Finishing the attic - what options are suitable for such a room

How to make a cozy room in the attic?

Everyone dreams of a cozy country house where they can spend not only weekends, but also vacation time.

A modern person is accustomed to comfort, and for this reason he wants to see his country house as cozy and comfortable for living and spending time.

Often construction is carried out spontaneously, as funds and time for its arrangement become available.

Most often, a country house is a one-story building with an attic floor or attic, and first of all, as a rule, the first floor is equipped.

But over time, the question of arranging the attic arises. Sometimes this step is prompted by a larger family when additional bedrooms are needed. And such living rooms can be located in the attic.

Construction work required when arranging an attic space

Making the attic habitable and expanding the space of the house is, on the one hand, a simple task, but on the other hand, it requires labor-intensive preparatory and construction work. You can do them yourself, ultimately creating a cozy room under the roof.

The number of rooms in the attic depends on the height of the roof ridge. Staying in the attic floor should not be uncomfortable. An important point is the arrangement of lighting and stairs connecting the rooms of the floors.

If life in the house occurs not only in warm weather, but also in winter, then it is necessary to carry out work on insulating the attic. We have already written about this in detail.

Windows for lighting and ventilation of attic spaces can be installed on the gables of the roof or in the roof itself.

Such windows are called dormer windows and they are installed in a sloping roof. In the second case, the work is more labor-intensive, since it will be necessary to carry out additional work to repair and restore the roofing material, as well as carefully carry out work on sealing the seams between the window and the roof, because roof windows are exposed to precipitation with greater force than ordinary ones façade windows.

But, despite some difficulties, such windows allow more light into the room and decorate the roof. When installing skylights in a small attic space, the walls remain free, and it will be much easier to arrange furniture. If your roof has four slopes, then when arranging a living space in the attic, installing roof windows is the only way to illuminate the room.

You also need to think about the floor material. Again, if the height of the room is small, its thickness should not “eat up” the height, and if there is no sound insulation between floors, it is necessary to take care of it too.

The material used to decorate the walls and ceiling largely depends on the overall style of the house. So, in a wooden house, wood would also be appropriate in the decoration of the attic, especially if the whole house is made in this style. In a more modern interior, the walls can be covered with plasterboard, then painted or wallpapered.

Often part of the interior of the attic space are roof beams, painted in contrasting colors or decorated with other finishing materials.

Some tips for arrangement

In order for the attic room to always delight you with its comfort, a number of other works need to be done. Here are some recommendations from experts:

1. You need to think in advance about what material will be used to decorate the walls and ceiling in the room under the roof. Drywall is perfect for this. This material is easy to use, practical and durable. In addition, drywall weighs little, which will not create additional load on the roof truss system and floor elements.

2. Consider the heating system. Even good thermal insulation will not save you in severe frosts. You can take the pipe of the heating system of the house to the attic and install additional radiators there. This is exactly what is done most often. But this method will sometimes require significant modifications to the entire heating system. If the attic room is small, you can use electric heating devices, such as a heated floor system.

3. It is also advisable to think through the design in advance. Since such a room under the roof will be a separate room, you can show your imagination here. But still, there is no need to strongly contrast with the overall design of the entire house.

Converting a cold attic into a living space can take a lot of money and time. It is best to consider the possibility of creating an attic during construction. In this case, the resulting living space under the roof, a bedroom or an office, will be more comfortable and easy to use.

Video on the topic:

Options for arranging the attic

What rooms can be equipped in the attic or attic floor? First of all, these are living rooms (if there are a shortage of them), as well as a playroom for children, a guest room, a gym, a utility room for storing something, a recreation area, a library, a workshop.

There are many options, it all depends on the desires and preferences of the owners. A cozy attic in a country house can become a family’s favorite place to spend time. Sitting together in front of the TV, playing board games, reading books, exercising on sports equipment - unites all family members and encourages communication.

A well-thought-out attic interior will delight not only you, but also your guests. We offer several options for arranging this space.

The bedroom can be arranged in a small attic space, but it is important that in the central part of the room the height of the beam is higher than human height; along the edges, under the slopes of the roof, beds will be perfectly placed.

A double bed can be located in the central part of the room, on the sides of it, in the lowest part there are excellent storage spaces.

