Frame A Half Attic

Cut sub floor panels to the appropriate size and install them over the joist beams.

Frame a half attic.

What i ve presented here are three options that have worked for my clients. 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 this is the case you will need to repeat steps 4 through 6. Installing a pull down attic ladder is essential for safer easier access to your attic.

A bathroom tucked underneath a stairway one carved from a garage and another nestled inside a gabled attic dormer. Purchase enough to install a stud on each end of the wall and every 16 inches between. Create a layout that incorporates the details of the project such as slope headroom and exterior appearance. The bed is situated against a half wall creating a separate yet together feeling to this attic apartment.

You can build a cape cod or story and a half house by creating a new floor and rebuilding the roof. If the design calls for the roof to be built directly off of the 1st floor walls but retain a usable attic space you will need to generate roof planes that ignore the top floor. The ceiling load may include items like drywall ducts recessed lights bathroom fans and attic insulation. Follow the rule of 7s.

Lay a sub floor if necessary. Placing the bed in the loft creates more space for a small kitchenette and office space below. A loft bed makes the most out of this sharply sloped attic space. Other solutions i ve used include fitting a half bath into an oversize storage closet and splitting a large full bathroom into a half bath and smaller.

Most houses attics are built without flooring and are not designed to carry the heavy load of finished space. However in some cases the joists are intentionally built strong enough for the homeowner to later build out the attic. Schedule your project considering that the roof will be wide open and the work may last an entire day. Most attics will need a sub floor to be laid that you can build on top of.

Two by four lumber is standard for framing most walls including short walls in the attic. Screw down into joists at 3 foot 0 91 m 91 44 cm intervals using wood screws. We ll show you how to cut out frame the opening then install a fo. Predrill holes for the lag screws.

Another common method of anchoring a half wall is to cover the face with 1 2 inch plywood extend the plywood past the subfloor and attach it to a floor joist.