How Do You Build In An Attic Space

Adding a floor to an attic can increase storage space or create a new room.

How do you build in an attic space.

That means you ll need 2x10 floor joists or maybe 2x8 in rare circumstances and at least 2x12 roof rafters. Alternatively your attic may already have some sort of floor but this doesn t necessarily mean you can build rooms. In the case of a rental unit you may build a staircase on the outside of the house if desired. Have treads of at least 10 deep.

Then you ll need to build a grid like structure that can hold up the plywood flooring. Consult your local building code or a. If you already have an attic a pull down ladder can cost anywhere from 400 to 1300. If it satisfies this and the following criteria in this section you re good go get started in finishing the project.

At least 50 percent of the attic space must have 7 foot 2 1 m clearance. Building codes will not allow a permanent living area without a permanent stairs leading to it. Check that converting your attic is actually feasible. Chances are you ve got plumbing and bath fan vents running through your attic.

Measure the clearance and estimate the square footage of your attic. To convert your attic to living space you cannot provide access via a ladder. Have risers that are at least 7 1 4 high. If your attic joists won t bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage you can install inch plywood or.

Do not be tempted to diy any building project you will be breaking the law and it could put you and your family at risk. You probably don t have a permanent staircase leading to your unfinished attic space but you will need one. That s something you can do yourself as long as you follow the building codes for pipe and duct size slope and insulation. The previous homeowner may have simply covered the joists with plywood to use the space for storage.

This is often cheaper than building a new wardrobe yet you have access to a whole lot more space. Before you start creating a floor for your attic you must make sure that it can handle the additional load. Be at least 36 wide. The missing piece of information is those miserable little beasts called the building and energy codes.

Attics with existing flooring. Once you convert attic space into living space you need to bring it up to the standards of modern building codes. Make sure the attic has a full size staircase.