I've just replaced a rotting window in my loft with uPVC, it wasn't too hard. However, there's another one to do. This one is essentially adjacent to the loft hatch, so there's nowhere to stand. The rest of the loft is boarded.
So I can put boards down across the void while I'm working, but how thick? The gap is 36" or 915mm and I'm not light, would lengths of scaffold board be ok?
Or kitchen worktop?
yeah. that would be fine. I wouldn't go with much less. Maybe 18mm ply or chip...
+1 sound plan.
If the chipboard is narrower than the two sides of the hatch that are not 36" apart and just supported by two opposite sides of the hatch 36" apart then I wouldn't be standing in the middle of the span of 18mm chipboard. Plywood should be ok but I'd prefer 24mm or more.
Well chipboard bends before it breaks. Sure ply is better, but if you have some chip lying around...
Let's face it, most floors are 18mm chipboard and the joists are not THAT close
Scaffold boards should normally be supported every 1.2m. In reality they will do significantly further if you don't mind a bit of bend. So spanning a gap like that would be fine.
Thanks
Yeah, sounds like I need to find a skip, or maybe some offcuts.
In the past I've used an aluminium ladder across a larger void - with planks across the rungs to give your feet something safe to stand on. The only problem is that its a narrow platform to work from.
IMO a couple or three scaffolding boards side be side spanning a metre should be OK. Consider what happens on a building site - one guy working with a ton of bricks stacked beside him.
If you have the space, well worth storing a couple of scaffold boards for just such events.
I bought a load from a nearby scaffolder for £1/m - he was doing a stock rotation. They look fine to me - only cosmetic marks on most of them. But presumably there comes a time when they don't perform to spec - I'm just not sure when that is or how you tell. AI spectacularly useless on this occasion - gave a a figure of 3 to 4 years, but didn't know why or where they got that figure. But did point me to to some BS guidance on storage and moisture.
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