The question of how to insulate the attic of a private house, in any case, arises before the diligent owner, whether it is the construction of a new house, or it is decided to minimize heat loss in his old home. Acquaintance with the basic methods for performing these works will serve as confirmation that it is quite feasible to insulate the attic space with your own hands. This will not only save family budget, but also, if desired, turn the attic from a non-residential warehouse into a habitable room.
A few reasons to insulate the attic of a private house on your own
The attic serves not only to create a slope from ridge run in order to drain water from the roof, but this room also performs other important functions, the main of which are:
- creation air gap between the dwelling and the roof, which acts as thermal insulation;
- natural ventilation.
Warming the attic of your house has great importance and pursues the following goals:
- Significant savings in thermal resources and, accordingly, lower heating costs. For example, when heating with gas, fuel consumption can be reduced by 20%.
- Prevention of condensation on the ceiling of residential premises due to the temperature difference between cold air in the attic and warm air in the room.
- Protection against moisture and decay from the inside of the elements of the truss system.
In addition to these beneficial benefits, keeping the attic warm can greatly increase the functionality of this non-residential space. For example, it is possible to use it as a residential attic.
On the insulated heated attic space, you can equip a lounge, bedroom or office in a modern style.
Materials used for insulation
The roof and walls of the attic of a private house are more prone to freezing, so the insulation of this particular room must be carried out very high quality.
The modern construction market provides the owner of a private house with a sufficient choice of material, depending on the goals that are planned to be achieved by insulation.
Mineral wool
Mineral wool, rolled or sheet, is one of the most popular materials for insulation today. Depending on the production technology and the raw materials used, there are several types of mineral wool.
slag wool
The basis for the production of this insulation is the slag produced from the blast furnace. Slag wool has the following characteristics:
But the use of slag wool for attic insulation is limited by the following disadvantages:
- increased residual acidity, which makes it unsuitable for insulating attics with metal structural elements;
- ability to absorb moisture;
- exposure to temperature effects, which reduces the service life.
The advantages of slag wool include its good soundproof qualities and affordability. The average cost of the material is from 700 to 950 rubles per m 3.
glass wool
The raw materials for the production of glass wool are sand, soda, limestone and other components. By the method of pulling silicon melts, with the addition of the specified raw materials, a heater is obtained with the following characteristics:
This material has sufficient strength and good soundproofing properties, but it is necessary to work with it, as well as choose the area of application, with some care.
Due to the fragility of the fibers, skin irritations are possible upon contact with glass wool, therefore it is necessary to work in protective equipment In addition, microparticles of dust generated during operation have Negative influence on the eyes and respiratory organs. In this regard, it is not recommended to insulate an attic or attic with glass wool, planned for use as a living space.
The low density of glass wool limits its use in places where a load on the insulation is possible, including when installing a cement screed.
Otherwise, this material is quite suitable for use and is widely used for warming non-residential premises above the top floor of a house, also because of its relatively low price. The average cost of fiberglass insulation from trusted manufacturers ranges from 850 rubles. per package, the area of which is 7-8 m 2 , with a material thickness of 10 mm.
Basalt (stone) wool
This type of insulation is considered one of the most popular. Basalt wool fibers are less brittle, so working with it does not cause allergic reactions. This insulation is preferable to other materials in terms of ecology and moisture resistance. Other features look like this:
The question often arises whether it is necessary to perform additional thermal insulation at the interface between the insulation and heating structures in the attic, for example, a chimney Basalt wool - absolutely non-combustible material so there is no need to do this work.
Due to its good density, basalt wool does not shrink, which allows it to be used on the attic floor under a screed The cost of this wool is somewhat more expensive than other mineral heaters. On average, for a package of 8 plates measuring 1200 × 600 × 50 mm, you will have to pay 600-650 rubles.
Bulk wool
Relatively new insulation material in the construction market is non-combustible bulk (blowing) cotton wool. The basis of this material is basalt wool, made in the form of hydrophobized fibers.
Bulk wool has all the qualities inherent in basalt, but unlike conventional materials, it can be laid in hard-to-reach places of attic structures The average price of blown cotton for 1 m 3 is 950-1000 rubles.
Summing up on mineral insulation, it should be noted that the insulation of the attic of a private house of any kind of mineral wool is the cheapest option. Taking into account the cost of materials included in the calculation for creating a heat-insulating cake, the final price of mineral wool insulation will be in the range of 200-300 rubles per 1 m 2.
