In many cases ceiling joists for dead loads are designed to carry 10 pounds per square foot.
Flooring for attic room.
Before you start creating a floor for your attic you must make sure that it can handle the additional load.
First if you never build a room in the attic the insulation in the floor area will save energy costs.
Then you ll need to build a grid like structure that can hold up the plywood flooring.
If you don t need additional storage think of flooring an area less than the entire attic such as a small section around the attic door opening.
Partial attic flooring.
If you plan to finish the floor in the attic and turn the room into a living space however you should always use 3 4 inch plywood.
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.
Air from rooms below will not escape rapidly into the attic.
You also need to ensure that the joist spacing is adequate.
The best flooring for an attic by becky lower the right flooring can make your attic work as hard as the rest of the house.
Attics are a top pick when homeowners decide to gain some extra storage or add a guest room but not all attic flooring structures are up to the task of supporting the weight of a new living space.
Also if you do build a room or rooms in the attic one day the floor insulation will help soundproof the attic space.
If you are just looking for extra storage space consider the minimalist approach of installing flooring in just part of the attic.
Add a good padding and then lay the carpet.
Attics are great for storage but flooring directly over the attic floor joists doesn t provide room for the recommended 12 to 16 of attic insulation needed to keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Lay a plywood base first of 5 8 inch to 3 4 inch thick plywood.
Joist dimensions are only part of the equation.
To avoid overhead noise in the rooms below the attic it might be best to carpet the area.
Adding a floor to an attic can increase storage space or create a new room.
To solve this problem construct a raised platform from 2 4 or 2 6 lumber placed on edge add insulation between the.