Where does the construction of an attic roof begin? Step-by-step construction of an attic with your own hands

Nowadays, the desire to effectively use the entire area of the house is quite understandable, so many immediately plan to build an attic at the stage of designing a house, or convert the attic space in a certain way, as well as remove the roof and attach the attic floor with their own hands to the old house.

In fact, an attic is an attic, the design of which is regulated by SNiP standards, which entails modifications not only to the roof, but also changes in the thermal and waterproofing of the upper extension.

So that the attic with your own hands is reliable, warm, does not harm the load-bearing walls and foundation of the house, and lasts for a long time, you need to understand the specifics and knowledge design features this type of add-on. In the article we will talk about the main types of attic floors, what materials an extension can be made from, as well as the specifics and nuances of the stage-by-stage construction of an attic with your own hands.

DIY attic floor above the garage

Main types of attics

Do-it-yourself attic construction begins with choosing the type of extension that suits you best suitable design to the main building, and production of the project. For the superstructure, shed, gable and sloping roofs are used: hipped, domed, etc. The appearance of the attic floor is determined by the materials, design features of the building and the specifics assigned to the completion.

Depending on the specific nature of the main building, standard solutions are usually used when constructing an attic.

1.Gable; 2. Broken gable; 3.Single-level; 4.Multi-level

Single level with gable roof- This is an ordinary attic under a gable roof, converted and insulated into an attic. Designing and building such a room is not difficult, but the main drawback is the small internal usable space with a low ceiling.
A single-level roof with a sloping gable roof has four pitched planes, which are located at different angles. The construction of an attic floor of this type is somewhat more expensive and more complex to design, but the result is a large interior space.
A single-level attic with remote consoles presents some difficulties during design and construction. But the spacious interior space and the possibility of installing vertical windows compensate for the difficulties during construction. A feature of the construction of such an attic frame is the displacement and extension of the extension beyond the sides of the house, and the attic roof is identical in appearance to a pitched one.
Multi-level extension with mixed roof support. This complex design attic, which requires professional calculations and design of not only the room itself, but also the stairs to the attic. As a rule, such attic floors, with multi-level rooms, are planned together with the construction of the main house, as a solid structure.

Materials

The house is built on a foundation that is specially designed to support the weight of the structure. If the attic floor is planned initially, the load is calculated and applied at the attic design stage, so the attic floor can be built from any materials: monolithic attic made of concrete, brick, foam concrete, metal constructions, made of galvanized logs. But if the superstructure attic floor carried out after the construction of the house, the weight of the superstructure must be calculated in accordance with the load on the foundation and load-bearing walls. Accordingly, so that the superstructure does not damage the house, the material must be light, for example, wooden beam, frame-panel structures, in some cases the building is made of aerated concrete, which has good warmth and vapor barrier properties, and sip of panels.

Attic construction

Projects of attic floors involve the use of walls various materials, but, in essence, the attic design is pitched roofs leaning on the walls. Of course, in different options Attic extensions have their own characteristics, but in general they consist of the following elements:

Roof.
Lathing from wooden planks, on which the roofing and insulating materials are attached.
Ridge purlin is the top of the rafter structure.
Rafters for the attic roof are stiffening ribs, layered or hanging. In the attic, layered rafters are usually made.
Mauerlat - beams that are laid around the perimeter external walls and are connected to the walls with special fasteners. A rafter structure is attached to the Mauerlat.
Diagonal connections (bevels) for the reliability and strength of the attic; they are used to connect rafters, longitudinal beams and vertical posts.
Internal supports give the attic stability, if the attic area is large they support them ridge run and rafters.
An insulating layer consisting of waterproofing, insulation, sound and vapor insulators. Provides temperature regime and moisture exchange between the main walls and roof.

The minimum distance from the floor to the highest point of the ceiling in accordance with SNiP should be 2.5 m. If the height is less, then the room is an attic.

We build an attic with our own hands, the main connecting nodes:
A – ridge knot. B – rafter+screed+stand. B – rafter + ceiling beam D – ceiling beam + rack + strut. D – rack + strut

Construction technology

The attic walls are drawn as close as possible to the walls of the main building, so achieving comfortable heat exchange is extremely difficult. It is very important to choose the right materials for insulation, make ventilation, the entire structure must be erected in accordance with the drawing and calculations, and wooden parts treated with fire retardant compound.