Polyurethane insulation
To insulate areas with complex geometry and hard-to-reach places in the attic, it is recommended to use a sprayed universal polyurethane foam insulation. It is supplied in bottles. Beneficial features this heater:
- lack of seams and cold bridges, which reduces additional heat loss;
- creating an airtight layer that prevents the formation of mold and fungus;
- good adhesion to any building materials;
- selection of the required thickness of the insulating layer;
- absolute lack of response to temperature changes.
One balloon insulates the surface in two minutes within 2 minutes square meters, 3 cm layer The price of a PPU insulation bottle, depending on the manufacturer, ranges from 500 rubles.
Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene)
Attic insulation with foam boards is a common method. This material is different positive qualities, how:
- light weight;
- moisture resistance;
- good thermal insulation and vapor barrier properties;
- impact resistance external environment and long service life;
- good soundproofing.
To weak side foam can be attributed to its susceptibility to mechanical stress.
In terms of price, sheet expanded polystyrene is an economical material. For example popular brand PSB-S, the cost of 1 m 3 of foam boards, meter by meter in size, is 1500 rubles.
Expanded clay
Attic insulation bulk material is a long-tested, and simple, in terms of installation, method. The advantages of this material can also include:
- resistance to fire;
- good strength and long service life;
- excellent sound and heat insulation;
- environmental Safety.
Expanded clay balls evenly fill the entire floor of the attic The cost of a bag of expanded clay averages 1500 rubles per m 3. This is not the cheapest insulation material.
Clay mixtures, moss
The most inexpensive heat insulators, no doubt, are mixtures of clay with sawdust or straw. Often sawdust is an unclaimed production waste, so you can find it for free.
Swamp or forest moss belongs to the same category of free heaters. Despite the fact that the insulation of these materials is considered the "grandfather" method, their thermal protection coefficient is higher than that of many modern heaters, and ecological cleanliness and even benefits, when it comes to clay, are undeniable.
Do-it-yourself attic insulation technology
Before starting work on the insulation of the attic, regardless of how it is planned to insulate the attic - mineral wool or other materials, it is necessary to prepare for these works not only structural elements premises, but also to arm the right tool and improvised materials. These include:
- a hammer;
- screwdriver;
- screwdrivers;
- roulette;
- construction knife;
- long ruler or straight rail;
- stapler;
- wide spatula;
- hydraulic gun;
- square;
- level;
- boards or sheets of plywood for trimming insulation on them.
When insulating the attic of a private house with mineral wool, it is also necessary to prepare personal protective equipment The attic insulation technology used is selected taking into account the planned purpose of this room - heated housing in the attic or just an insulated attic.
unheated room
In an unheated attic, both the floor itself and the roof are insulated.
Attic floor insulation in a private house
The technology of laying insulation on the attic floor, basically, boils down to the following:
- Laying vapor barrier material on the draft floor with an overlap and with an institution on the walls;
- Gluing all joints and seams with a special sealing self-adhesive double-sided tape;
- Laying the insulation directly, starting from the far edge of the roof slope;
- Covering the insulation with a vapor barrier layer, with tape sealing all seams.
In the course of work on trimming the material, it is placed under it wooden plank or plywood.
The work is completed by laying the finishing floor on the insulation Roof insulation
After the floor is insulated, work is carried out to protect gables and roof slopes from the cold, according to the following technology:
- Fastening the waterproofing material to the rafters, starting from the ridge part, rolling the rolls across the inner surface of the roof.
- Laying insulation between the rafters, with mandatory fixation.
- Shelter with a vapor barrier, starting work from the bottom of the roof, in order to prevent condensate from flowing onto the insulation.
- Fixing the film to the rafters with the help of rails.
Upon completion of work, all connecting seams and puncture points are glued with butyl rubber tape. heated room
Considering the question of how and how to insulate a heated attic, it is necessary to immediately make a reservation that in this case there is no need to insulate the attic floor from the side of the living space, as well as to install a vapor barrier layer on it. Only the roof is to be insulated. The methodology of these works looks similar to the insulation of the roof of a cold attic.
As last advice, it should be noted that alone it will be somewhat difficult for the owner of the house to work with certain types of insulation and finish the attic.
It is recommended to carry out attic insulation work in tandem with an assistant. Building a house is a costly process. Therefore, even at the stage of construction of new housing, some people refuse to build a second floor. However, after a while, many people begin to regret this decision. That's why building portal will tell you how to make from the attic living room with which you can increase your living space.
Doing the right project
To do attic space comfortable for living, you must first create a project for the future attic. The project will help in the future attic not to collapse and serve its owners for a long time. It is worth saying that the creation of a project is a responsible matter. Therefore, it is recommended to entrust this work to specialists who will do it right.
