How to make an attic residential. How to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic - the better to insulate Living room in the attic

The desire to expand the living space in a private house often comes to mind to private developers. One of the most economical and simplest ways is to make your attic residential. To realize this opportunity, it is necessary to correctly design and calculate all future structural elements that form the attic space.

The main steps in creating a residential attic

Before proceeding with the immediate actions associated with the alteration of the attic space with your own hands, you need to draw up a plan. It should include all the main activities related to the arrangement of a residential attic.

The list of main stages includes the following components:

DIY attic floor

When converting an attic into a living space, it may turn out that the heat insulator located in the ceiling has become unusable and has lost its thermal insulation properties. The reasons for the loss of performance can be very different: from local leaks to poor ventilation of the attic and, as a result, wetting of the insulation from the formed condensate. Wet, decaying planks can also cause an entire floor to be remodeled.

Alteration of the ceiling begins with the installation of an additional lathing between the floor beams. As a lathing, most often, pine beams are used, which are fastened perpendicular to the beams using metal corners or in another convenient way. To prevent the penetration of condensate from the lower room, a layer of vapor barrier membrane is laid. As a heater, stone wool slabs are often used, which, depending on the required thickness, can be laid in two layers.

When laying the heat insulator in two layers, the joints should not be on the same level. The insulation is staggered.

A second layer of vapor barrier is placed on top of the slabs. The membrane is fastened using a construction stapler. The basis for the subfloor can be slabs made of tongue-and-groove moisture-resistant chipboard. They are tougher and stronger than conventional boards, and are also environmentally friendly. Thanks to the longitudinal projections and grooves, it is easy and convenient to mount the plates, and the surface is perfectly flat. For the final floor, laminate or linoleum is used.

Thermal insulation of the roof in the attic

Roof insulation is the most important stage. When insulating with your own hands, it is necessary to perform a heat engineering calculation to select the thickness of the heat insulator. Most often, ready-made tables and climatic maps are used to select the thickness of the insulation. For pitched roofs, basalt materials with a density of at least 35 kg / m 3 are used. Such a minimum density is necessary to hold the insulation when it is spaced between the rafters.

The steeper the roof slopes, the more dense insulation you need to use.

A vapor barrier film is laid from the side of the room. From the side of the roof, it is better to put a superdiffusion membrane on the insulation, which allows moisture to pass from the heat insulator.

Most often, the attic is used in order to store old and unnecessary things, tools, supplies that are not used, and it is a pity to part with them. But when the house is already equipped, then due to the increase in the size of the family or the desire to equip an additional cozy room for a comfortable stay, it may be necessary to expand the living space and start refurbishing the attic.

Over time, there may be a need for a so-called "useful floor". Then the attic space gets a beautiful and romantic name - the attic, evoking associations with the Parisian quarters and the roofs of Montmartre.

The design of an attic in a private house directly depends on the purpose that this room will correspond to. When remodeling an attic space, it is important to follow three steps:

Layout.
Warming.
Space decoration.

It is not easy, as it seems at first glance, to make the attic space residential. Such reconstruction involves not only certain financial costs, but also labor-intensive construction work. Planning and subsequent repairs can be done by hand. To begin with, you need a project of an attic with the design features of the house, such as the shape and height of the roof, the location of the stairs, ventilation and lighting, the number of rooms in the house.

Not every attic can be residential. Construction requirements stipulate that the attic room is organized with a slope of the roof slope of no more than 45º, and the structure of the house does not interfere with free movement in the attic.

The location of the stationary staircase in the house must be taken care of even before the repair work on the first floor is carried out. It is important to decide where it will be installed so as not to obstruct the passage and free up space for furniture.

There must be windows in the attic for ventilation and lighting. Where the windows will be located - on the pediment or in the roof itself - will depend on the shape of the roof.

Roof windows are called dormers.

In contrast to conventional windows, more stringent requirements are imposed on the installation and sealing of roof windows, since these windows are heavily exposed to loads in the form of rain and snow to a greater extent. But skylights are an excellent design solution that allows you not only to fill the room with light, but also to decorate the exterior of the house.

If the roof is hipped, then skylights are the only way to illuminate the entire attic.

Insulation of the attic at home

In the refurbishment of the attic, an important point is its insulation. To be comfortable in the attic, the appropriate temperature must be provided. Since warm air tends to rise upwards, insulation will prevent it from dispersing.

