will also improve the efficiency of your insulation, leading to reduced heat loss and fewer energy bills as a result.
Making the best use of your new Storage Space
Now you have the infrastructure and space to store your belongings. We recommend investing in some stackable boxes to make the best use of the verticality your loft offers. We would also
suggest that some of these containers have lids to protect the contents from dust commonly found in lofts. Using clear boxes allows you to more clearly keep track of what is where within your loft, though if you prefer to avoid plastic, then cardboard boxes, clearly marked, are fine too.
Once you have your loft filled, you might want to obtain some suitable lighting to ensure you can effortlessly see your belongings. LoftZone offer LED Loft Lights that are motion-sensing to illuminate your surroundings when looking for something in your loft, with 10-hours of continuous battery life. They are easily attachable to either wood or metal, allowing you to place them anywhere convenient.
With good preparation and abundant space, you’ll soon be ready to store your items with ease. If you have any questions or would like assistance in how we can make the most out of your loft, get in touch, and a member of the team will be on hand to help out!