Do-it-yourself attic installation, how to properly attach the components

Rules for the installation of the attic floor

To make the attic last with your own hands long years it is necessary to fulfill the conditions specified in SNiP standards:

The rafters should be 250 mm or more; it is better to use laminated veneer lumber. This thickness is due to the possibility of laying insulation between the rafters with a thickness of at least 200 mm.
Insulation materials should not lose their properties when high humidity, it is best to use foamed polystyrene, which has low weight and low heat transfer coefficient. Mineral wool absorbs moisture and breaks down.
There must be adequate ventilation between the thermal insulation and the roof, with hoods and vents, so that air can circulate freely under the entire surface of the roof of the attic floor.
It is imperative to install a vapor barrier layer inside.
On outside a waterproofing layer is laid on the rafters; it is recommended to additionally lay a layer of sound insulation.

Step-by-step instructions on how to make an attic with your own hands

Building an attic with your own hands is fraught with some difficulties, since the elements of the superstructure are at an angle, the installation of broken slopes and dormer windows requires compliance with SNiP standards in the part “Loads and impacts”.

When making a drawing of the installation floor yourself, you need to accurately calculate the loads, angles of inclination, permissible weight of the structure, and, in accordance with preliminary calculations, select the appropriate type of attic and materials for construction.

Do-it-yourself attic construction begins with the installation of mooring strips around the perimeter of the house, usually timber with a cross-section of 100*100 mm is used for this.

Next we build the frame for the room. The racks can be made of timber with a cross-section equal to the longitudinal beams, possibly from foam concrete or metal. Vertical racks We fix the racks at the corners of the structure, and then install the beams between them, with a step of no more than 2 meters, equal to the location of the attic rafters. All parts are attached to metal corners, nail plates or self-tapping screws.

We build the frame of the internal attic room, instead of vertical wooden posts there may be a wall made of foam concrete blocks or a metal frame

We tighten the jumper over the rack and secure the structure. Use a construction cord to monitor the geometry of the building.

We attach the lower rafters to the resulting frame. The beam is cut to the calculated length, a groove is made at the base for reliable fastening to the Mauerlat, the top of the beam is cut off according to the calculated angle of inclination. The installation of the lower rafters is carried out in place and securely fixed.

Do-it-yourself attic installation, photo of fastening the lower rafters, instead of vertical wooden posts there can be a wall made of foam concrete blocks or a metal frame

The next step is to install the upper rafters. The difficulty lies in maintaining the angle and centering of the structure as a whole.

Advice: To ensure that the angle of attachment of the rafters does not go astray, first a template is made from two boards that exactly corresponds to the connection of the rafters. The beams are cut to a template on the ground and then installed on the frame.

Do-it-yourself frame attic, installation of the upper rafter structure

Installation of an attic, construction of sheathing for roofing material

The next step is creating an insulating layer. It is recommended to use non-toxic and non-flammable materials, this is especially true if a nursery or bedroom is located on the attic floor. WITH inside rafter frame We lay a vapor barrier and secure it with staples. Then a layer of insulation is installed, it is important that it fits tightly to the rafters, without gaps. We install lathing on the heat-insulating layer with a pitch of 500 mm, which will fix the insulation.

We build an attic with our own hands, installation of roofing material

We lay a waterproofing layer on the sheathing, which will protect wooden elements from moisture. The roof is laid on the waterproofing.

Do-it-yourself attic construction, video materials clearly demonstrate how to correctly install rafters in practice.

This video shows typical mistakes made when installing an attic floor.

Features of adding an attic with your own hands to an old house

If you plan to complete the attic in an old private house or country house to create additional living space, then in this case the issue of dismantling the roof is relevant. You can dismantle it yourself; be sure to follow safety precautions so that the beams do not fall on your head.

The construction of an attic involves certain loads on the foundation and walls of the building. It is especially important to correctly distribute the loads on the walls, so before building the attic, load-bearing wall structures carefully strengthened.

Important: When designing, the strength of the walls should be taken into account, taking into account the wear and tear of the structure.

The ceiling of an old house is both the ceiling of the adjacent floor and the floor of the attic, so it is necessary to take into account the movement of warm and humid flows so that condensation does not form in the ceiling, and as a result, rot and fungi. To avoid problems, you need high-quality insulation and waterproofing of the ceiling.

After execution preparatory procedures, you can begin to join and construct the attic floor. During completion, it is important to strictly adhere to the design scheme for the construction of the walls and roof of the attic. Violation of the project entails not only deviations from the design of the attic floor, but also incorrect distribution of the load on bearing structures can lead to the destruction of the walls and foundation of the house.

The simplest and reliable way increase useful living space in an old house it’s a do-it-yourself attic. Video on how to build an attic floor in frame house, will help you avoid global mistakes, and will tell you the nuances of how best to make an attic with your own hands. Work carried out in accordance with the attic floor construction technology guarantees the reliability and safe operation of the extension.

