How To Turn Attic Into A Room

Codes vary from place to place but the rule of 7 for using an attic as an actual room typically applies.

How to turn attic into a room.

Converting your attic into a room can be a fantastic way to fully utilize the space in your home. Unlike other areas in your home there are unique tricks to finishing this space which provide a. Insert insulation into the cavity between joists the vapor barrier facing the room and not the external wall. That becomes the thermal barrier.

Embrace the angled walls and convert your attic into a master suite guest room office or a custom hideaway. Pull down stairs won t work for an attic room so you must add a permanent staircase. Create an extra bedroom a master suite a media room a play room or anything you can imagine for much less than the cost of an addition. Staple the insulation into the joists as directed by the insulation manufacturer.

My own old house was blessed with an unfinished attic when we bought it and i knew someday we would turn what was just a messy storage space into a livable room. Measure the headroom in your attic using your measuring tape. Try to compress the insulation as little as possible to avoid reducing the insulating value. At least half of your attic space must be 7 feet high by 7 feet wide with a total of 70 square feet.

Now to do that you have to be very careful to make sure you maintain some ventilation space. And the answer to that is if that attic is going to be a heated finished space then the insulation moves from the ceiling of the second floor up to the underside of the roof rafters. You can t just insulate the entire rafter bay because you ll trap moisture against the underside of the roof sheathing and cause it rot out.