The pitched roof is insulated with a material with a thickness of at least 10 cm. To insulate the attic, only non-combustible, vapor-permeable and environmentally friendly materials are used. For both the floor and the roof, mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, foam insulation are suitable as insulation.

As insulation for the walls and floor of the attic, you can use a plate or roll insulation based on glass wool. These modern materials have the ability to perfectly retain warm air, and due to their low weight, the load on the foundation of the house will not significantly increase.

Insulation is placed between the wall and drywall or clapboard, thereby preserving the interior of the room.

Laying the floor in the attic is done using a regular board or plywood, and if funds allow, you can equip a heated floor. If the attic space is not high, then you should not use thick materials for the floor.

To insulate the attic, a continuous layer of insulation is required around the entire perimeter of the room. It is important to ensure good sound insulation of the floor, as well as to avoid the formation of condensation - reliable waterproofing of the ceiling.

Finishing materials and elements

Materials for interior decoration are chosen depending on the style. The attic of a wooden house is finished with wooden materials - board, plywood, clapboard. At the same time, wooden or wicker furniture can be used in the interior of such an attic. Decorative crossbeams, painted in contrasting colors to accentuate the walls and ceiling, also look spectacular.

In order to successfully equip a room in the attic with your own hands, it is important to follow a few simple design rules:

The correct choice of paint. In a small room for walls, it is better to use light colors, as they are able to create a pacifying and calm atmosphere. A bright color can highlight the center wall as an accent.
Laconic arrangement of furniture. No need to clutter up the room with wardrobes, tables, chairs. The placement of furniture should be compact, for example, in order to save space, it is advisable to use functional hinged shelves. The bed in the bedroom will take its place against the lower wall.
The use of accessories that play an important role in creating the style of the interior. Such accessories that complement the image of the room can be curtains for roof windows and textiles. The main rule in this case is the harmony of texture and colors.

Features of the design of the attic in the country

For a better representation of the future room, it is necessary to sketch the floor plan.

In order to convert the attic in the country house into a residential building, it is necessary to find out possible technical changes and take into account the design features of the country building. Renovation work can be complicated by low ceilings and asymmetrical attic walls. Then they make a list of works and purchase the necessary materials.

To make it convenient to move around the attic and not have any difficulties with the placement of furniture, the optimal height from floor to ceiling should be 220 cm.The maximum permissible minimum is within 190 cm.

If, nevertheless, there is a desire to transform the attic into a living space, and the height does not allow, then you will have to redo the roof, which is very costly.

It is necessary to make a thorough check of the structures (battens, beams, attic floor, roofing material). If there is such a need, then the damaged parts should be replaced and the wooden parts should be treated with an antiseptic.

To re-equip the attic, additional work will be required, such as:

Noise insulation of the floor, when the foam is laid with a layer thickness of at least 3 cm and the floor screed with the laying of laminate or linoleum and with the subsequent installation of skirting boards. As a flooring, you can also use boards or fiberboard sheets with a thickness of at least 15 mm, followed by painting.
Heating the room in the attic. For this purpose, you can use an electric radiator or a wood-fired fireplace.
Communications such as ventilation shafts or plumbing pipes must be moved or hidden.
Lighting - electrical wiring is being installed in strict compliance with fire safety rules.
The decoration of the walls of the attic can be done with lining, moisture-resistant drywall or fiberboard sheets by fastening with screws in a secret. After that, the walls are plastered and painted in the desired color or pasted over with wallpaper.

The attic can be located:

bedroom;
living room;
children's;
canteen;
the gym;
billiard room;
study;
wardrobe;
workshop.

Nursery in the attic

You can even equip a children's room for sleeping and playing in the attic. For this purpose, natural, safe, environmentally friendly materials are best suited. The interior of the attic can be decorated in both bright colors and light pastel colors. Furniture must be safe, free from sharp corners and securely fastened. This can be a small sofa and a table for games and activities. And of course, toys are an indispensable attribute of the nursery. The floor covering can be a rug or rugs.

Bedroom arrangement

Due to its location, the attic has a particularly cozy atmosphere. Therefore, it is convenient to equip it in a bedroom for adults, teenagers or a guest room. To arrange a bedroom comfortable for sleeping and relaxing, you will need to arrange sleeping places, as well as areas for storing bedding and linen.

