The type of modifications selected for reinforcing the joists will depend on the recommendations of the engineer, but the following methods are commonly used to beef-up undersized attic joists:.
When houses are constructed, specific walls are selected to be load-bearing walls and designed to support the weight of the structure above them. Houses that have been constructed with the idea of finishing out a future living space in the attic will not require joist reinforcement nor additional vertical reinforcement. This could involve installing structural posts in one or more areas of the home which can often be hidden within an existing wall.
Other structural issues are also factors, including whether there is adequate space to install a stairway to the attic. Building code often requires stairway access to the attic if the space is to be used as a bedroom.
If you intend to install only a sitting loft, you might get by with just a ladder. The headroom in the attic will determine how much usable floor space you have. For example, you could construct storage cabinets or cubbies in the low-sloped sides of the attic; when an appraiser measures the square footage of the finished attic, though, only the portion where the ceiling meets minimum height standards will be recorded as living space.
Also, is it okay to put plywood in the attic? Substrates with nails or screws? What thickness of plywood should I use for the floors? What is best for OSB or plywood subfloors? What is the cheapest type of plywood? Is OSB cheaper than plywood? Can you go to the plywood? Is OSB stronger than plywood? Can you use plywood as a flooring? What is the best floor for an attic? The biggest factors that go into its eventual cost are the structure you already have in place and what you intend to do with the space.
For instance, installing a simple floor for a storage space will cost less than a sturdy, stylish floor for an extra room. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Call Us contact roofspacerenovators. Finance Available! Buy Now Pay Later. What Is the Best Flooring for an Attic? Are Attic Trusses Worth It?
How much does it cost to put floor in attic? This article delves into everything you need to keep in mind when adding flooring to. Can My Attic Support a Floor? Whether your attic can support a floor or not depends on how it was constructed. What appears to be the floor of your attic is actually the ceiling of the room below. To get the most accurate picture of how your attic was constructed, consult a structural engineer or an experienced attic builder.
Those beams are ceiling joists and it cannot support much weight. You need to have a clear idea of the support structure the floor was built upon to understand how much weight it can support. There are a number of ways to achieve this: Bridging: Bridging involves installing additional beams perpendicularly between the existing joists. They are engineered to hold up to pounds per panel and come in 16 and 24 inch widths, made to fit your existing joists.
The real advantage to attic decking is the ease of installation. It is designed as tiles, built to go right onto the existing joists. Their light weight and size makes them easier to carry up into the attic. Generally speaking, it is not considered possible to put flooring into a trussed roof attic and use the attic space for storage.
The answer is in the design of the truss. All trusses are a series of triangles, with the occasional pentagon thrown in. That increases the strength greatly, as any weight that is put on the joist is going to pull down on the webbing, transferring some of the weight to the rafters.
While that will flex the rafters slightly, mostly it will push the ends of them tighter together, reinforcing the strength of the truss. This will give the space to not only prevent crushing your existing insulation, but also add more on top of it, increasing the R-value of your roof.
Then simply lay them in place and screw them down. In addition, shelves can easily be added between the rafters, spanning the supporting members from the roof rafters to the webbing.
While flooring over an attic will provide a considerable amount of storage space, you can really consider that just the beginning of getting the most out of your attic. Every nook and cranny in your attic can be used for storage, if you can find a way to get to it. Insets for sculptured ceilings are a common area that goes to waste in most attics, even after flooring is added.
But if you plan it out right, you can install your flooring right up to the edge of those spaces, and then build a long, deep shelf over the inset area. I did this over several of the insets in the attic of my former home, creating good storage areas for Christmas decorations, suitcases and other lightweight items.
Another area that can be treated the same is over ductwork. Often, the existing ducts will limit the area that you can floor over. But that area can still be used for storage, if you build a light platform over the ducts.
Adding shelves around the perimeter of the room is a lot of work, but can make it much easier to organize your things in the attic. Fishing rods can be hung on hooks, mounted into the ceiling joists.
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