How To Insulate An Attic For Renovation

From wooden ceilings to creative storage solutions remodeling an attic into a room can be a fun project as long as you plan properly.

How to insulate an attic for renovation.

If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts. When using fiberglass insulation the pink stuff the attic roof rafter will need to be at least 16 deep. The structural elements are usually exposed in these areas which makes it easy to see what type of insulation you have and to measure its depth or thickness inches. In an older home a typical roof rafter can range between 2 4 s to 2 8 s.

But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates. Consider spray foam insulation. Lay a two by four on top temporarily compressing the insulation to a manageable. Because that insulation is below your feet between the joists.

Spend money on insulation. Current insulation code requires r 49 insulation in the ceiling. Today s attic remodels increasingly are getting foam insulation sprayed between the rafters before installation of drywall. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.

Check the attic walls and floors adjacent to an unheated space like a garage or basement. If your attic already has insulation it is probably useless for your intended attic remodel. To turn it into a livable space you will need to add insulation. To cut blanket style insulation place the product over a piece of plywood with its paper or foil side down.

We are remodeling and rebuilding a 90 year old attic into a master bedroom. To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes. To insulate without furring the rafters you have the option of installing regular batts in the existing rafter spaces and then adding a layer of rigid foam board insulation over the rafters.