fitting a cupboard

[Neil]

Hello

Our house is a maisonette, therefore the rooms upstairs have exposed beams. a bonus of this type of room is the fact that there are right angled triangular shaped cupboards either side of the room where the walls have been taken staight down. eg the space that exists between the wall and the outside sloping roof. I need to fir out one of these to make a cupboard. There is already floorboardds down, however on the roof part you can see the felt (or black material) i was thinkinh about fitting sheets of hardboard to all surfaces (to joists and roof joists) to create a cupboard type space.

1.can anyone recommend the best material for doing this?

1. when fixing to cealing joists to hide roof do I have to take ventilation into consideration? I dont want to fit it then create a condensation damp problem for myself.?

Thanks

[Christian McArdle]

Is the upstairs habitable or, indeed, inhabited? Is there any insulation to the ceiling?

Christian.

[Weatherlawyer]

see the felt.

You might want to cut some venting into the doors if you are having any fitted. They can become part of a design pattern if you are competent.

Mark or measure where the joists meet the floor. Tack some visquene on the top of the slope and slide some plasterboard into place. Use screws for ease. The visquene will be held in place as you fit the boards.

However if you are going to insulate you might as well tack the plastic as far down as it can be done to hold the wool in place.

Tiled and felted roofs are well ventilated. However a lot of moisture rises from what is generated in the building -which is why you may want to include vents in the doors. The visquene is just insurance against losing a tile or two in the future.

You won't be able to fix anything much below a foot or two up from the floor depending on the slope. Which is why I suggest you wedge the first boards in there at the bottom. Don't bother getting fancy joints if it is awkward, just run some plaster or filler up it. Remember it is only a cupboard.

You might want to consider a light in there before you start? Put it in first and you can see what you are doing. Just board over the wire as you go.

[meow2222]

yes, good idea. Suggest 3w CFLs, cost peanuts to put them in, wont be a fire risk, and should last decades with cupboard use. Makes life easier.

NT