Finished Attic Framing

A finished attic weighs a lot more than boxes of off season duds.

Finished attic framing.

Flooring ceiling and wall materials and other elements will reduce headroom and floor space and it s the finished area that matters. A properly framed attic room can eliminate most of the odd angles and awkward spaces of an unfinished attic and a finished attic room can be a pleasant and peaceful addition to your home s living. As long as they are not damaged the joists should be strong enough to allow you to move around in the attic for an inspection and to provide storage for typical boxed items. Learn how to finish an attic s walls and ceiling with these easy step by step directions.

At a minimum you may need to strengthen the attic s floor joists which are often too shallow or spaced too far apart for the job. If your home is smaller than other homes in your area or simply lacks the necessary amount of storage or living space for your family finishing your attic is a relatively inexpensive way to increase your usable space. In a tight attic space finishing the walls and ceiling is especially important. The basic space requirements for a finished attic boil down to the sizes of the finished rooms.

Have a pro check the structure. Hire an engineer to inspect your house s foundation and framing to ensure they can carry the extra load. The floor structure of an attic is also the framing for the ceiling beneath it. Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage.

This is made up of ceiling joists typically 2x6 or larger boards.