How To Insulate An Attic With Floor Boards

Start with the attic floor.

How to insulate an attic with floor boards.

Modifying an attic floor s joist system is a job for the pros. Foam board insulation in the attic can cut down on energy costs and simultaneously promote a more environmentally sound way of daily living. 1 put on work gloves safety glasses and a dust mask before entering the attic. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.

Insulating the attic floor. Foam insulation boards are the best material with which to work when undertaking a do it yourself project because foam. Attic insulation between roof trusses. Even easier you can also use a prefabricated attic floor kit designed specifically to raise the attic floor above the insulation.

Build up the height of the joists prior to installing flooring when the insulation reaches the tops of the joists. You can install inch plywood or oriented strand board osb in 4 foot by 8 foot panels over existing 16 inch oc joists. Rigid foam board insulation can be used in the ceiling as well. To floor an attic you ll need to install a sub floor for support before laying your plywood floor.

Most people do not think about insulating their floors unless perhaps it s their attic floor. If using a top layer of insulated loft floor boards aim for a base layer as close as possible to an r value of 2 25. In practical terms you can choose between mineral wool or insulation boards. First you ll need to measure the area you want to floor so you can calculate how much wood you ll require.

Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new. Stop using your attic for storage. You ll have to construct a wooden frame or sub floor with boards 16 inches apart to provide extra support for the floor. However if you keep the storage weight to a minimum you may be able to build a storage platform above the insulation by attaching supporting beams to the sides of the trusses.

But insulating your floors is a good idea for many reasons including energy efficiency and height adjustments. Installing foam insulation boards in the attic is no that hard and can save you money compared with professional installation. Foam board insulation is used on attics and walls yet it can also be used to insulate your floors. 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.

So insulating the floor of the attic is not only the best solution but it is also the simplest and cheapest. The installation of loose fill insulation often renders the attic as unusable for storage purposes due to the loose fill on the floor. On top of this the boards will provide additional insulation to bring the combined total up to the equivalent r value of 6 1.