When organizing an attic, it may be necessary to transform the rafter system. And if the mass of the superstructure changes, then it will be necessary to strengthen the walls and foundation. However, if serious changes are not planned to be made, then the project can be done independently.
Rafter systems
Roof truss structures are divided into two types. So, there are hanging and layered rafter systems.
- Hanging - this is when the roof beams rest on external walls residential facility.
- Layered - this is when the rafters rest on internal walls building or on additional supports that are located on the outer walls of the building. It is worth saying that in this position it will not be possible to create a single space under the roof due to the fact that the supports cannot be removed.
Attic rooms also differ in design.
The attic differs from the attic in that the attic occupies the entire space and has a sloping ceiling. At the same time, its walls are combined with external ones.
There are analogues of the attic, which have partitions between the inner and outer walls.
Stages of work
If you want to know how to make a second floor out of an attic. First of all, in such a case, it is necessary to draw up a work plan, which should include the following:
- Project organization.
- Preparation of tools and purchase of materials.
- Checking the load-bearing structures and, if necessary, strengthening them.
- Thermal insulation of the attic.
- Entrance arrangement.
- Finishing of all surfaces.
Refurbishment of the premises
At the very beginning of work, you need to transform truss system. Here it is necessary to perform a number of necessary actions.
- If the attic already has a sufficient height for arranging the attic, then in this case the roof will not have to be dismantled. In this case, it is necessary to inspect the rafters, which will help identify damage. Any damage must be repaired or replaced with new parts.
- If the roof support system is in excellent condition, then before you make it a living space, you just need to lay the floor. For this purpose, insulation must be applied between the lags. After that, it is recommended to lay sheets of chipboard or OSB. Ordinary boards are also suitable for the floor. To fix the floor, you should use self-tapping screws.
- Between the rafters it is also worth laying a modern heat insulator. However, before laying the insulation, it is important to lay the system engineering communications.
- In order for the attic space to have a lot of sunlight, you need to cut openings and make window balconies.
- For a residential attic, it is recommended to buy special skylights which have a convenient design.
- Windows in the attic are usually mounted even before the installation of a heat insulator. At the stage of installing windows, openings in the attic and doors are created.
- If there is a need, then at the place of installation of the blocks, the roof is again lined with a coating. And the joints between the frame and the roof are treated with sealant.
- If you equip the attic, then the roofed space must be ventilated. Therefore, it is important to take care of arranging proper ventilation.
We insulate the roof
It is worth saying that before you equip the attic in your house, you need to insulate the roof. This action will help create a favorable microclimate in the room.
- sheet foam,
- sprayed polyurethane foam,
- mineral wool.
Insulation of the roof with a heat insulator is carried out after all engineering communications are carried out in the roof. Electrical wires, heating pipes and other systems are recommended to be placed in a special corrugation.
When insulating the roof, the heat insulator is placed tightly. With such work, it is usually impossible to leave cavities and cracks.
Before applying the insulation, a film waterproofing is laid. Also, waterproofing is superimposed on top of the insulation. At the same time, it is fixed with staples to the lags.
At the next stage, the walls are sheathed with sheets of OSB or GKL. The bayonets are sealed with putty.
Arranging access to the attic
If you are making the process of equipping a room under a roof, then remember that lifting into the room must be comfortable. To make it convenient to climb, a ladder will help. Here you can use two options.
Can be mounted open outdoor stairs that will lead to a balcony or terrace. However, this is not a viable option. And many people equip the house with internal stairs.
Stairs can have a different design. However, the most the best option will be a spiral or mid-flight stationary staircase. All stairs are usually made of wood.
We carry out facing works
Finishing the attic consists in facing the inclined walls and floor. It all depends on the imagination of the owner of the house.
- The walls of the attic can be covered with decorative plaster or wallpaper.
- For sheathing the attic, it is possible to use plastic or wooden lining.
If the rafters and beams are protruding elements, then it is recommended to decorate them with paint or stain along with varnish.
The floor in the attic is covered with OSB sheets, after which a laminate or linoleum is laid on it.
conclusions
Now you understand how to make a living space out of the attic. We brought here topical tips that will help make this process easy and enjoyable.
May 25, 2018 No comments
When insulating a house, special attention should be paid to the attic or attic, since it is through this space that the house loses most of its heat.
The reason lies not only in the fact that this contributes to big square roofs. It is known that warm air lighter and, heating up, it rises up, namely to the attic, from where it penetrates through uninsulated structures.
As a result, if the attic is not insulated, you will have to constantly heat not only your house, but also the surrounding space. In addition to heat leakage, this will lead to high humidity in the house, the floors in the rooms will always be cold and as a result, mold will appear in the house.