From furniture, you can use the required minimum - a bed, a mirror, soft poufs. Lighting plays an important role in the interior of the bedroom. Soft light diffusion can be achieved with wall sconces or a floor lamp.

Study room option

The attic space is ideal for creating a comfortable office. The interior of such a room is best done in light colors. To create a business environment, you will need a comfortable table, an armchair, a small wardrobe or several shelving units and office equipment. And you should definitely take care of high-quality lighting of the workplace. Such a relaxed atmosphere can set you up for fruitful work.

Living room interior

There is nothing unusual about equipping a living room in the attic. As a result of competent re-equipment, the attic space can become a place for receiving guests or family gatherings over a cup of tea or aromatic coffee. And large windows in the attic with a beautiful view of the river or garden will turn your vacation into a real pleasure.

Upholstered and cabinet furniture for the living room should be chosen low - a sofa and armchairs with a small coffee table and low cabinets or racks.

Rest room decoration

For a comfortable stay with friends, you can organize a billiard room. For this purpose, it is necessary to put a billiard table in the center of the room, and light wicker furniture is quite suitable for relaxation. Adequate lighting should be provided above the pool table with lights.

Movie lovers will love the idea of equipping a home theater. For this, upholstered furniture is placed around the perimeter of the rooms.

For drinks and cocktails, you can also use the table or bar and install a small refrigerator.

A small attic without windows can be turned into a dressing room for storing, depending on the season, outerwear or, conversely, umbrellas, swimwear and slates. Combined lighting from spotlights and LED strips built into niches or glued to drawers will make the interior modern and fashionable.

By dividing the attic into zones, you can equip a multifunctional room.

As you can see, the once unfit for habitation, an empty space can be perfectly used for the embodiment of a wide variety of design solutions. The main principle is not to miss a single square centimeter of usable living space. And then the interior of the once useless attic will be excellent.

Video

This video shows how you can complete the arrangement of the attic space:

Check out how you can make a Moroccan-style loft salon:

Photo

The attic space often remains uninhabited and serves as a closet. When building a house in the attic, only rough work is often performed, but over time, residents regret this choice. With proper planning, an additional living room or even a studio apartment can be made from such a room, which is very popular in European countries.

Stages of work

Many private home owners want to know how to make an attic residential, but don't know where to start. The first step in this situation is planning. Before work, the purpose of the future room is determined, if there is a workshop there, then it is necessary to take care of natural light, if the living room, attention is paid to insulation.

The main stages of work on the arrangement of the attic include:

space layout;
insulation of the roof and floor;
design.

After drawing up a plan for the future premises, it is necessary to draw up a list of the necessary materials and tools.

Note! In addition to the cost of insulation and roofing work, you will have to spend money on finishing and decorative materials.

Space layout

Often, the roof is attached to the Mauerlat back to back, so the use of this space is almost impossible. In such cases, the walls of the attic room are displaced to the ridge of the roof from the walls of the building. Often this technique deprives the room of visual space, so the walls in the attic are not installed. It is more difficult to install furniture in such a room, but it looks very interesting.

To make the attic a full-fledged living space, additional windows are installed. Most often this is done in the gables of the house, but if there are transverse walls in the attic, this is not possible. In a similar situation, windows are used that cut into the roof slope. 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 an entrance area. To do this, use compact folding or.

Warming

The course of insulation depends on the state of the attic. There will be less work if high-quality thermal insulation of the floor has been carried out. A large loss of heat in the house occurs through the roof, so its insulation will not only make it possible to make another living room, but also reduce heating costs.

Floor insulation

Often, in older houses, the thermal insulation layer on the floor no longer fulfills its function. Dwellings in humid and cold climates are especially susceptible to this. Floor insulation in the attic must meet the following parameters:

protect the house from the cold;
have little 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 low height, it allows you to save an extra 20-30 cm of space.

For a house with a large and high attic, plate or roll insulation with glass wool is used. The material has a low cost and perfectly retains heat, while it is lightweight, which is very important in attic spaces.

The "cake" 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 also for these purposes they use a special plastic film. 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 are 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 down with a metal covering.

After the tiled material, a finishing floor is laid. To do this, use wood, linoleum, tiles and more.

Roof insulation

Insulating 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 with special strips to the rafters.

Important! The waterproofing film is laid with an overlap, so that moisture remains outside.

