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I am needing to build the base for my new loft to be erected upon. I was planning to use 9 x 3 inch timbers screwed to post sunken into the ground. The sourcing of the 9 x 3s is seeming hard and i need to do this asap. Can anyone reccomend any other ways or what thewy have done as a base for their loft to be erected upon?

Thanks in advance  

concrete block walls

Josh, I think 9x3 s' are over the top.  4x2 s' should be ok as long as you have enough of them adequately spaced.  If I were doing a base again, I would do the same as many Belgians, ie sink plastic drainage pipes into concrete, and filled with concrete, and lay the cross joints on these.  Of course if time is short this may not be an option.  Worth taking your time over though cos' once the loft's up it's up!

i think the posts which i was going to sink into the ground maybe a similar idea. I may take this idea and just use a smaller spec of timber instead of the 9 x 3s.

Thanks  

railway sleepers

Breeze blocks with 3" x 3" x 7ft posts lying on top. I,ve just done it this way and it was done quickly as the loft was coming earlier than planned. As long as you spread the wait all over, and its firm, you cant go wrong.

i am planning on driving posts into the ground to make a level base as the ground isnt completely flat. I will make enquiries into 7 x 2 or something similar tomorrow. does everyone think this will be suitable?

Like the idea of the posts ,but if I was doing it I would do it this way. For a 16foot x 8 foot base I would have 3 posts front and 3 posts at the back. Use a 7x2 along the length front and back , and then use 4x2 joist at 16 inch centres front to back, hold an elephant.
Hope this helps Surfer.

Quoted from joshdonlan

I am needing to build the base for my new loft to be erected upon. I was planning to use 9 x 3 inch timbers screwed to post sunken into the ground. The sourcing of the 9 x 3s is seeming hard and i need to do this asap. Can anyone reccomend any other ways or what thewy have done as a base for their loft to be erected upon?

Thanks in advance  

9x3 is way too heavy, that would do a single span, you could use 4x2 if supported every 2 or 3 feet or 6x2 every 3 or 4 feet,
I used 8x2 because it was as cheap as 6x2 at the time, get the support foundations right and the rest is easy, I like the idea of the tube pillars as it would be really easy to level your foundations, just watch the height compared to the width. The higher the pillar the wider the tube

Chickadee's

thanks for the help guys  

Quoted from shadow

railway sleepers

that is what we used on the new loft we recently erected

Quoted from TAMMY_1

that is what we used on the new loft we recently erected

theres one thing about these ,,,theyll last

Quoted from jimmy white

theres one thing about these ,,,theyll last

well they will  certainly see you and I out    

Thanks for the help. I have decided to go with 7 x 2 timbers to build my loft frame from. The loft is 16 x 6 so should i build a 16 x 6 frame or should this be smallet say 15 x 5 or something?

Any help is appreciated

i make my base 6 inch smaller so water running off loft dont rot it

Quoted from joshdonlan

Thanks for the help. I have decided to go with 7 x 2 timbers to build my loft frame from. The loft is 16 x 6 so should i build a 16 x 6 frame or should this be smallet say 15 x 5 or something?

Any help is appreciated

Build the base frame 16 x 6 and make your framing the same size, then lip your sheeting or weather boarding over the joint between framing and base by about 25 mm this stops any dampness if you are ling it do the inside first, make the roof as least 6" overhang all the way round

your loft looks cracking mate  

Quoted from joshdonlan

your loft looks cracking mate  

Cheers, I made the mistake of making it one big aviary, splitting in three sections this week  

DOVEScot where would you say the cheapest place for timber would be

well it does grown on trees Damian lol , plenty of timberyards Damian i use MKM GOOGLE TIMBERYARDS/ builders merchants or saw mills depends what your looking for