It is not uncommon for a situation when, for one reason or another, a house that until recently seemed quite comfortable becomes cramped, or the dacha needs to be turned into permanent residence, while simultaneously increasing the area. Also, often the need for major reconstruction and expansion arises when purchasing a house with “experience”. You can get an increase in square footage in two ways - by adding a room or building on it. For many, adding a residential attic floor is a more preferable option, since there is no need to additionally fill the foundation, and there is not always enough space on the site for an extension. And among portal craftsmen, the addition of an attic floor is quite popular, and in this article they share the experience gained with those who are just deciding what to do and what to do.

What is an attic in a house?
Features of the construction of the attic floor during reconstruction.
Experience of portal participants.

What is an attic at home?

By definition, an attic is a residential or non-residential premises V attic space. However, in practice, only cold attics remain non-residential, and the attic is residential ( all year round or seasonally) space under an insulated roof of a special configuration. Unlike a full second floor, part of the walls in the attic is formed by roof slopes, which somewhat limits its functionality. Attic floors have always been popular, have not lost it to this day and are unlikely to lose it in the future.

Modern technologies make it possible to organize premises for any purpose in attics, as well as in full second floors - these can be bedrooms, offices, children's rooms or guest rooms. Today it is not a problem to place a full bathroom in the attic if necessary, not to mention a bathroom with a shower. Kitchens in attic rooms are a rather rare phenomenon; they mainly appear in cases where two families live and have a separate entrance from the street.

Perhaps the main condition for a comfortable existence under a roof is a height of 2.5 meters at the central point.

The permissible minimum for the attic floor is sanitary standards– 2.3 meters, although in practice other sizes are also found.

Features of the attic superstructure

Whether to build an attic is decided based on two factors:

availability of technical capabilities;
expediency.

The main question is whether the walls of a worn-out house will withstand the weight of the proposed structure, even if we are talking about the lightest, frame version. Therefore, the first thing you should do is make a plan and make a rough calculation bearing capacity walls and foundation. It’s not so much the type that will play a role here. wall material, how much is the condition of the walls. Other log houses with half a century of history are much stronger than those of “youthful” stone buildings.

The feasibility of such a global reconstruction depends on the dimensions of the house - if it is too compact, then the residential attic, taking into account the design features, will turn out to be tiny. If the width of the house is less than five meters, then it is pointless to build on a structure such as an attic floor. However, despite all the restrictions, sometimes a small interesting attic room It’s better than nothing, the main thing is that the walls can hold up and your wallet can handle it.

But even if the walls are strong, the multiply increased load must be evenly distributed, for which an armored belt is poured around the perimeter of the stone base.

When pouring the armored belt, fasteners for the Mauerlat (studs) are immediately placed into it, which will firmly fix the entire structure in place.

Without sufficient insulation, it is impossible to build an attic even for seasonal stay, since without insulation in the summer there will be a steam room in the attic. The attic in a residential building is insulated along the entire perimeter to form a closed loop - ceilings, inclined and vertical walls, pediments. Today, insulation can be anything from typical slabs, rolls and mats to blow-in, fill-in and spray-on. However, regardless of the type, its thickness must be sufficient to ensure the standard thermal resistance coefficient of the wall (tabular data by region).

If we are talking about mineral slab heat insulators, which are used most often, then for most regions 150-200 mm is sufficient. It is more efficient to lay this thickness in several layers with overlapping seams to minimize heat leakage. Since the attic is a heated room, great importance is given to the construction of a vapor barrier so that warm air did not provoke condensation in the insulation or roofing pie.

For the free removal of moisture, which, despite all the barriers, will accumulate between the insulation and the roofing of the attic floor, a ventilation gap of at least 5 cm is required, and ideally a ridge aerator.

The simplest option is a vertical window installed in the gables, but for proper lighting, special dormer windows are also needed, mounted directly into the roof.

The number of windows is calculated based on the permissible minimum - for every 10 m² of area 1 m² of glass.

If the plans include skylights, then even when assembling the rafter system it is worth calculating the pitch of the rafters according to their dimensions, taking into account the seam.

In most cases, frame and timber attics are built on, since they are lighter, cheaper, and construction process faster. Considering that the house is residential, the sooner it is under the roof again after dismantling the old one, the better. If they choose a more capital, stone option, then they give preference to lightweight materials (gas block, foam block, expanded clay concrete).

