A mineral wool upgrade to a traditional cold loft, completed by one of the vetted, insured installers we work with. The roof space started with a thin, settled layer of original wool — here is what changed, in the installer's own photographs.
These photographs are from a real loft project carried out by one of the vetted installers we work with. Glasgow Loft Insulation arranges the free survey and the written quote; the installation itself is carried out and guaranteed by the installer. Property details are described in general terms — we do not publish customer names, addresses or locations.
A traditional cold loft: insulation at ceiling level, the roof slope itself left uninsulated and ventilated at the eaves. The starting point was a single thin layer of original wool laid between the joists — settled, unevenly spread, with bare patches where it had been walked on and where boxes had been shifted about. Well short of what a roof needs to hold heat in through the winter and keep it out through the summer.
Before anything was specified, the loft was checked properly: the access, the joist layout, the condition of whatever was already up there, the airflow at the eaves and any sign of moisture. That inspection is what decides the work. A photograph and a phone call are not enough to specify a loft, and we would not quote a job on that basis.
The recommendation was a full 270mm of Knauf mineral wool. The old layer was left in place where it was sound and lifted where it was not, then the first run was laid tight between the joists and a second run cross-laid over the top at right angles, so the joist timbers are covered rather than left as a cold line running through the layer. Pipework in the void was lagged at the same time — raising the insulation above it leaves it sitting in colder air. The eaves were kept clear so the roof space still ventilates, the hatch was insulated and draught-sealed, and the loft was cleared and left tidy at the end.
Mineral wool is the dependable default for an open loft floor: it is non-combustible, it is straightforward to top up, and it takes a joist layout without any fuss. It needs depth to work, which is why the layer is built up and cross-laid rather than simply topped off.
The finished layer sits at a full, even depth across the whole ceiling, butted tight with no gaps at the edges or around the hatch. The eaves are clear, the pipework is lagged, and nothing is stored straight on top of the wool where it would compress it and lose depth. What a loft like this costs, and what it saves, depends on the property, how it is heated and how it is used — the only figure that means anything is the one on your own written quote, after someone has been up and looked.
If your home is anything like this one — thin or settled insulation, a converted room that never quite feels right, storage sitting straight on top of the layer, or simply no idea what is up there — the first step is the same for everyone.
Wondering what your own loft needs? Tell us about your property and we'll come back within 24 hours with a free, no-obligation quote.
Get my free quote