how do i convert my small attic into a room

by Cullen Hamill Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

How do i convert my small attic into a room?

Clean Out Your Attic. …
Wire the Attic for Electricity. …
Build a Subfloor. …
Insulate Your Attic. …
Install Drywall and Ceiling. …
Paint Attic Ceiling and Walls. …
Choose and Install Attic Flooring.

If this is your first remodel, consider hiring a professional to help you convert your attic.

Clean Out Your Attic. ...
Wire the Attic for Electricity. ...
Build a Subfloor. ...
Insulate Your Attic. ...
Install Drywall and Ceiling. ...
Paint Attic Ceiling and Walls. ...
Choose and Install Attic Flooring.

Mar 20, 2019

Full Answer

How to remodel an attic into a room?

Use Bright Colors: Keeping the colors in your small space bright makes your room seem larger. ...
Find Focal Points: Using focal points draws the eyes to specific places in the room. ...
Built in Storage: Storage is often the largest problem to address in a small attic remodel. ...

More items...

Can I turn my attic into a room?

Your attic could be a part of your home that you’ve neglected up to this point. An attic can be used as a new room for your growing kids or you could transform into a kind of lounge area where you can sit back and relax. You can do a lot with an attic but before pushing ahead with any plans, you must convert it properly first.

How to turn your home attic into a living space?

Turning your attic into a livable area

Wire your attic for electricity. While this isn’t an extensive project, you will need to hire a professional to help you out and get this one out of the way.
Strengthen the attic’s floors. ...
Insulate the attic. ...
Install plumbing. ...
Get proper lighting. ...
Paint the walls and ceiling. ...
Add furniture, appliances & décor elements. ...
Last but not least…. ...

Can I convert my attic into a room?

Turning an attic into a room requires planning. Turning an attic into a room can add value to your home and additional living space for your family. Many older homes were built with steep pitched roofs and plenty of available height that makes attic conversion easy and inexpensive. There are many things to consider before undertaking the work.

How do you know if your attic can be converted?

The attic must be at least 70 square feet, while the attic ceiling must be five feet or higher. Windows & openable area. According to home remodeling experts, for an attic to be a good candidate for conversion, its minimum window area must be at least 8% of the usable floor area.

What can I do with a small attic space?

10 Dreamy Attic Ideas for Your Home's Coziest Space of 11. Set up a home office. ... of 11. Create the closet of your dreams. ... of 11. Craft a playroom. ... of 11. Build a cozy reading nook. ... of 11. Throw together a multipurpose room. ... of 11. Make a mini library. ... of 11. Create a game room. ... of 11. Make a craft room.More items...•

Can my attic support a room?

That begs the question; can my attic support a floor? The answer, in most cases, is a definite yes. Even though it wasn't put there, the joists supporting your ceiling are quite strong. Putting down flooring won't stress them any more than the floors in your bedroom, kitchen, or bath.

Is it worth it to convert attic into room?

The basics of an attic renovation According to the 2019 National Association of Realtors Remodeling Impact Report, by converting an attic to a living space—we're talking bedrooms, home offices, and playrooms, for example—homeowners can expect to recoup 56 percent of that investment.

How do I make my attic a livable space?

If this is your first remodel, consider hiring a professional to help you convert your attic.Clean Out Your Attic. ... Wire the Attic for Electricity. ... Build a Subfloor. ... Insulate Your Attic. ... Install Drywall and Ceiling. ... Paint Attic Ceiling and Walls. ... Choose and Install Attic Flooring.

What is a tiny attic called?

A scuttle attic is an attic space accessed only by a small hole in a ceiling or, less commonly, a wall.

Is it OK to put plywood in the attic?

An attic can be floored with 1/2″ CDX plywood, if it is being used only for storage. However, the same can't be said if you are planning on using the space as a living space. In that case, you will need to use 3/4″ thick plywood. As an alternative, 3/4” OSB can be used.

Is it OK to put plywood over insulation in attic?

You can just screw the plywood to the joists right through the foam board insulation. A bit of a gap between the plywood isn't going to matter.

Is attic floor load bearing?

Most homes' attics are built without flooring and are not designed to carry the heavy load of a finished space. However, in some cases, the joists are intentionally built strong enough for the homeowner to later build out the attic.

How much does it cost to make a room in the attic?

Finishing an attic generally costs between $30 and $60 per square foot, including labor and materials. This gives you an average overall cost of $4,000 to $16,000. Of course, the cost depends on how big your attic is and what type of finishing is required.

How much does it cost to put a floor in the attic?

Cost to Finish an Attic Bedroom by ProjectProjectRange (All-In)Average Cost (All-In)Floors$200 – $6,400$3,300Windows$200 – $10,000$5,100Decoration$500 – $10,000$5,250Floor Joists$1,000 – $10,000$5,50014 more rows

How much would an attic conversion cost?