Experience of portal participants

Major reconstruction of the house of one of our craftsmen with the nickname Soboleff was subjected twice - first from summer cottage it was turned into permanent residence, and then an attic space was added. Comment from our user:

Soboleff

The long-awaited warmth has arrived, and with it the beginning of the realization of a long-standing dream - replacement old roof to the attic. All winter we were busy with calculations, drawing a plan, designing in “ketchup”, saving money. I think this report will be of interest to those who have a house that is not very large in size, quite old and built from what was there. In my case it's my ex summer cuisine, 30 years ago converted into a residential building with an area of about 60 m².

The development of amenities and active changes in the layout in order to increase the level of comfort have been carried out over the past few years.

Walls made of sand-lime brick They were put together somehow, the foundation also touched the technology sideways, so the craftsman decided not to take risks and make a frame superstructure. The height of the building walls is 1200 mm, from the finished floor to the ridge – 3500 mm, gable roof with a matching pie as roofing- metal tiles. According to the layout on the attic floor there are a couple of children's rooms of 16 square meters each, common corridor, a bathroom above the existing ground floor and a low storage room.

Attic floor, layout.

Dismantling revealed sagging, rotten beams and the deplorable state of the masonry in the upper rows; not only these rows were replaced, but also wooden beams above the window openings on the corner.

The perimeter lined with brick was filled with sheathing, reinforcement was laid, pins were inserted to secure the mauerlat, and an armored belt was poured.

In the second place they took out internal partitions to the level of the external walls, laid the floor beams, hemmed the subfloor and began assembling the frame. All wooden materials were pre-treated with fire protection.

The role of the jibs to impart rigidity is assigned to the slab sheathing - OSB 3, all joints of the slabs and the frame were foamed. The thickness of the stone wool insulation on the ceiling is 200 mm, on the walls - 150 mm, plus another 50 mm further along the perimeter of the entire facade.

For ventilation, a “cold triangle” was left at the very top. The craftsman applied four overlapping layers of insulation along this flat area of the ceiling. A roofing “pie” according to all the rules – with waterproofing, wind protection and counter-lattice.

A counter-lattice made of 50 mm timber was also placed on the outside walls of the attic space with a pitch under the insulation sheet, the slabs were laid, and the contour was covered with a wind barrier. The slabs were fixed to the house using hangers and plastic disc dowels. On top of the wind protection is a galvanized profile 60x27 mm, creating a ventilation gap and a subsystem for siding.

Project mansard roof with your own hands. Drawings according to which you will build an attic above your home, which will make it possible to increase your living space, and the whole thing will not be costly financially. The gable sloping roof is a popular construction option due to the low complexity of the technology.

Construction of an attic roof in own home- This is a fairly common occurrence because this method construction makes it possible to reduce the cost of space, while making a rather interesting dwelling under the roof. In order to properly arrange the attic floor, it is very important to thoroughly study all the requirements for this floor, and also choose the right type of roof itself along with its slope.

By regulatory documents The attic floor is the volume located under the roof covering, used to place utility or residential premises there. The height of the external walls should be no more than one and a half meters in total, otherwise this space is considered an entire living space.

Building an attic with your own hands is an extremely profitable activity both during construction and during use of the house itself. In the case of construction, costs are reduced because the height vertical structures for fencing is also reduced. This is all because the attic itself takes on the function of the enclosing structure, while it continues to serve its original purpose.

Attic floor

An attic is a room located under the roof; it can be converted into a separate living space. During use, costs may decrease due to the following points:

Making an attic: preparation

You need to start building a mansard roof by preparing a schematic design; this project should show the mansard roof, or rather its drawing, its complete structure. Typically, the roof used for the attic floor is gable, which makes it possible to provide full windows in the gables, but it is possible to use a hipped hip roof.

If you are going to use the hips to illuminate the premises, then it is possible to install window openings exclusively for the attic. This method is more complex during the installation of mansard roof elements, as well as during the construction of interiors. However, costs are reduced with such a roof due to the fact that there are no gables. In a brick building, the savings will be much more noticeable, because the cost of the construction work itself for installing wall fencing, as well as the cost of materials in such a house, is quite high in itself.

Installation of an attic roof in a house occurs from the moment of measuring the roof, its shapes and sizes. There has already been mention of the selection of the type of rafter systems (hip hip or gable). After this, you need to make a choice of slope, straight or broken. Among the disadvantages of a broken slope are an increase in cost, as well as the complexity of the process itself. However, the use of this method can be easily justified by the need to increase the height of the room itself due to the fact that the angle of inclination of the attic roof will change.

