How Do You Build In An Attic Space

Alternatively your attic may already have some sort of floor but this doesn t necessarily mean you can build rooms.

How do you build in an attic space.

Consult your local building code or a. Have risers that are at least 7 1 4 high. Before you start creating a floor for your attic you must make sure that it can handle the additional load. That means you ll need 2x10 floor joists or maybe 2x8 in rare circumstances and at least 2x12 roof rafters.

Have treads of at least 10 deep. Once you convert attic space into living space you need to bring it up to the standards of modern building codes. The previous homeowner may have simply covered the joists with plywood to use the space for storage. Then you ll need to build a grid like structure that can hold up the plywood flooring.

Provide a minimum of 6 8 of headroom the entire walking length of the stairs. Building codes will not allow a permanent living area without a permanent stairs leading to it. To convert your attic to living space you cannot provide access via a ladder. They ll most likely have to be moved to open up the space.

At least 50 percent of the attic space must have 7 foot 2 1 m clearance. 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. The missing piece of information is those miserable little beasts called the building and energy codes. Check that converting your attic is actually feasible.

Measure the clearance and estimate the square footage of your attic. That s something you can do yourself as long as you follow the building codes for pipe and duct size slope and insulation. Make sure the attic has a full size staircase. 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.

Chances are you ve got plumbing and bath fan vents running through your attic. In the case of a rental unit you may build a staircase on the outside of the house if desired. Be at least 36 wide. This is often cheaper than building a new wardrobe yet you have access to a whole lot more space.

If it satisfies this and the following criteria in this section you re good go get started in finishing the project. Adding a floor to an attic can increase storage space or create a new room. The best way to accomplish this is to have an inspection done by a contractor so that you can learn exactly what you need.