In a more spacious attic space, you can arrange two or more rooms, giving them different functions. Or you can organize a cozy common room throughout the entire area for relaxing and watching TV shows, or organize a home theater.

A well-planned space, devoid of walls, can be divided into several zones. Every meter of such space will be used. In the lower part, under the roof slopes, niches or low cabinets are often installed for storing things and household utensils.

In one room, separated by light partitions that allow light to pass through, you can place both a recreation area and a play area. At night, the room will serve as a bedroom for one of the family members or guests.

A furnished attic space in a private residential building, with a sufficiently large area, can become a real masterpiece and a family’s favorite room. An unusual design and experiment will encourage you to further alterations or emphasize the existing modern style of your home.

If the height of the attic does not allow you to arrange living quarters in it, then you can place a storage room there. It is important that the pantry or utility room is convenient for moving and storing things. Don't clutter your attic.

If you wish, you can increase the attic space by making an attic floor out of it, especially if your roof has become unusable and you plan to replace or repair it. The main thing is to have time to complete the work in the dry season or to ensure waterproofing of the lower floor floor in advance and organize drainage. In this case, you can make the premises more comfortable by calculating the required height to which you need to raise the roof.

The main stages and subtleties of arranging a country attic

If the ceiling is strong, then you need to start by installing the hatch and the ladder to it.

Using a ladder, and most importantly lifting materials along it, is very inconvenient.

Next we solve the issue of ceilings, windows and roofing. The work ends with finishing.

Hatch arrangement

The entrance to the attic must be from the inside; the door on the side gable is not suitable even for summer use.

According to fire safety standards, the hatch is made no less than 60x80 cm.

• In a beam ceiling, a hatch is inserted between the beams, if necessary, part of the beam is cut out, and transverse bars are installed.
• A hatch in a reinforced concrete floor is cut at the junction of 2 slabs, and the maximum cut for each slab should not exceed 1/3 of their width.

How to cut a hatch in a ceiling

Choosing a ladder

If the house is small, then the stairs to the attic in the country house should be compact. The best option would be a folding ladder mounted on the hatch.

A serial model can seriously undermine the budget; such folding beds are expensive, so the video below in this article provides instructions on how to independently assemble such a staircase.

Assembling a folding ladder with your own hands will save your budget and space in your dacha

A stationary staircase model is considered an ideal option, so if the dimensions of the dacha allow it, then it is better to go with it. By the way, it’s easier to make a stationary attic ladder with your own hands than a folding one, and it’s cheaper in terms of money.

Stationary models are more reliable and safe

Overlap issues

The first and main question is the level of strength of the floor:

• There are no questions about reinforced concrete slabs, everything is fine there.
• There can be problems with beam structures. If the beams are laid in increments of more than 60 cm, then additional ones must be installed.

Another issue is the need to insulate the floor. With a warm roof, you can do without insulating the ceiling, however, you will hear every rustle in the next room, because hollow wooden flooring is not much different from a curtain in terms of sound insulation.

This is interesting: Attic ventilation as the basis of comfort

Roof insulation

Here the solution is clear - the roof and gables need to be insulated. Even if the dacha is exclusively summer, you will not be able to relax under the hot midday heat either day or night.

At the amateur level, only mineral wool is suitable for self-insulation of the roof.

To insulate an attic, it is better for an amateur to use mineral wool

Work order:

• Wind protection. It is necessary to lay wind protection along the rafters; it is a membrane that allows steam to pass through to the street and prevents moisture from penetrating the insulation.
• Ventilation gap. A gap (50 mm) is left between the windbreak and the roofing; it is needed for ventilation.
• Insulation. Cotton mats or slabs are cut slightly wider than the distance between the rafters, due to this they fit tightly between the beams.
• Vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is attached to the bottom, the vapor-permeable side is directed into the room so that the steam goes outside.
• Lathing. Next comes the sheathing and finishing of the attic in the country house.

How to decorate a country attic

The finishing of a country attic belongs to the field of design and mainly depends on personal preferences and the size of the budget.

Decoration Materials:

Wall cladding with unedged boards looks original and costs reasonable money

Making a warm and cozy room in the attic with your own hands

An equipped room in the attic can significantly expand the living space of the house. Often the attic floor turns out to be the most comfortable room in the house and is subsequently allocated to a children's playroom, living room, and sometimes even to a bedroom. The ideological inspirer of the technology for arranging the space between the ceilings and roof of a house as a living space is the famous French architect F. Mansart (his name has since served as the term defining this very space).