There are several options for insulating an attic or attic.
In non-residential premises, it is possible not to fully insulate the entire system, to insulate the floors well enough so that air from the lower floors does not penetrate into the attic, and cold from the attic does not seep into warm rooms.
Before starting work, it is necessary to decide what material will be used, how much of this material will be required, and what additional fastening materials and tools will be needed to mount the structure.
Calculations should be made to determine the amount of heat loss through the attic, on the basis of which it is possible to determine the thickness of the layer of insulation material.
Sometimes a lot of insulation is required, so it is better to choose a material that is not very heavy so as not to overload the entire structure. For example, expanded clay is a rather heavy material and before using it, you should make sure that it does not damage bearing structures at home.
In addition, thermal properties attic floor must be maintained both in winter and summer to avoid both heat loss and overheating of the interior of the house.
In order for the insulation to last as long as possible and all financial and physical costs justify themselves, it is important to do right choice in favor of high-quality material and competently carry out its installation. So, for example, in a loose heat insulator, regular air circulation occurs (convection cell).
Convection loose ceiling insulation
It turns out that moving air constantly draws out the heat retained by the insulation, and the lower the air temperature in the attic, the more intense the convection and heat removal from the insulation. At the same time, the flow of heat into the insulation through the ceiling increases.
Gradually throughput insulation increases, and the resistance to heat movement decreases, and as a result, the effectiveness of thermal insulation is significantly reduced. To avoid this, it is necessary to carefully consider the insulation scheme, use quality material and install it in good faith.
Useful advice
For insulation of the attic floor, it can be used as thermal insulation material, polystyrene, expanded clay or polyurethane foam. In the first three cases, you will additionally need waterproofing material (for example,), mounting, foam for sealing joints and cracks, as well as floor covering (these can be ordinary boards, wood boards, etc.). For spraying polyurethane foam, a special installation is required.
Thermal insulation with mineral wool
First of all, you should prepare the surface of the attic floor - remove debris and dust. Then the floor of the attic must be covered with a waterproofing film.
Getting into humid environment, mineral wool loses its thermal insulation properties, therefore, it is better to spread the film for moisture insulation with a margin, bringing its edges to the walls or side beams and fastening it with a construction stapler.
The next step is the device wooden crate(framework).
To do this, wooden planks must be fixed on top of the film in such a way that insulation boards can be laid between them. If on the floor of the attic are laid wooden beams, mineral wool can be placed between them. With significant heat loss through the ceiling, it will be necessary to lay several layers of insulation.
The last layer of wool must necessarily cover the beams. If this is not done, the wooden beams will become cold bridges through which heat will continue to leave the room.
All cracks and voids should be filled with pieces of insulation or filled construction foam, and seal the joints between the mats with adhesive tape.
Then a second layer of vapor barrier film is laid, since the mineral wool must be protected on both sides.
This will better protect the insulation from damage when walking on it. If the attic will not be used, it is enough to nail a few boards along which you can move around, like along paths.
Expanded clay is used to insulate attic floors in cases where heat losses in the house are insignificant and you can get by with a small amount of insulation so as not to weigh down the supporting structure.
Expanded clay has many advantages over other heaters: it is inedible for rodents, durable and, since it is a bulk insulation, it easily fills all the bumps and hard-to-reach places on a surface. So that when insulating with expanded clay there are no voids, granules of different sizes should be used.
In addition, expanded clay is not afraid of moisture, so it does not need to be protected from it and spent money on the purchase of waterproofing material.
However, the thermal insulation characteristics of this material are relatively low, therefore, for greater efficiency, it will still be necessary to pour a sufficiently thick layer, which will increase the load on the floors of the house. In this case, it is recommended to combine expanded clay with mineral wool, which will make it possible to make the insulation multi-layered, somewhat facilitating it due to lighter mineral wool.
Expanded clay insulation technology simple enough:
on the attic floor cleared of debris, you need to pour a layer of insulation, and then cover it with a screed of cement-sand mortar. In the attic, which is planned to be used as a living space in the future, you can lay a laminate or linoleum on top of the finished screed, or limit yourself to flooring from boards or wood boards.
If communication pipes pass in the attic, they can also be insulated with expanded clay, which will provide the necessary ventilation in such places and protect the structure from ignition if the pipes become very hot.
When combining expanded clay with mineral wool, an insulating film will be required to protect the structure from moisture. First, the floor is covered with a vapor-proof material, then a layer of expanded clay is poured, on which the crate and mineral wool slabs are laid, and another layer of film is laid on top.
After that, you can make flooring from boards or other flooring material.