During the design phase, it is necessary to decide optimal slope attic roof. This choice will depend on the roofing material used, which imposes certain restrictions, as well as ergonomic considerations.

Before you start building the attic:

It is very important to carry out calculations of all its supporting elements for strength and bending.
In addition, you need to choose the composition from which it will be made. roofing pie.
It is necessary to make calculations of heating engineering and select materials.

Design

List of structural components of the main load-bearing elements:

The construction of the attic roof of a house with your own hands should begin with the selection of sections for all roof frame structures. The material must be selected taking into account the following conditions:

The tree must be coniferous, i.e. Larch, pine or spruce are suitable.
There must be first or second grade materials.
More than fifteen percent humidity is not allowed.
It is necessary to treat all boards, as well as bars, with antiseptics before starting the construction process.

Thermal engineering calculation process

In order to maintain warmth in the house, it is necessary to select insulation and its thickness. Mineral wool is often used for rooms with an attic. You can also use polyurethane foam, ecowool, polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam. Once you decide on the material for thermal insulation, you need to select its thickness.

When choosing the thickness, it is necessary to take into account the rafter height. This rafter height must be greater than (or equal to) the thickness of the thermal insulation layer. In case of mineral wool It will be necessary to provide a ventilation gap of fifty millimeters thick between the roof covering and the thermal insulation surface. In case if rafter sections will be small to complete this requirement it is necessary to mount the counter-lattice.

Before the process of building an attic with your own hands, there is the possibility of manually calculating heating equipment, with the help of SP the thermal protection of buildings. However, it would be best to use special programs.

You should be very careful when designing the attic of a house, because errors in the calculations, together with incorrect parameters of the rafter system structures, will lead to damage to the roof itself and, along with it, to the walls of the house during its operation.

It is advisable to leave the design of the attic of a house to professionals. In addition, you can use specialized programs on a computer, with their help you can perform calculations of rafter systems, the optimal angle of inclination of the attic, as well as many other parameters. All these calculations are made according to SNiP loads and impacts.

During the selection process attic project it is very important to pay attention to the dependence of the angle attic slope and parameters of the room itself. The premises of a residential building should not be higher than two point two meters. If the attic roof has straight slopes, the angle of inclination of these roofs will have a serious impact on the overall width of the room itself.

Dormer windows, their height and roofing pie

A broken attic makes it possible to greatly expand the room, while setting the desired height of the ceilings. In this case, the rafter bottom is at a sixty-degree angle, and the angle of inclination of the rafter top can be selected as desired.

Taking on mansard roof personally, it is very important to foresee what materials will be used for the installation of the roof pie; this must be done at the design stage. These materials will include:

Vapor insulation
Waterproofing
Roofing material
Insulation

Insulation. His choice will affect such an important parameter as rafter step. To save thermal insulation material, it is recommended to lay rafter systems so that the mat or slab fits very tightly between these systems. The type of roofing you choose will depend on the type of roofing you choose - whether it will be sparse or solid, as well as the spacing of the sheathing if it is sparse. What is important is the installation of an attic roof on the floor, which involves adding quality good insulation and also working correctly ventilation system in the attic roof.

Required tools and materials

Materials and tools

In order for the construction of roofing and rafter systems to be safe, it must be carried out using clean, environmentally friendly and fire-safe materials. Treatment wooden materials occurs with the help of fire protection and bioprotection means. For that To build a rafter system in your home with your own hands, you will need:

timber beam, section 50x100mm;
wooden board 150x50mm;
unedged wooden board;
80 nails, as well as screws and other fastening elements;
annealed wire with a diameter of three or four millimeters;
level;
plumb line;
roulette;
hacksaws;
axes;
hammers;
carpenter's knives.

If you use quality tools during construction, this will significantly speed up and make installation of wooden structures easier. You can also find various videos instructions for carrying out such work step by step.

Stages of constructing an attic with your own hands

The manual construction of an attic roof has some differences from an ordinary one. pitched roof only by the presence of thermal insulation elements. Protective layers for insulation also go into the pie. Here's the procedure:

To avoid making mistakes during construction, you need to consider the instructions for each item in detail, you can also find video instructions.

The construction of an attic floor is possible both during the construction of the house itself and after, if these actions were not originally planned. In both cases, do-it-yourself attic - this good way get additional living space.

Construction of an attic floor with attic walls

With an attic wall, as a rule, an attic with a simple gable roof is installed, as in the diagram above. In the case of manufacturing a hipped sloping roof There is no need to build such walls. The design provides the attic ceiling height necessary for comfortable use of the room.

