Attic Storage Over Insulation

Loftzone gives you a strong storage platform above even thick insulation in your attic.

Attic storage over insulation.

But once you have got all that insulation you cannot use the attic for storage anymore and you cannot see where to step safely. As such adding a floor can cause the insulation to compress thus reducing the efficiency of the fiberglass insulation. Walk to one end of the attic by carefully stepping only on the wooden ceiling joists. Place a 2 inch by 3 inch board directly on top of the joist nearest to the edge of the attic with its largest.

Since an average attic needs 16 inches or more of insulation the insulation is always thicker than the ceiling joists or trusses. Squashing insulation stops it working the us department of energy states that everyone should insulate their attic to save on heating and cooling bills. If you re considering turning your attic into conditioned storage or living space it s worth changing tactics to insulate between the rafters and wall joists instead of the floor. Suitable for both traditional and new buildings loftzone has tens of thousands of happy customers worldwide and is now available in the usa and canada too.

If your attic joists won t bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage you can install inch plywood or. Adding insulation to the walls and ceiling won t keep an unheated attic substantially warmer in cold weather or vice versa in summer and it can create problems with attic ventilation if not done properly. Hire a pro to install spray foam insulation. Ventilation is critical to the health of your home so make sure your storage plans won t affect the existing ventilation system.

To give yourself enough space to ensure adequate insulation under the flooring construct a riser of 2 x 4 s in the attic over the existing joists. The insulation should be at least 12 deep. 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. Lastly your home s energy efficiency almost always suffers when the attic is converted for storage.

Watch this easy diy guide on how to fit an attic sub floor and boards. For example don t block any vents to protect your stored items from cold air. This will make the installation of these new joists easier while spreading the weight across several joists.