Insulation with foam
This material, when insulating cold (non-residential) attics, is most in demand in comparison with others. In this case, both plates and bulk foam can be used. In any case, this material will not make the structure heavier, even if the layer is thick enough. Installation of foam insulation is very simple and quite feasible alone. The plates are easily cut with a knife, and if necessary, for better joining, they can be cut right inside the crate.
If the old-style foam was dangerous for its flammability, then non-combustible types of this material are currently being produced. It is quite cheap and, in terms of environmental friendliness, will not pose a great danger, since the attic space in this case will be non-residential.
Attic floor insulation technology with foam boards similar to the installation of mineral wool. First, the ceiling should be protected with waterproofing.
To do this, you can use glassine, after cutting it into strips so that the material fits between the beams. When laying on the floor, it should be led onto the beams by 5 cm, and then fix the ends on the ends of the beams with the help of wooden slats or construction stapler.
After that, the foam boards must be cut with a knife so that they fit between the ceiling beams.
After laying the heat insulator, the remaining gaps and voids should be filled mounting foam. The upper edges of the floor beams must be covered with insulation.
A second layer of waterproofing is laid on top of the structure, and then the floor covering (boards, fiberboard or chipboard, linoleum, etc.) can be laid.
The number of layers of insulation directly depends on the heat loss of the house. Foam layers can be alternated with mineral wool or expanded clay. In any case, the main thing is quality installation the whole structure.
Insulation with sprayed polyurethane foam
Today there is an opportunity to perform thermal insulation using the PPU spraying method using special kits - disposable 2-component installations for insulation and sealing various designs. And although this material is not cheap, it fully justifies itself.
Polyurethane foam is applied directly to the ceiling by spraying from above - either between the logs of a wooden attic floor, or on concrete slab or screed, if it is capital. It is important to spray PPU continuously to get a uniform seamless layer of the required thickness without cold bridges.
The foam easily penetrates even into inaccessible cracks and recesses, quickly hardens and forms an even water, vapor and heat impermeable layer.
The processed polyurethane foam surface does not require additional floor covering and you can walk on it without fear of damaging or violating the integrity of the structure. However, if the attic or attic is planned to be used as a living space, it will be necessary to cover the floor with wood boards, boards, linoleum, etc.
The thickness of the sprayed PPU layer is determined based on specific conditions (heat loss at home) and the requirements of SNiP. On average, to achieve effective thermal insulation of the attic floor and attic, a layer of polyurethane foam with a thickness of 7-9 cm is required.
If access to the attic floor is limited, spraying can be applied from below to the ceiling inside the living space.
Useful advice
The method of insulation of the attic floor by spraying PPU is very effective, therefore, it has recently become more and more popular. Such insulation is durable, resistant to impact chemical substances, microorganisms and temperature changes, inedible for rodents.
The weight of the insulation is small, so the supporting structures are not overloaded and even acquire additional adhesion rigidity. Due to the fact that the insulation layer is very thin, neither the total area nor the volume of the attic or attic is reduced.
One of the few disadvantages of this type of thermal insulation is its cost, but in any case, it is better to do the job well once than to return to this problem again and again. It should also be recalled that this material, suitable for arranging a cold attic, does not “breathe” and therefore is not very suitable for residential premises.
Video: Warming non-residential attic private house
Organization of a comfortable place of work/recreation by expanding living space is not an easy task, but relevant for both residents apartment buildings and private property owners. If you live on the top floor of an apartment, then the issue of arranging an attic is for you, as well as for residents of country houses and small country houses- the task is feasible. Most often, the attic is not used for any specific purpose. Usually this is a dark, dusty room, littered with useless rubbish. How to turn it into light and cozy place? From this article you will learn the secrets of how to make a room in the attic.
If you decide to use the attic with benefit, then you need to immediately decide on the purpose of the future premises. An uninhabited attic can turn into a bedroom, living room, library, nursery, billiard room and even a greenhouse. If you are planning to arrange a recreation area in the attic, then having thought over the interior and equipment of the room, you can spend time here not only reading books, but also playing games. board games or exercising in the gym.
If you have a large attic, then by zoning it correctly, you can organize several rooms in it. for various purposes. This can be done, for example, with the help of light-transmitting partitions. So, you can organize, say, a play area and a relaxation room.
On a large attic area, you can make rooms with capital walls. But as a rule, in attics they equip a bedroom located under a gable roof. At the same time, it is important to follow the basic rules for planning an attic space.
If the attic of your house is small, then it is best to organize a bedroom in it by placing a double bed in the center, and along the walls there can be mezzanines for storing bed linen, etc. If two beds are installed in the attic, then they need to be placed in part attic with descending ceilings, while leaving the center free.