Children's room

Children are always delighted with such a mysterious room as the attic. But if their presence in a dusty room littered with rubbish can hardly be called useful and safe, then an attic specially converted into a playroom or children's room is ideal for families with children.

Options for children's rooms in the attic.

Every child will be incredibly happy with such a gift - his own personal room, and even in such a “fairy-tale” place. In addition, parents will be able to fit absolutely all the old toys and children’s literature that has lost their relevance here: simply throwing away such cute little things that the matured little one has never let go of their hands before usually doesn’t raise their hand. But the most amazing thing is that after a while a child finds a “magic chest” with long-forgotten toys, he can spend the whole day with them - every mother will confirm this.

Preliminary work and planning nuances

Before making a room in the attic, the owner of the house must decide what kind of room he wants to arrange under the roof. After this, you can begin planning. If there is no attic at all in a private house, then the first priority will be to add an attic.

Optimal attic height

If it is available, it is worth considering the optimal height: if at the minimum point it does not reach two meters, the roof of the attic floor must be raised. After raising it, low built-up walls appear on the floor (about 1-1.5 meters), which makes the room more comfortable for living.

Only after the height is optimal for a normal living space can the second stage of development begin.

Features required for attic equipment

Arranging the attic of a house into a room does not require much effort if done correctly. The ideologist of the use of under-roof areas as living quarters is considered to be the French architect F. Mansart, after whom this invention is usually named today.

A house with an attic suitable for year-round living very quickly became quite popular among practical French people, and then throughout the world. For comfortable use of the attic area, a number of conditions must be met:

• Sufficient ceiling height.

A full-fledged life under the roof of a house implies the presence of sufficient space. According to generally accepted standards, a 2-meter distance from floor to ceiling will be sufficient for this. Of course it is better if this distance is large. When considering the design of an attic with a triangular roof, it would be advisable to plan lower areas of space for storage areas or other household needs.

An example of an attic with a high ceiling Source yandex.net

An example of an attic with a low ceiling Source yandex.net

• Consider heating options.

This is a mandatory condition, because the room is unlikely to be comfortable to stay in during the cold season without additional heating.

Option for heating an attic in a country house Source bk53.ru

• Presence of natural light.

This condition is also mandatory to fulfill, since without living light, i.e. windows, it will not be comfortable to exist in such a space. At the same time, the options for arranging windows can be different - mounted directly into the roof slope or on the gables.

Large roof windows Source mansarda.ru

• Arrangement of thermal insulation.

Before you equip the attic in a private house, it is necessary to carry out work to insulate it. The insulation is usually laid directly between the rafters of the frame. It should be noted that the lack of insulation will lead to low heating efficiency and, as a result, constant additional costs.

Thermal insulation of the attic Source stroidomsait.ru

• High-quality ventilation equipment.

During insulation, it is better to take care of the issues of forced ventilation of the room, in order to combat the dampness of the insulation resulting from condensation, and to ensure the penetration of fresh air.

Organization of ventilation in the attic Source luxdoma.ru

Main stages of work

Attaching an attic with your own hands is impossible without building a staircase. Usually the staircase is located in the corridor or hallway of a private house. The best material is wood, because it is durable, environmentally friendly and decorative.

Stairs to the attic

At the second stage, you need to install windows in the future room. If the window is located not in an extended wall, but in the roof, it is worth making a strong wooden frame for it in advance, capable of holding in the roof and bearing the load of precipitation (snow or rain) falling on it. The gap formed after installing the window between the window frame and the wall or roof must be immediately insulated with your own hands.

The next step is to frame the attic room. Both the walls and floor of the future room are covered with a frame. In addition, insulation is placed between the sheathing and the sheathing. At the same stage, electrical wiring and electrical elements are laid, after which it is worth carefully considering the location of sockets and communications in order to make holes for them in the drywall yourself.

The last stage is finishing the room, which takes place in several steps:

There should be no gaps between the window and the wall

• installation of plasterboard slabs (for greater strength, a second layer of plasterboard may also be required);
• puttying and sealing slopes and cracks between walls and window and door openings;
• strengthening joints and masking joints between plasterboard sheets.

