Building An Attic

Building code also requires that the prospective attic living space be accessible by a full size staircase with at least 6 foot 8 inch clearance above it.

Building an attic.

Before you start creating a floor for your attic you must make sure that it can handle the additional load. Building code often requires stairway access to the attic if the space is to. Attics only accessible by trapdoor style staircases or ladders aren t technically finishable. Adding a floor to an attic can increase storage space or create a new room.

An attic may also be called a sky parlor or a garret because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the slanted roof they are known for being awkwardly shaped spaces with exposed rafters and difficult to reach corners. An attic sometimes referred to as a loft is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building. In many cases ceiling joists for dead loads are designed to carry 10 pounds per square foot. Then you ll need to build a grid like structure that can hold up the plywood flooring.

Attic joists that are made from 2x8s may be acceptable for building your attic floor but because every room is variable there are no absolutes. When converting an attic to a living space it must meet the same building requirements as the other rooms in your home. You also need to ensure that the joist spacing is adequate. Make sure the attic has a full size staircase.

Have at least 7 feet of vertical clearance in the majority of the room be a minimum of 7 feet wide and have at least 70 square feet of space available.