Do-it-yourself frame attic: construction is carried out from wood, there is no need to attach attic walls

Reinforcing lining of the walls of the attic floor

Now it is necessary to perform the reinforcing lining of the walls. Its installation is required regardless of whether we laid attic walls or not. This will ensure the strength of the structure made of aerated concrete or brick and will prevent it from creeping to the sides. Also, by tying the floor, the mauerlat will be attached, on which, in turn, we will build the rafter system of the attic roof.

The reinforcing strapping is made monolithic and runs inextricably along the entire perimeter of the walls. It is assembled from longitudinal reinforcement rods intercepted with clamps. In the picture below you can see what this design looks like. The distance between the longitudinal rods may vary depending on the thickness of the walls.

How to build an attic: construction of an armored belt in cross section

Important: The reinforcing strapping must be connected only with clamps; welding cannot be used. The structure of the building will never be 100% static, and even with small movements the welded frame may break. The use of clamps will give the armored belt the necessary elasticity.

We arrange permanent formwork for strapping. To do this, we use either U-shaped blocks, as in the upper part of the picture, or, if the walls are brick, we make prefabricated formwork. You can see both options in the photo.

Do-it-yourself attic: photo of laying the armored belt frame in foam block formwork

When the framing frame is laid in the formwork, we install studs or anchors with threads and a nut into it for the subsequent installation of the Mauerlat. Studs must be taken with a diameter of 12 mm, the distance between them is 1.0 m.

Attic construction: the reinforcing belt is filled with concrete, anchors are visible from the outside

Important: Between the frame and the outer wall of the formwork it is necessary to lay a layer of insulation. In the future, it will have to be coupled with the insulation of the attic roof, so the same material should be used in both. Thermal insulation should protrude to the surface to the thickness of the Mauerlat.

We fill the frame with concrete and wait until it hardens completely, after which we can continue construction.

Attic floor superstructure: an armored belt with insulation is installed on the attic wall

Now we build the gables. They can be either with or without windows - in this case the window openings are made in the mansard roof. After this, you can begin installing the Mauerlats. In the photo you see the construction of an attic floor with your own hands with the construction of attic walls.

Do-it-yourself attic, photo taken during the construction of the gables

DIY attic: video contains useful information, which is worth studying before starting construction.

Mauerlat installation

The Mauerlat is made from timber with a cross-section of 150 mm. If there are no beams of the required length, then we connect several short ones using anchors. We drill holes in the beams for the anchors, which we previously installed in the reinforced belt of the attic floor.

We lay a layer of moisture insulation on the armored belt. Roofing material cut into strips is suitable for this purpose. The material is overlapped and fused. Now we lay the Mauerlat so that the anchors fit into the holes made for them, and tighten everything with bolts from above. We leave the structure to stand for two or three days, then tighten the bolts again. The figure below shows a diagram of attaching the Mauerlat to the armored belt of the attic floor.

Attic design: installation of a Mauerlat frame

If the house is built of logs, then the installation of a mauerlat will not be required; the rafters will rest against the upper logs of the load-bearing walls.

How to properly attach an attic floor: resting the rafters on a load-bearing wall log

Do-it-yourself attic construction: video of mounting the Mauerlat.

Important: Before installation, the Mauerlat beams, like the entire rafter system, must be treated with an antiseptic compound. If this is not done, the frame will be susceptible to fungal infections and rotting, which can lead to loss of strength and, consequently, destruction of the entire attic roof structure.

Now that the installation of the Mauerlat has been completed, you can begin building and insulating the attic roof, laying thermal insulation on the gables and walls, and finishing work.

Making an addition to the attic floor

Building an attic that was not previously planned will cause you certain troubles: both the construction itself and obtaining permission for it. However, the result will fully justify the effort expended. Despite some time and financial costs, building an attic with your own hands will be more profitable than purchasing separate house or apartments.

Important: before making an attic on an old house, in which it was not planned, it is necessary to first determine whether this is possible. The extension will increase the load on the walls and foundation of the house, and to assess their load-bearing capacity you will have to call a specialist who will make the necessary calculations for construction

Construction work on the attic floor

Once all permits for the superstructure have been obtained and its drawing has been made, construction can begin. First of all, we need to dismantle the roof and the old rafter system, and then the floor gables. The latter are dismantled due to the fact that we will need to increase their height.

Raising the pediments should be carried out to the height of the mauerlat - approximately two bricks, or to the height of the attic wall, if one is being built. The picture shows what it will look like. Alternatively, stone gables can be replaced with sip panels, which will reduce the load on the foundation and walls.