Despite the fact that converting an attic into a room, at first glance, seems to be a completely simple matter, each stage of work has its own nuances, especially when it comes to thermal insulation of the attic floor.

Detailed plan as a starting point

They usually try to complete the arrangement of an attic in a country house with minimal financial investment. In this case, the plan still plays the role of an estimate, so it should not be neglected.

1. Preliminary plan. Here you must decide what you want to see at the finish line. You can draw on paper or use 3D modeling programs. At this stage, you decide whether an additional window is needed in the attic, how to line the inside of the attic, in general, the desired design of the attic.

First, a sketch of the attic design is drawn

1. Preliminary design . Next, take the documents for your dacha and, based on the plan, draw a sketch of the attic with dimensions in several projections. With it, it will be easier for you to calculate the amount of material, and at the same time draw the electrical wiring route, the location of the hatch to the attic, etc.

Now you need to solve several issues that determine the amount of materials, the amount of work and the size of the budget.

A list of questions:

• Is roof insulation necessary?
• is it necessary to reinforce the ceiling;
• Is it necessary to insulate the floor;
• is a hatch needed and what kind of hatch will it be?
• what kind of staircase will there be?

1. Costings. The next step is drawing up an estimate. You need to figure out what you have and calculate what and how much you still need to buy.

It’s not difficult to find out the approximate price for the material. My advice to you is to count to the maximum and then add another 10%, plus don’t forget to take into account delivery.

1. Secondary measurement. Next, you need to clean out the attic and measure everything with your own hands with a tape measure, after which you can purchase the material and get to work.

This is interesting: How to make an attic: 5 stages of installation

After cleaning and actual measurement, the amount of material and scope of work may change significantly

Attic insulation

This is the most important step in equipping a room in the attic with your own hands, because heat loss through the roof of the house, without proper thermal insulation, is simply colossal.

The following materials are suitable for attic insulation:

1. Polyurethane foam;
2. Styrofoam;
3. Mineral or stone wool;
4. Expanded clay (only the attic floor is insulated with it).

In the process of insulating an attic, the following stages can be distinguished:

• arrangement of sheathing (installation of ceiling beams on which the floor is laid);
• laying the selected insulation in the gaps between the beams;
• if you choose polyurethane foam, it is enough to blow it into the gaps between the beams, without first laying waterproofing, because this material repels water well;
• if mineral wool or expanded clay was chosen as insulation, you should lay a polyethylene waterproofing film under the material with your own hands;
• the final stage of attic insulation is the arrangement of the floor on the finished sheathing (for these purposes, you can use plywood sheets, although the best option is ordinary boards nailed to the floor beams).

Finishing and decoration

Once the insulation of the attic floor has been successfully completed, you can proceed to assembling the room frame. It is assembled from beams covered with sheathing and covered with clapboard. Insulation is also placed between the beams of the box.

After the box of walls is covered with sheets of plasterboard, you can begin further finishing and decorating the room.

First of all, you need to figure out which room will be there:

• children's playroom (in the children's room, as in the bedroom, insulation is of paramount importance);
• library;
• Gym;
• recreation area: billiards, for example;
• workshop;
• utility room or dressing room;
• bedroom (in case there is not enough living space in the house), etc.

In fact, the attic space can be equipped for absolutely any room, including even a bathroom or kitchen. In addition, the space in the attic floor of the house can be used even more rationally and even divided into several zones and allocated for each separate room.

Cabinet

If you are equipping the attic as a children's room or office, you need to worry about high-quality lighting: in this case, the windows are made large. The location of the desk is determined depending on the placement of the window.

The location in the attic in no way dictates any special design of both the children's room and the office: it can be the same as in ordinary rooms.

Setting up an attic as an office is a great idea for those who, due to their duties, have to work a lot at home on the computer. The attic floor will be the quietest place, allowing you to concentrate on work without being distracted by various irritating factors, be it a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner, children's screams, etc.

Even while the attic is being attached and the further practical use of the floor is being planned, it is worth thinking about lighting. Ordinary chandeliers for a gable roof, of course, are not suitable, but lamps installed on walls or roof slopes are perfect. It is better to install several lamps in different places.

If you are confused by wooden floor beams, then they can be camouflaged with sheets of plasterboard. Most often, owners leave them in plain sight, decorating them as a stylized interior detail.