But, design can be done along the way, and at the planning stage it is enough to simply determine the purpose of the room. This is important, because the location of the windows in the attic and the conduct of communications, such as air conditioning and ventilation, depend on it. Further in the article, each stage of the arrangement of the attic will be considered in detail.
To avoid unnecessary problems, it is important to have a clear plan of action. Draw a loft plan on paper or make a project on a computer using your imagination and skills. The end of a job is better than the beginning, so figure out your budget right away. It is better to allocate more funds for arranging the attic of a private house than to be without money halfway through.
Then you should purchase all the material and the missing tool for arranging the attic. If you just need a summer recreation area, then you will need a minimum amount of materials, but if you plan to make a full-fledged living room, you will have to stock up thoroughly.
Before the beginning construction works a dusty, dark and cluttered attic will have to be removed. Be very careful not to injure yourself while doing this. If the area is ready for development, then double-check your plan / project and the dimensions of the room.
Inspect the structure for damage. If they are, then eliminate them. At this stage, the roof, beams and battens, as well as the floor, should be repaired. At the same stage, windows should be installed in the attic.
If a living space is provided in the attic, then it is necessary to carry out light, heating and ventilation in it. Before starting the main work, ventilation ducts, cables and pipes should be laid in the thickness of the walls. Then you can proceed to the insulation, interior decoration of the attic and the arrangement of space.
If you do not have a good staircase to the attic, preferably stationary, then it is important to do it. Otherwise, how are you going to get into the room? Let's look at an example of how to calculate the number of steps and the size of the stairs to the second floor.
- Measure the height from floor to ceiling. So, you will find out the height of the ceiling. In our case, it will be, say, 2.7 m.
- Now you need to calculate the number of steps, moreover, that average height steps is about 180 mm. So, divide the height of the stairs, in our case 2700 mm, by the width of the steps, i.e. 180 mm. As a result, you will get the number 15 - this will be the number of steps.
- Determine the length of the projection of the stairs on the floor. To do this, you need the number of steps, in our example - 15, multiplied by the average width of the steps - 250 mm. So, you get a projection that has a length of 3750 mm.
- Imagine a staircase in the form of a triangle, where the height of the stairs, in our example, is 2700 mm, and the length of the projection of the flight of stairs onto the floor, this is our last value, equal to 3750 mm - these are the legs. Now we need to apply the Pythagorean Theorem. Calculate Square root from the sum of the squares of the legs. So, you will define the hypotenuse, which is, in fact, the length of the stairs. Our value is 4620 mm.
After carrying out the calculations, it will not be difficult to calculate the amount of materials and make steps and railings, and assemble them.
After gaining free access to the attic through the manufacture and installation of a stationary staircase, you can proceed with the installation of windows. You can place them on the gable or directly on the roof. Be that as it may, before making window openings, you need to buy double-glazed windows. This will allow you to make an opening in accordance with the size of the window + a margin of 100–150 mm.
If you will install a window in a roof slope, it is important to consider that the frame under it must be strong enough to withstand the weight of the entire structure and the snow load on the roof in winter.
The frame should be installed between rafter legs, which means that the width of the windows must be ordered taking into account this distance and the thickness of the timber for the frame. Such windows are called dormer windows, they differ from their standard counterparts. Their kit includes a drainage gutter, a contour, a salary and a waterproofing apron. Such a window will provide your room with light and protect it from moisture penetration.
If you install a window in the gable of the house, then everything is simple here. Make an opening, make a frame from a bar, insert a window, foam the gap between the frame and the window. Then cash out and the window is ready.
If the roof is just covered roofing material, then it should first be waterproofed. After the frame is installed, the roof and walls of the attic are insulated. Ordinary mineral wool, polyurethane foam, expanded polystyrene can serve as a heater. Then a vapor barrier is carried out, and then the frame is sewn up with drywall.
If the roof slope is large, then frame beams should be installed every 20 cm. In this case, you can securely fix the drywall. After installing the frame and insulating the roof, it is important to install the wiring, as well as install switches and sockets.
The gaps formed between windows and walls should be insulated. It is better to foam the window in the wall, and seal it in the roof slope.
In order to be able to use the attic space all year round, it is necessary to make heating here. There are several options for solving this problem:
- Use a stationary heating system. To equip it, you need to bring the pipes to the attic and install required amount radiators, corresponding to the area of the room.
- Make a fireplace in the attic.
- Use electric heaters.