We build an attic with our own hands: raising the gables

The next step in the addition of an unplanned attic floor is the installation of the Mauerlat. If we build an attic with an attic wall, then further actions can be produced using the technology described above for complex construction. If this wall is not built, then the Mauerlats will have to be secured using staples and wooden plugs. In the figure below you can see how this can be done.

How to make an attic with your own hands: fastening mauerlats using staples

Important: the beams for the construction of the mauerlat should be as long as possible. The fewer butt joints there are, the stronger the entire structure will be. In addition, if the Mauerlat is made under frame roof and has the shape of a closed frame, it must be reinforced at the corners with brackets.

You can use the attic space more rationally if you equip it living rooms which are called attic.

The attic floor can occupy the entire area of the house or only part of it (or garage). Sometimes the attic floor serves as a replacement for the second floor.

What is an attic floor?

To put it simply - living room(s) in the attic (i.e. an attic-type room)

According to construction terminology, an attic (or attic floor) is a living space located on top floor a house that has a mansard roof (i.e. the facade of the attic is partially or completely limited by the roof surfaces).

The difference between the attic and the second floor - comparative characteristics

If you try to compare which is better, the attic or the second floor, you will get something like the following picture.

Parameter	Attic	Second floor
Price	Below. The amount of savings depends on the type of attic	Higher
Duration of work	Lower compared to building a floor	High
Height of vertical walls	Up to 1.5 m.p.	Over 1.5 m.p.
Below	Higher
Air volume	Lower due to sloping walls	Higher
Square	The usable area is smaller due to the “dead” zones where the roof meets the wall	Higher
Room layout	The layout of the attic floor is carried out taking into account the presence of blind areas	Free
Land area	Doesn't change	Doesn't change
Illumination	Better, more light penetrates due to sloping windows	Depends on the number and location of windows. In addition, the deep slope of the window blocks 2/3 of sunlight
Glazing area	25% less than when using vertical windows	Minimum 1:8 to the surface area of the walls (depending on location)
Window	Sloping attic	Vertical
Temperature		At correct execution all stages of work are almost the same
Heat loss	Higher	Below
The need for thermal insulation material	Below	Higher. The ceiling above the floor needs to be insulated
Aesthetics of the structure	A house with an attic floor looks more elegant and unusual	Typical design

However, it is worth noting that there are cases when it is impossible to build an attic floor. For example:

load-bearing walls and foundation may not withstand additional load;

the walls are made of porous materials that can collapse.

small house dimensions. With a mandatory height of 2.3 m (according to sanitary standards, SNiP is limited to 1.5 m), it is difficult to equip a full-fledged living space with a small surface area. If the width of the house is less than 5 m.p. There is no point in building an attic. The resulting area will be insignificant, but the costs will be high.

Is the attic considered the second floor?

According to urban planning standards, the addition of an attic does not affect the number of storeys of the building. Those., a private house, in which the second attic floor is arranged, is considered (is) a one-story house.

Documentation regulating the calculation and construction of the second floor of the attic type.

The superstructure of the attic floor is regulated by the provisions of the following regulatory documents:

SNiP 2.08.01-89 “Residential buildings”;
SNiP II-3-79 “Construction Heat Engineering” (standardizes the arrangement of enclosing structures, including roofs);
SNiP 23-05-95 “Natural and artificial lighting”;
SNiP 21-01-97 " Fire safety buildings and structures";
SNiP 2.01.07-85 “Loads and impacts”;
sanitary and hygienic standards.

Types and types of attic floors - dimensions and dimensions of the attic

The height of the attic floor determines its type (type):

full floor. vertical wall above 1.5 m;
attic. The height of the smaller wall ranges from 0.8 to 1.5 m;
semi-attic. The height of the wall is less than 0.8 m.

Depending on the needs of the residents, rooms on the attic floors can be arranged for various functional purposes.

But most often there are bedrooms and lounges.

If the requirement for a building height of 2.3 m is met, then according to the standards prescribed in SNiP, the area of the attic floor cannot be less than 16 sq. m. In this case, the bedroom must be at least 7 square meters.

If the height of the walls of the attic floor exceeds 2.3 m, then the construction of a bedroom of a smaller area is allowed. The justification for reducing the area is the large total cubic capacity (volume) of the room.

Armed with this theory, you can begin to build an attic floor with your own hands. Construction is not a troublesome task if you have detailed step-by-step instructions.

Construction of the attic floor (attic)

Before starting construction, you need to create a project for the attic floor. You can do the project yourself or turn to professionals.

Note that building an attic with your own hands is within the capabilities of anyone. But taking into account all the determining factors and calculating loads can be done without special knowledge pretty hard.

