Finishing Off Attic Space

Don t mash or compress the insulation into the space.

Finishing off attic space.

Here s a look at some building code basics when it comes to turning attic space into living space. Step 1 check the ceiling height. For a finished attic to be to code it must satisfy the same living requirements of other rooms sometimes called the rule of sevens any living space in a home needs to have at least 7 feet 2 1 m of clearance from the floor to the ceiling and there needs to be at least 70 square feet of space available at least 7 feet 2 1 m in each direction. At least 50 step 2 make sure the attic has a full size staircase.

Just keep structure safety and purpose in mind as you plan out your new space. 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. So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense. In general stairs must be at least 3 feet wide and provide at least 6 feet 8 inches of headroom.

Access and egress code generally requires a full size staircase with a minimum 6 foot 8 inch clearance above it. An attic can be finished and used for a variety of different rooms such as a bedroom sewing room bonus room storage space or even a playroom for children. Stairs can take up a lot of space in both the attic and in the floor below so they are important considerations for planning. 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.

If building a knee wall for storage like karl did with this project make sure to insulate that area as well. 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 into liveable space nets an average of 9 3 out of 10 joy score or sense of happiness the owners have upon completion on nar s renovation report. It needs a certain amount of loft to work properly.

In most cases though the joists cannot support live loads and may not even be covered with boards. Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. Building code also requires that the. Follow the rule of 7s.

Access to a finished attic finished attics need stairs that meet all of the standard staircase requirements. Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and r 13 for the walls. Here are some must do tips to follow when finishing your attic. Figure you ll need to beef up the floor insulate and more.

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. Remodeling an attic requires only a. When done without proper planning or adherence to local building codes it can actually reduce the value of your home or stall a sale.