While a fireplace will add a special touch of comfort and privacy to an attic, from a practical standpoint, it's best and easiest to make an extra branch that you can connect to your existing heating system. But for maximum efficiency, heating system you will need to install a more powerful feed pump that will cope with the increased load.
If you decide to make a fireplace, then take care of the place in which you can store solid fuel. It is also important to correctly make a smoke exhaust system, and this will entail additional financial costs. If as heating appliances electric heaters will be used, remember that they must be powerful enough. Simple fan heaters entail high energy costs, dry the air and are fire hazardous.
From an economic point of view, an autonomous heating system is the most profitable. Although the attic is insulated, it will need to be heated more intensively than the whole house. When using a standard heating system, it will be necessary to increase the heat output for all rooms in the house. If you install autonomous system heating, you can increase the heating of the attic room without increasing the temperature of the heating of the house. Although at high-quality insulation attic space, it can be heated on a par with the house.
It was already mentioned earlier that electrical wires should be laid even at the stage of installation of the frame for cladding walls and ceilings with drywall. It is worth noting that for wiring in the attic it is better to use copper wires laid in a metal hose.
After the insulation of the walls, ceiling and floor, as well as their finishing, you can proceed to the choice of the main stylistic concept, as well as the design and arrangement of furniture. A bedroom in the attic is best decorated in folk motives or in a romantic style. It is also suitable for decorating a room in the style of Provence, Chalet or Country. The attic space in the Loft and Classic style looks no less attractive. As for the Loft style, it is in harmony with a large area. If you do not have one, then it is better to abandon this stylistic decision.
The attic living room can be made in a minimalist style. Eclectic, retro, or styles with strong oriental spicy notes are also suitable.
As a rule, there is not much space in attic spaces, so it is better to decorate them in light colors. At the same time, you need to perform an important design task - to correctly decorate the room so that it does not become faded.
You can achieve the desired effect by painting sloping walls in bright hues, and the vertical ones are more saturated. The combination of wall colors with the colors of curtains or a blanket looks very impressive.
Light brown, light gray, white, peach and beige shades will help you visually enlarge the space, making it lighter.
For a full-fledged design, it is necessary to think over and implement not only color design and stylistic concept, but also the optimal arrangement of furniture. This is the only way you can create a harmonious interior in the attic.
Wooden furniture is suitable for arranging the attic at the right time. However, overly massive pieces of furniture should not be used, as they will reduce the volume of the room. Chest of drawers, bed and bedside tables should be fairly compact in size.
If you left exposed wooden beams on the ceiling, it would be good to match their shade with the shade of the color of the furniture. The bed can be installed near an inclined wall, fencing it off from the main room with a light curtain.
If you install a fireplace in the room, then with its help you can create a special atmosphere. This, of course, is not always possible or cost-effective. However, you can replace it by installing a false fireplace with your own hands. Thus, you can create the illusion of a home and hide the small imperfections of the walls in the room.
A spacious room should be arranged in accordance with all the rules, making advantageous use of the available space. Here there is a place for upholstered furniture, and for coffee table, and for TV, and even for bookshelves.
At the same time, do not forget about the harmonious combination of materials: light natural wood and stone, either light or dark, will allow you to create a homely, cozy atmosphere, which can be supplemented with living plants in decorative tubs and pots.
The symmetry of interior items will make the room more attractive. So, the balance and balance in the room will be preserved. It's about oh symmetrical installed luminaires, sofa and chairs with the same upholstery, along with plenty of living plants. Such a living room will look harmonious and elegant.
We hope that this article will help you transform an unsightly attic into a cozy and inviting space in accordance with the needs of your family. If you want to comment on all of the above, then write your notes at the end of the article. You can ask questions to the expert working on the site.
Video
This video tells in more detail about the intricacies of work on the organization of living space in the attic:
A photo
In the photos you can see the options for decorating a room in the attic:
The attic often remains uninhabited and serves as a closet. When building a house in the attic, they often perform only draft work, but over time, residents regret this choice. With proper planning, you can make an additional living room or even a studio apartment out of such a room, which is very popular in Europe.
Stages of work
Many owners of private houses want to know how to make the attic habitable, but do not know where to start. The first step in such a situation is planning. Before work, the purpose of the future premises is determined, if there is a workshop, then you need to take care of natural light if living room, attention is paid to insulation.
The main stages of work on the arrangement of the attic include:
- space planning;
- roof and floor insulation;
- design.
After drawing up a plan for the future premises, it is necessary to draw up a list of necessary materials and tools.
Note! In addition to heating costs and roofing, you will have to spend money on finishing and decorative materials.