Depending on the structural requirements and the floor area and access, loft conversions typically cost from around £20,000 to £60,000. Converting your loft is often one of the easiest and cheapest ways to boost the square footage of your home.

Does finishing an attic increase value?

Yes, finishing an attic is a great way to increase a home's resale value. Based on 2019 data, converting an attic to additional living space had a 56 percent ROI. This number can be even higher if additional bedrooms or bathrooms are added, including converting an attic to a master suite.

What is a walk up attic?

Walk up attics have to be dealt with differently than a normal attic with a hatch. They are different because the interior attic door, the back of the stairs, and the three walls surrounding the stairs are typically outside and all need to be dealt with in some manner.

Can you finish attic space?

Every attic is different, but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. Follow the "rule of 7s": 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.

What is a scuttle attic?

A scuttle attic hole is a small attic access point in the ceiling of some buildings; a ceiling attic door. This hole is covered with a piece of material, typically drywall, called the hatch. The term "scuttle" simply means a hole.

What to do when converting an attic into a room?

One last thing you’ll want to do when converting an attic into a room is to pick out the right pieces of furniture. There are no real limitations on which pieces you should choose so let your preferences guide you here.

What is an attic?

Why do we need insulation in the attic?

Insulation is the secret to keeping the new attic/room comfortable regardless of the seasons. You need to invest in attic insulation or else risk making that room uninhabitable during certain stretches of the year.

Why are wood ceilings better than steel?

Wooden ceilings are also preferable because they work as terrific insulators. According to Make It Wood, the air pockets present inside the aforementioned material’s cellular structure allow it to be more effective at insulation when compared to aluminum, masonry, and steel.

What is loose fill insulation?

Loose-fill insulation makes use of materials such as cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral wool. Cellulose is the best variant in terms of R-value but it does present some mold issues. Choose carefully because you don’t want your insulation investment to go to waste.

Can you put wood floors in the attic?

Don’t forget to install wooden floors inside the new attic. We’ve already mentioned some of the reasons why wood is an ideal material to use.

Do you need a wooden ceiling in a converted attic?

Since someone in your family is going to be staying in your newly converted attic, you’ll want to install a wooden ceiling. Wooden ceilings are spectacular when built correctly and they really help make a room feel cozy. Wooden ceilings are also preferable because they work as terrific insulators.

What to do when converting an attic to a living space?

Inspect Your Roof. Inspecting your roof is a must on your to-do list when converting an attic to a living space. Check to see if you have rafters or trusses. While trusses provide additional support to your roof’s framing, traditional rafters are considered better for an attic conversion due to the open space they create.

How much vertical clearance do you need for an attic?

It’s important to remember any living space in your home should follow the ‘rule of sevens’ which is that it must have at least 7 feet of vertical clearance, ...

Can you turn an attic into a room?

Once you have the floors, walls and ceilings are finishes, your attic can easily transform into an extra bedroom, office space, reading nook, or play room! Remember to be realistic about your skill level when it comes time to do work, there are some projects you may want to leave to the pros.

Can you cut down the noise in an attic?

Attic floors are usually a bit noisy, while you may be able to live with the squeakiness now, once the room is livable you’ll definitely want to cut down the noise. When choosing flooring, opt for carpet as it absorbs sounds. If you’re laying hardwood floors, be sure to prep your subfloor.

Do attics have to be accessible?

Building codes also require finished attics to be accessible by a full-size staircase. Furthermore, for an attic to satisfy fire codes, it must have another exit in case of an emergency, this typically means an easily accessible window.

Do you have to get an electrician to work in the attic?

Once your attic is brought up to code and you’ve got your permits in order, it’s time to get a licensed electrician to ensure all wiring is up to code. We do not advise doing any electrical work yourself, as you run the risk of electrical fires.

Can an attic be used as a bedroom?

How much space do you need to convert an attic to a living room?

To meet most building codes your attic should: 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.

How much does it cost to convert an attic?

The average cost of an attic conversion is $49,438, according to Home Advisor. The cost of the project will depend on the elements your project includes.

What is the best insulation for an attic?

For a DIY project, the best insulation for an attic is batt insulation with a vapor-retardant facing. This insulation is great for finishing an attic because it is flexible and easy to install and can even be layered for additional coverage. Before installing the batts, caulk any spaces or leaks where air can pass to the rooms below.

What to do with an attic remodel?

You’re almost finished with your DIY attic remodel. Your next step is to choose and install flooring for the room. Carpeting is a good option for an attic because it helps reduce sound and adds additional insulation to your floor. Follow installation guidelines based on the flooring of your choice.

