Undersized beams

[Stylo]

We want to lay new flooring in an attic loft (previously there was just a thin wooden floor which was in quite poor condition). The beams are about 70x110, with a span of approximately 115, and a span width of 5.4m. I was thinking of gluing/screwing floorboards and then flooring on top of that, but I understand that the beams are somewhat weak and the spacing/span width is large. There is the possibility of tearing down the light wall shown in the picture and making it load-bearing since it stands on a beam to help two of the beams. Does anyone know if there are other reasonable measures to make it stable?

 

[fribygg]

Double the number of floor beams, regular two-inch timber should be sufficient if the flooring can have a supporting structure underneath, choose a thick tongue-and-groove floor for the loft.

 

[pacman42]

Another option is to screw and glue more material to the beams. Laminated wood screwed and glued from the side should work well.

 

[Stylo]

Another option is to screw and glue more material to the beams. Laminated wood screwed and glued from the side should work well.

Okay, though I potentially have a little problem with getting support for the added material because there are support legs on each side of the beams that would be in the way, can this material be split in some way?

 

[z_bumbi]

Less reinforcement is needed if they are placed on the underside or topside, i.e., the height of the beams increases instead of the width. What is needed in thickness and material needs someone to calculate.

 

[fribygg]

I think it will be sufficiently stable as long as you nail on two-inch tongue-and-groove boards, but there will probably be some flex with a span of over five meters.

 

[Stylo]

Less reinforcement is needed if they are placed on the underside or topside, meaning the height of the beams increases instead of the width. The required thickness and material need to be calculated by someone.

Unfortunately not an option as we do not have enough ceiling height

 

[Stylo]

Double the number of floor beams, common two-inch timber should be sufficient if the floor structure can have supportive bracing underneath, choose a rough tongue and groove floor for the loft.

Okay, that sounds like a promising idea