Inside the rafters, a continuous layer of mineral wool or other insulation is laid. 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. Plates are staggered, this protects the room from the cold. During work, ventilation is also insulated.

Moisture reduces the properties of the insulation, therefore, during construction, it is necessary to protect it with a vapor barrier. For this, vapor barrier films or membranes are used. The material is of a roll type, therefore 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 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 of finishing material. The most versatile material is the lathing over the rafters, which saves material and time. The crossbars are stuffed onto beams with a step of 25-30 cm. From above, you can attach decorative panels or other material.

If for the interior decoration of the house a complex structure is required, under which it is necessary to hide communications and other flaws in the building, then a frame made of a metal profile is used.

Design

The decoration and arrangement of the future room directly depends on its purpose. Attics and attics are often used to:

Workshop;
Cabinet;
Billiard room;
Bedrooms.

With a large room area, you can create a space with several full-fledged zones.

The decoration and style of the premises largely depend on the interior and material of the house. Authentic structures made of wood and stone are often finished with decorative clapboard or solid wood. Such an interior is often complemented with rough 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 like classic interior solutions. Decorating the walls with wallpaper or discreet paint will create a truly cozy room in the attic. A do-it-yourself interior is especially dear to household members.

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 minimalist approach to choosing furniture will help not only save space, but also money. Instead of massive cabinets and dressers, it is better to use functional containers, hangers and shelves. When arranging a 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, active color accents are used, it can be textiles, light sources or furniture. To prevent the accents from looking pretentious, one of the walls can be painted in a similar, but less active shade.

In order for the house to be warm, and we did not have to overpay for heating, it is necessary to take care of high-quality insulation of the walls, floor and roof. It is also important to insulate the ceiling of a private house in the attic. There are several options for insulating an attic in a private house inexpensively and efficiently. How to do it yourself, what materials can you use for this? Let's consider this issue in more detail.

How to insulate the attic of a private house correctly?

An attic is a space under a sloping roof that is not used for residential purposes. If the roof slopes are not insulated, insulation material can be placed on the ceiling dividing the space under the roof from the living rooms.

Roof space that is not used for living is often devoid of an insulating layer, which creates the need to lay a buffer zone for insulation of the canvas. The complete absence of such insulation is allowed only when the room is unheated, for example, a garage. In other cases, it is necessary to keep the heat that is used to heat living rooms, since warm air tends to rise upward. To save money on heating, it is necessary to prevent it from leaking through the roof.

Before starting repairs, it is very important to learn how to properly insulate an attic in a private house, while many factors should be taken into account. These include the design features of the roof and the height of the attic.

The better to insulate the attic of a private house with a concrete floor

Concrete floor - monolithic or prefabricated, is usually intended for a residential attic. Sometimes, however, this solution is also used for non-residential roofs. How and how to insulate the attic floor in a private house made of concrete?

The concrete floor is insulated after construction and roof finishing. This operation will not be difficult as long as we have convenient access to the attic, and also if the height of the attic allows free movement.

The most commonly used material in such cases is rock wool. Compressed mats are especially recommended, which gradually unfold up to the nominal thickness. The resilient surface easily fills in all the nooks and crannies of the attic. The mats should be placed close to each other, without creating any gaps between them, which could lead to heat leakage.

It is much more difficult to achieve this with tougher materials such as expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene or polyurethane foam.

To create the structure, the insulation must be laid between the wooden beams, to which the boards or wood panels that will form the floor will be screwed.

You can also make a mineral lining from a mineral solution, which is poured onto insulation insulated with foil, but this solution is rarely used.

How to insulate the attic of a house with bulk insulation?

If the attic is too low, so that the work is not very difficult and time-consuming, a good solution would be insulation with one of the bulk insulation materials:

granulated cotton wool;
polystyrene granules;
cellulose fibers.

The thickness of the insulating layer depends on the material used and the thermal permeability of the ceiling. The average thickness is approximately 20 cm.

How to insulate a wooden ceiling?

If the ceiling is wooden, it is better to insulate the attic of a private house with your own hands in a slightly different way. Thermal insulation is placed primarily between the beams. In this case, materials from mineral wool or wood derivatives are used. How to insulate the attic of a private house with mineral wool? Thanks to their excellent elasticity, the slabs or mats fill the gaps between the ceiling beams very well. Before insulating the attic of a private house with mineral wool, a lining should be laid from the bottom of the roof. If it is a plasterboard suspended ceiling, it is a good idea to place an additional insulating layer on the underside of the attic. Wooden beams will also be insulated, which has a very positive effect on the heat transfer of the entire layer.

