The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I have planning and about to get quotes for a new build extension and thinking of converting the loft area in to an armoury spec space. I would most likely still fit and use cabinets but like the idea of the extended security. The end walls would be block work and really it is the roof that l suspect would need the attention. The current build spec is 20mm board, roof lining finished with roof tile. Inside l would probably use Styrofoam between the joist and finish with plasterboard.

Anyone done something similar and would l need additional mesh in the roof construction?

someone i know did this and lined there loft with mild steel mesh then plaster board then plaster ,showed his feo and they were happy .

I fancy a cellar myself ......

Yep, just reread the Home Office guide and mesh it is.

The temperature fluctuations in a loft wouldn't be very good for guns or ammo, I'd have thought...

My gun room is in the loft. My cabinets are up there mine is an old house all the internal walls are brick. My cabinets are all raw bolted to brick walls in the loft. I have work benches up there and re loading equipment. All though now a days 90% of my reloading is done on a Wamadet or a Arbor press on my computer desk. I struggle with the access stair now a days and its a struggle to get up there.

Concrete in block work big steel door?

I was being disingenuous calling it a loft space as it will be fully boarded and will have a proper stairway up to it and space for a Stannah if needed when l get even older. It will be heated as well to protect the merchandise. It will even cater for a 15m airgun range through open doorways when l get bored on cold winter evenings.

Make sure you've got a reputable company to do the structural calc's for the extra weight and get it signed off by Building Regs! I've recently seen two loft conversions (just standard, not this sort of thing) collapse because the owners didn't hire the right people/get it checked/signed off by the council. One of the houses has been completely written off by it and the insurance company is contemplating not paying out because it was unauthorised!

Two people well past their first flush getting two Bratton 9 rifle cabinets up an aluminium ladder in the first place would have filled a novel.
Then after lugging the rifles up and down for 18 months, I'd had enough, and back down they came. (With the help of a neighbour)
It's one of those"seemed like a good idea at the time" projects..............believe me, as the years roll on, it doesn't get any easier lugging them up and down.
Plus, despite my loft insulation conforming to building regs, the temp/humidity spread doesn't do guns or ammo any favours.
I reload up there, but everything including consumables is stored downstairs, where the temp/RH is stable.

Pete