Space layout
Often the roof is attached close to the Mauerlat, so the use of this space is almost impossible. In such cases, the walls of the attic room are shifted to the ridge of the roof from the walls of the building. Often this technique deprives the room visual space, so the walls in the attic are not installed. Installing furniture in such a room is more difficult, but it looks very interesting.
To make the attic a full-fledged living space, install additional windows. Most often this is done in the gables of the house, but if there are transverse walls in the attic, this is impossible. In such a situation, windows that cut into the roof slope are used. Such techniques are often used in Western architecture and allow you to give the house an unusual look.
When planning an attic, it is often difficult to organize entrance area. To do this, use compact folding or.
Warming
The progress of the insulation depends on the condition of the attic. There will be less work if it was carried out high-quality thermal insulation gender. A large loss of heat in the house occurs through the roof, so its insulation will not only make it possible to create another living room, but also reduce heating costs.
Floor insulation
Often in old houses, the thermal insulation layer on the floor no longer fulfills its functions. This is especially true for dwellings located in humid and cold climates. Floor insulation in the attic must meet the following parameters:
- protect the house from the cold;
- have a small weight;
- be safe for humans.
Any material for rough finishing (boards, chipboard) is suitable for floor insulation. This type of insulation is suitable for rooms with a small height, it allows you to save an extra 20-30 cm of space.
For a house with a large and high attic, slab or roll insulation with glass wool is used. The material has low cost and perfectly retain heat, while it has a small weight, which is very important in the attic.
The "pie" of floor insulation is laid directly between the beams. The first layer is a vapor barrier, it is better not to save on it, but a special polyethylene film is also used for these purposes. Tiled insulation, for example, mineral wool, is laid on top of it. The material is laid in two layers to prevent "cold bridges". If the floor beams in good condition, then the floor is laid directly on them, otherwise you will have to make an additional crate. For greater effect, the attic is insulated from the outside using a similar technology.
Note! Foil insulation is laid with a metal coating down.
After the tiled material, the finishing floor is laid. To do this, use wood, linoleum, tiles and more.
Roof insulation
Insulation of the roof of a residential building requires special care. To protect the premises and the roof structure from moisture, it is necessary to take care of waterproofing. The waterproofing film is laid in the first layer, attaching it with special strips to the rafters.
Important! The waterproofing film is overlapped so that moisture remains outside.
Mineral wool or other insulation is laid inside the rafters in a continuous layer. Special glue is applied to the mineral wool slabs with a spatula and the slabs are pressed between the rafters. Also, the material can be fixed with screws or nails. The plates are staggered, this protects the room from the cold. During work, ventilation is also insulated.
Moisture reduces the properties of the insulation, so during construction it is necessary to protect it with a vapor barrier layer. For this use vapor barrier films or membranes. Material roll type, because it is convenient to attach it to the rafters. For fixing, a construction stapler is used, so that the joints remain tight, use a special construction adhesive tape at the puncture sites.
When the insulation is attached, proceed to the crate for finishing. The type of construction largely depends on the type finishing material. The most versatile material is sheathing over rafters, this saves material and time. The crossbars are stuffed onto the beams in increments of 25-30 cm. decorative panels or other material.
If for interior decoration home required complex structure, under which it is necessary to hide communications and other shortcomings of the construction, then a metal profile frame is used.
Design
Finishing and arrangement of the future room directly depends on its purpose. Attics and attics are often used for:
- workshop;
- cabinet;
- billiard room;
- Bedrooms.
With a large area of \u200b\u200bthe room, you can create a space with several full-fledged zones.
The decoration and style of the room largely depend on the interior and material of the house. Authentic buildings made of wood and stone are often finished decorative clapboard or an array. Such an interior is often complemented with coarse accessories and textiles made from natural fabrics and wool.
The popular loft style does not require any special frills in wall decoration: decorative plaster, metal pieces of furniture - all this is perfect for houses made of brick or concrete blocks.
Lovers of coziness and comfort will love the classic interior solutions. Wall decoration with wallpaper or discreet paint will allow you to create a truly cozy room. And the interior, made by hand, is especially expensive for households.
For those who find it difficult to decide on the choice of decorative materials and the style of the room, the following tips are suitable:
- A minimalistic approach to choosing furniture will help not only save space, but also money. Instead of massive wardrobes and chests of drawers, it is better to use functional containers, hangers and shelves. When arranging the bedroom, the bed can be placed against the lowest wall.
- To visually expand the room, light colors of the walls and ceiling are suitable. To dilute such interiors use active color accents, it can be textiles, light sources or furniture. So that the accents do not look pretentious, one of the walls can be painted in a similar, but less active shade.