In addition, if the ceiling is insulated in this way, it will be easier to build a floorboard or OSB floor on it. If you decide to abandon the insulation of the false ceiling, then an additional heat-insulating layer will be located in the attic. Building the floor will then be more difficult for two reasons. First, you need to nail beams with a cross section of 4 x 6 cm perpendicular to the ceiling beams and put an insulating layer between them, in addition, the surface of such a floor will ultimately be higher, thereby reducing the height of the attic.

Photo. When insulating a wooden ceiling, the thermal insulation material is placed primarily between the beams

Traditional polystyrene is not used to insulate wooden ceilings, but the space between the beams can be filled with polystyrene granules. However, the light weight of such a backfill, despite good thermal insulation, does not give the ceiling a satisfactory sound insulation. Also, this type of insulating material does not provide sufficient fire protection for the wood.

Among bulk insulation, granules made of mineral wool or cellulose fibers are much more profitable. Both products have very good thermal insulation properties, provide good sound insulation and protect the structure in the event of a fire.

In buildings that have an unused attic, it is cost effective to implement a truss roof structure. Prefabricated elements replace traditional rafters. They form large triangles that sit tightly next to each other.

The space under the roof with this structure is severely limited by the sloped beams. At the same time, it is almost impossible to isolate such an attic with slabs or mats. The most rational solution in this case is insulation with an air blower using polystyrene granules or cellulose fibers.

The air flow fills the space through holes in the gable walls, through a hatch in the roof, or through the so-called inspection hole.

Bulk material is capable of scattering very tightly in all the nooks and crannies of this attic. Insulation work should be carried out only after the construction of the ceiling is completed. It is also necessary to check if the ceiling can support the weight of such insulation, it may be necessary to provide adequate reinforcement.

Attic ventilation

Since many of the insulation materials, including rock wool, degrade their insulating properties as a result of increased humidity, it is necessary to ensure that the space in the attic is adequately ventilated. Good ventilation is provided by air intakes on the eaves and outlets made in the gable walls. They must be protected by a net to avoid the entry of birds and small animals. It is advisable to cover the top layer of insulating materials with high elasticity with a windproof film, then less heat will be blown out of the insulation.

How to insulate an attic in a private house video

R Expanding living quarters at the expense of the attic of the house is a tempting task, and, oddly enough, not too difficult. How to make a room in the attic, a room where you can place another bedroom, an office, or a library, you will learn on this page.

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Video version of the article

How to make a residential attic

Let's make a reservation - a comfortable room can only be made in an attic of sufficient size, both in plan and in height. In addition, we will talk about a cold attic, since it is essentially a finished room.

From the above, obviously, in order to get a comfortable room, we will have to first of all ensure its insulation, and you can find out specifically about this. And here you can go in three ways:

1. insulate the entire roof;
2. embed the insulated room into the free space of the attic;
3. a combination of the first two options.

The first option will give us a significant usable area. In turn, the second design solution is more accurate, but the room will turn out to be small.

Installation of attic insulation cladding

The third option, as often happens, lies in the middle and is a combination of the first two options. What can be visualized using Figure 1.

Where possible, on the roof slopes, we insulate the roof itself. If required, we mount an additional frame made of galvanized profiles on the slopes. When insulating the roof min. with cotton wool, it is necessary to leave a ventilation gap of 40-50 mm between the roof and the insulation, or rather waterproofing, which must be laid before the insulation. From above, and from below along the edges, using galvanized profiles, we assemble the frame and sheathe it with sheets of gypsum board, laying thermal insulation inside. How, you can find out at the link. It is better to take drywall that is moisture resistant (its sheets have a characteristic greenish color with blue markings).

Since the outer wall cladding serves only to protect the insulation, thin gypsum board or OSB-3 can be used for it. From the inside, sheathing with sheets of gypsum board 12.5 mm thick (preferably double) is needed. Or OSB-3 14 mm thick.

The thickness of the insulation (it is better to use a semi-rigid min. Slab) in the future wall ranges from 100-200 mm, depending on the region.

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