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Any idea what these are for and can i cut them out?


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As per the topic really.

 

image.png.5060903a5bd0bea09267ace1e56b7120.png

 

There is one of these vertical timbers in each quarter of the loft space, which I have realised after getting a thermal image camera, are causing a cold bridge into the rooms below.

 

Ideally i'm just wanting to cut them out, but are they actually doing anything? My gut feeling is no they aren't, since the purlin rests on masonry, and that will be doing the heavy lifting, one tiny piece of wood onto an unsupported ceiling joist wouldn't work even if it had to, but just wondering why they are there? what are their purpose?

 

Cheers

Mike

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26 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Could it be that vertical timber is helping support the ceiling by hanging that binder from the purlin?  Removing it may make the ceiling below start to sag?


yeah that’s certainly feasible, that particular one on the photo has a horizontal timber too going over the ceiling joists, the others kind of have this but the horizontal is nowhere near the vertical. Hadn’t considered that with the horizontal one being there and I’ve not checked how these verticals are attached and where to. In that case I’ll look into cladding them with insulation board on 3 sides and something breathable on the 4th

 

 

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Don't cut it out. It appears to be holding up the cross timber which further supports the ceiling joists. It looks rather skinny hrnce the exta support.

 

And someone has cut out the tops of joists for services.  Too many i think.

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I've just sorted a ceiling that had exactly this kind of extra support in it. It was on an area that the ends of ceiling joists had rotted out so to stop it sagging they installed a binder and a struts to the rafters. Ive been able to replace the rotten timbers but my first plan was to double up the binder and get it supported both ends and do away with the hanging strut. The latter might be an option for you?

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10 hours ago, saveasteading said:

Don't cut it out. It appears to be holding up the cross timber which further supports the ceiling joists. It looks rather skinny hrnce the exta support.

 

And someone has cut out the tops of joists for services.  Too many i think.

 

Yeah they were like that when we bought the place, so been that way for at least 16 years. Theres not a great deal of 'stuff' in the loft, so no great weights bearing down on the timbers

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1 hour ago, Beau said:

I've just sorted a ceiling that had exactly this kind of extra support in it. It was on an area that the ends of ceiling joists had rotted out so to stop it sagging they installed a binder and a struts to the rafters. Ive been able to replace the rotten timbers but my first plan was to double up the binder and get it supported both ends and do away with the hanging strut. The latter might be an option for you?

 

Yeah would be an option, but for what its worth i'll just insulated the hanger/vertical strut for ease

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