First, let's find out what affects the attic project.

Choose appearance mansard roof is quite difficult, because This is influenced by a number of factors:

visual effect. First of all, subjective sensations are taken into account. The final choice may fall on another model, but the starting point is here;

living space. Rafter system gable roof“steals” area and creates “dead” zones, but hip roof allows you to use almost the entire space of the attic superstructure;

financial opportunities. Shed roof- the cheapest option;

roofing material. Some types of roofing material can be used if a certain roof slope is maintained. For example, for tiles the angle should be at least 25°, and for PK-100 corrugated sheeting (wave height 100 mm) 3-4° is sufficient;

general architecture of the building;

wind and snow load. The snow should slide off the roof;

condition of load-bearing walls and foundation. The condition of load-bearing walls can be judged after visual inspection. The presence of cracks indicates a problem. The use of porous material in the construction of a house reduces the ability of the wall to withstand the load created by the attic. It is difficult to judge the foundation. But knowing its type and what materials and technology were used in its construction, you can calculate what load it can withstand;

arrangement of internal communications and ease of connection to them;

choice of windows. Installation of special skylights(tilted windows - sliding, turning, sliding) is carried out directly in rafter part. They are more expensive, but provide better ventilation. to install vertical windows you need to build walls or gables. The surface area of light-transmitting structures must be at least 12.5%;

selection of materials for construction. The cheapest and most popular option for performing the work is to use wood. Technology frame construction quite simple. It is a mistake to think that erecting a wooden attic floor is unacceptable. According to SNiP 21-01-97, the use of wooden structures in the construction of an attic floor is allowed if the wood is properly processed and the building height is up to 75 m.

complexity of calculations. When constructing a pitched roof, the loads on the load-bearing walls are distributed unevenly. Ignoring this fact will lead to subsidence of the walls and destruction of the foundation.

The main shapes of roofs are shown in the figure.

Nuance. The smaller the angle where the roof meets the wall, the more usable area you will have.

Some projects of houses with an attic floor are presented in the photo.

Before starting work, you must have a drawing, sketch, diagram or drawing with all dimensions.

The drawings of houses with an attic presented below will give you an idea of what needs to be put on the diagrams.

Calculation of the area of the attic floor

The ability to use the attic for living space is calculated using the formula

АхВ + 0.7хС

A- total area of premises whose height exceeds 2.5 m;

IN- total area of premises, the height of which ranges from 1.1 to 2.5 m;

WITH- the total area of premises, the height of which ranges from 0.8 m to 1.1 m.

0,7 - correction factor. It says that theoretically this area can be used, but with significant restrictions.

Reduce the number of unused square meters It is possible if you raise the walls to a height of more than a meter. This is achieved through the construction of attic walls. The attic walls of the attic floor are a superstructure over the load-bearing walls.

Material prepared for the website www.site

Construction of the attic floor (attic)

Next we go directly to construction work or for reconstruction (remodeling attic space to the attic floor). For those who want to convert the attic into an attic, they need to dismantle the old covering.

Then the rafter system is installed, for which you will need:

log (diameter at least 180 mm) or timber (preferably laminated veneer lumber, dimensions 80x80 or 100x100);
board (40x1500) for sheathing;
hardware, burnt wire, anchors or fittings. In order to fulfill reliable fastening all elements;
floor beams. The finishing floor will be laid over them;
finished staircase to the attic floor. It can be located outside the attic or inside. Outdoor placement creates inconvenience when using it in the cold season and in the rain. The inner steals usable area lower floor. A compromise could be spiral staircase. Even at the most small room a compact folding or retractable ladder is installed.
roofing material;
protective films;
thermal insulation material;
material for finishing walls and ceilings.

Attic floor rafter system - device technology

The construction of the rafter system begins with the installation of the Mauerlat, then it is assembled and installed rafter legs. It is easier to collect them on the ground. Installation begins with two opposite legs. Then a rope is stretched between them. It regulates the accuracy of installation.

After installing the frame of the rafter system, the legs are fastened together. That is, the sheathing is filled. The sheathing pitch depends on the type of roofing material.

The process of building an attic floor - video

The frame is ready. A correctly executed roofing cake has the appearance shown in the figure.

Windows on the attic floor

Dormer windows are installed between the rafters. To make the fastening more reliable, in the place where the window is installed (at the top and bottom on rafter system) horizontal beams made of timber are installed.

Insulation of the attic floor

It is necessary to take care of energy saving. Absence air gap created by the attic increases heat loss through the attic roof.