However, if you do not want to come up with any special design for the room in the attic, it can be equipped in the same style as the rest of the rooms in the house.

Features and differences of the attic and attic

Any repair is a difficult process and requires significant funds. And if we are talking about rooms of non-standard size, such as attics and attics, then this is doubly difficult.

First, a project is drawn up. It must take into account all the features of the house and internal layout. This includes the height of the roof, the number of future rooms, and the location of the staircase that will connect the floors. It must be placed near the wall so that it does not take up free space. There are many such nuances and all of them must be taken into account before work begins.

It should be noted that it is possible to make a living room out of an attic only if the roof has a slope of no more than 45 degrees. In addition, the house must have a suitable structure, and the rafter system must not interfere with repairs. Ideally, the roof should have a round or flat shape. These types of roofs are the easiest to work with.

You can arrange several rooms in the attic. This nuance does not depend on the total area of ​​the attic. What is more important here is how high the roof ridge is. The ceiling height should be such that a person in the room can freely stand at full height.

Window arrangement

It is clear that it is impossible to imagine a living space without windows. Daylight will penetrate through them. Windows are also needed to ventilate the room.

Windows vary in appearance. Some are installed into the gable wall, while others are installed directly into the roof. This type of window is called attic. Their installation and sealing require strict adherence to the rules. Windows of this type are considered an excellent design solution. They will fill the room with natural light and decorate the interior.

Insulation

An important stage in arranging an attic is insulation. Everyone knows that warm air always rises to the top. It is important that it does not go outside, but remains in the attic space. Therefore, the roof must be insulated.

For insulation, glass wool insulation in the form of rolls or slabs is suitable. This material weighs very little, but retains heat well. The insulation is usually covered with sheets of plasterboard, plywood, clapboard or boards.

The floor in the attic also needs to be insulated. An edged board or regular plywood is suitable for this. If funds allow, you can also install a heated floor system. It is important to remember that if the ceiling height is insufficient, it is better not to take up precious centimeters with thick flooring materials. Also, in the process of insulation, in no case should we forget about waterproofing and sound insulation.

Interior

As for the stylistic design, the attic and attic can be turned into a nursery, an additional bedroom, a study, a recreation room, a workshop, and so on. It all depends on the imagination and needs of the owners. You can combine several zones in one room at once. Then the room will turn out to be multifunctional.

If we talk about the choice of materials for finishing, then everything depends on the style of the house itself. If the house is wooden, then the finishing materials should also be wooden. Furniture in this case should be either wooden or wicker.

If the walls of the room will be painted, then it is better to select the paint color based on the functionality of the future space. For a small room, you should choose paint in light pastel colors - such shades have a calming effect. If desired, you can add bright accents, but there should not be too many of them, they should be placed wisely.

There should not be too much furniture and accessories. At the same time, they should be arranged very concisely and compactly. The room should not be allowed to look cluttered.

Reconnaissance

Bringing the attic of a residential or non-residential building into a state that allows living or long-term stay in it is quite a difficult task. You shouldn't take it lightly. The attic of a private house, as a rule, is not suitable for this.

Project and interior design for the arrangement of the attic in the house

Otherwise it would not be called an attic, but an attic. The main problems that need to be solved are:

• load-bearing capacity of floor structures;
• level of natural insolation of the room;
• access to the attic from the lower floor;
• heating, plumbing, sewerage and electricity.

As you can see, most of these issues exceed the competence of not only the ordinary person, but even a qualified builder. Therefore, to resolve them, you should contact specialists for advice.

The initial task is to clarify the question of whether it is worth taking on the task of turning the space under the roof into a residential attic. The natural desire of previous builders to save materials and resources could result in such weak floor beams that nothing heavier than the existing one could be installed on them.

Option for arranging living space in the attic

Overloading the structures will lead to deformations, cracks and defects in the ceiling of the floor below the attic. Strengthening floors is a much more complex task than simple repairs. Of course, monolithic reinforced concrete floors in the house can be safely used as the floor of future rooms.

You should find out whether the condition of the roof and rafters allows the installation of additional windows. If the roofing covering is dilapidated, then installing attic windows will cause destruction of the material. As a result, a complete roof covering may need to be replaced. Instead of windows in the roof, you can get by with light openings in the gable of the attic. This will limit the lighting, but will allow the implementation of the plan to continue.