How tall is batt insulation?

Batt insulation is usually cut to fit between standard wall joists and 8-foot-high walls. Attic walls are not always this tall. If the batts don’t fit, trim pieces with a utility knife.

What to do if your attic does not have duct work?

If your attic does not already have duct work, you will need to find out if your current HVAC system will support an additional room. Bring in an expert to look at the capacity of your current heating and cooling system and find out if additional ductwork can be added to reach your attic.

How much gap between panels?

Install the next panel with a ¼ inch gap between the existing panel. When installing the next row, avoid placing end seams on top of one another.

What is the easiest place to add to your house?

An attic is often the easiest place to add onto your house. No foundations or setbacks to worry about. Everything is already in place, you just have to transform an empty space into your vision. Create an extra bedroom, a master suite, a media room, a play room or anything you can imagine for much less than the cost of an addition.

Why do we have chalkboard doors in the attic?

We also added a chalk board door to access the mechanicals installed in the attic so that nothing is trapped behind the walls. The door adds a little whimsy to what would otherwise be a boring utilitarian door.

Is it easier to install a half bath or a full bath?

We really struggled between doing a half or full bath and for expense and space, we decided to go with the half bath. Installing a half bath is much simpler!

Do I put molding in the same profile as downstairs?

Then for the trim, I put in the same molding profiles as downstairs. Baseboards, casings, windows, everything was trimmed to the exact patterns and dimension as they are downstairs. That’s the only way to make everything fit properly and look like it belongs.

What is the attic made of?

Chances are, your attic is composed of 2x4 rafters and floor joists. You may walk along a plywood pathway and feel a little bounce in the floor and think, “Hey, maybe that’s ok?” You may have plenty of head height up there in the middle and think it could work as a room — maybe a home office, with a desk and bookshelves where the ceiling gets too low.

Can you stand up in the middle of an attic?

A lot of older homes have giant attics where you can stand up in the middle. With square footage at a premium, it occurs to many people that maybe they could just finish that attic space into living space.

Do 2x10s eat up attic space?

The 2x10s and 2x12s drastically eat up the space you think you have up there . Pretty much every attic space I’ve looked at when considering converting it to living space has been killed by this reality.

Do you need to replace attic stairs?

You’ll need to replace your attic stairs with new ones, and the new stairs will have to be to code. That means they are (overwhelmingly likely) going to take up more space, and that will impact both the attic, and the spaces below that the stairs pass through. In the end, pretty much every dream of attic conversion either ends up as ...

Is it cheaper to rip a roof off or build something from scratch?

And precise and tricky means higher labor costs. Even if you have enough height that the initial issue doesn’t trip you up, the reality is, it’ll be faster and cheaper just to rip your whole roof off and build something from scratch. There’s really no cheap way around that. Converting an attic has house-wide structural implications.

Is it possible to turn an attic into a living space?

Converting an attic has house-wide structural implications. Turning that attic into living space is going to add some previously unaccounted for “load” upstairs. (Think of load as weight.) That additional load at the top of your house was not planned for (structurally) when your home was built.

Can an attic be converted to a loft?

Now, some attics — and this is a big asterisk here — can be converted to sleeping lofts relatively reasonably. There isn’t a solid rule of thumb for how, but suffice it to say, it involves reviewing the specific structural realities of your home and a thorough review of the proposed size and applicable building codes.

How wide should a staircase be in an attic?

The staircase must: Provide a minimum of 6'8" of headroom the entire walking length of the stairs. Be at least 36" wide.

Why is the attic the worst place to be in a fire?

Attics are the worst place to be in a fire because heat and fire rise rapidly. Since the staircase to the attic can act as a chimney for the fire to quickly spread, it's necessary to have a secondary point of egress, or exit. 2

Why are trusses better than rafters?

Ironically, though, it's the rafters that provide a better environment for an attic conversion because of the clear space. If you have trusses, it will be next-to-impossible to reconfigure them to allow for clear space.

What is a dead load attic floor?

Your attic floor was probably built with dead loads in mind. Dead loads are things that do not move: boxes, trunks, suitcases, etc. Live loads are people and animals, and tangentially, the things used by people.

How many fires were there in the attic in 2008?

The United States Fire Administration estimates that in just a two year period, from 2006 to 2008, close to 10,000 residential attic fires occurred, resulting in nearly half a billion dollars worth of damage. 1 Most fires were caused by sparks from electrical arcing.

Why is 70 sq ft not allowed?

As an example, a floor space that totals 70 sq. ft. would still not be allowed because its 4' x 17.5' dimensions.

Do older homes have attics?

To satisfy building code, you need to have enough space—and the right kind of space—to meet these following regulations. Many older homes simply do not have the right types of attics to construe this space.