Finishing An Unfinished Attic

Low cabinets and bookcases fit snugly in the space under slanted ceilings.

Finishing an unfinished attic.

Finishing an attic turns the finished parts into standard living spaces making them subject to all of the same rules that apply to other living areas of the home. Always wear safety glasses and use caution when working with a nail gun. Make sure to nail into the wall studs when installing the osb image b. When done without proper planning or adherence to local building codes it can actually reduce the value of your home or stall a sale.

If your home is smaller than other homes in your area or simply lacks the necessary amount of storage or living space for your family finishing your attic is a relatively inexpensive way to increase your usable space. In rare cases especially in new construction homes the attic may have been built unfinished with the correct flooring in place with the idea that the homeowner could later on finish the space. Finishing the attic my preference is to push the knee walls close to the eaves creating as much floor space as possible. Finishing your attic can add space and utility and increase the value of your home as long as it s done properly.

Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. A contractor or a local building official can help you assess how the rule will apply to your attic and how modifications like dormers can resolve height shortcomings. At the lyons house this meant that only a portion of the attic was usable though some of the low clearance area was tapped for storage. Replace any attic insulation where necessary.

Any living space requires at least 7 feet of headroom over a floor area of at least 70 square feet measuring at least 7 feet in each direction. To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes. Enforcement varies but codes typically say that at least half of a finished attic must be at least 7 feet high and that this area must be a minimum of 7 feet wide and 70 square feet. Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage.

In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards. Follow the rule of 7s. If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts. Use a nail gun to attach sheets of osb to the walls over the insulation.

There are no special exceptions just because it s living space in the attic.