Preparatory work for creating a residential attic

I would like to note that you can equip a cold attic with your own hands, but such a room is suitable for use only in warm seasons, due to the lack of proper insulation.

Another thing is an insulated room in the attic. It is a full-fledged room with heating and windows, which are a source of natural light and necessary air exchange.

The height and volume of the attic space is usually less than that of the rooms on the first floor due to sloping ceilings, so this room is especially suitable for children and teenagers due to their small stature. And besides, high-mounted windows will be safer for little fidgets.

children's room in the attic

The best option for an attic project is at the stage of building the entire house

.

So, the easiest way is to organize the future interior and design, location of windows, heating, etc. It is also necessary to plan the convenient placement of the stairs leading from the first floor to the attic. It should be made with railings for safety and good wood for durability.

wooden staircase to the attic

Well, what about those who already have a built house, but want to furnish the attic with their own hands? It doesn’t matter, to do this you need to make sure the strength of the ceilings and walls. You will also have to inspect all the wooden structures of the rafter system to ensure that various kinds of pests do not live in it and there are no rotten parts.

If pests are detected, there are special chemicals that eliminate this problem. If there are rotten parts of the rafter system, then their full repair and replacement is necessary.

If living space on the second floor was not included in the project, we recommend contacting a specialist for advice. He must calculate whether the strength of the floors is sufficient from the weight of furniture, people, etc.

There are the most original and varied uses for an attic room.

:

• children's room;
• billiard room;
• living room;
• bedroom;
• pantry, etc.

The future location of windows should also be taken care of in advance. If the windows are attic, it is necessary to take into account that roofing work will be required related to repairs, sealing and sealing at the points of contact between the windows and the roof.

In this case, the walls remain free to accommodate various interior objects (furniture, shelves, racks, etc.). This option is most suitable for hipped roofs, for which there is no other option for natural lighting than making windows on the roof.

If the roof is gable, then, most often, windows are made in the gables, without violating the integrity and design of the entire roof.

roof windows

Finishing materials are selected based on the planned budget and the purpose of the attic room. These can be either natural materials made of wood or more “folk” ones - plasterboard, fiberboard and chipboard.

Cleaning the room and defecation

The condition of attics is usually deplorable. It is necessary to remove all debris and expose structural elements.

The process of installing an insulated floor in the attic

It is important to decide on the laid communications. The attic space can be used for plumbing, heating, and have a system of ventilation outlets both at the roof level and attic floor level.

Sometimes expansion tanks for heating networks are installed in the attic. It happens that pressure tanks for water supply are mounted on them. Ventilation pipes from the bathrooms pass through the attic. With stove heating there will be chimneys.

Construction around chimneys is regulated by fire safety standards; the requirements should be taken into account when planning reconstruction.

Having decided on the location of communications, you should assess the condition of the structures. Floor beams in a house with a normal roof should not show signs of rotting or decomposition; this must be verified with all seriousness. The state of the interbeam space is investigated. The gap between the beams can be filled with sheathing, particleboard, OSB panels or even drywall. Depending on what material forms the basis of the ceiling of the underlying floor, a decision is made on the method of constructing the floor of the attic.

Only a designer with experience in design work on building reconstruction can form a qualified opinion on this. Even an ordinary experienced builder can give the wrong advice. You should not independently determine the composition of work and materials.

In the process of resolving problems regarding the floor and ceiling, you should choose a place to install an attic hatch or passage into the attic. Most often, attached, folding or hanging stairs are used to access the attic space. This is not very convenient, but if it is not possible to extend the existing staircase or install a new one, then attic stairs can solve the problem.

Drawing up a work plan and project

Having a clear understanding of the current state of the object, you can begin design work on its reconstruction. The project must be drawn up. It is under no circumstances possible to get down to business without detailed design and planning solutions. You can compose it yourself, if your qualifications allow, or order it from those who are engaged in professional design. This is the best.

The project should reflect:

• drawings of the room with installation locations for window and door openings, communication systems and other elements, such as stairs to the attic;
• structural elements, their components, nomenclature and quantity;
• attic insulation;
• solutions for the transfer of existing communication elements;
• solutions for the design of chimneys and structures near them.