How To Insulate An Attic With Floor Boards

Stop using your attic for storage.

How to insulate an attic with floor boards.

You ll have to construct a wooden frame or sub floor with boards 16 inches apart to provide extra support for the floor. Foam board insulation is used on attics and walls yet it can also be used to insulate your floors. On top of this the boards will provide additional insulation to bring the combined total up to the equivalent r value of 6 1. As a result some homeowners may find it more desirable to place rigid board insulation on the floor and cover it up with plywood.

Build up the height of the joists prior to installing flooring when the insulation reaches the tops of the joists. Most people do not think about insulating their floors unless perhaps it s their attic floor. In practical terms you can choose between mineral wool or insulation boards. Start with the attic floor.

Foam board insulation in the attic can cut down on energy costs and simultaneously promote a more environmentally sound way of daily living. First you ll need to measure the area you want to floor so you can calculate how much wood you ll require. How to calculate the required thickness of loft floor insulation. Even easier you can also use a prefabricated attic floor kit designed specifically to raise the attic floor above the insulation.

To floor an attic you ll need to install a sub floor for support before laying your plywood floor. Foam insulation boards are the best material with which to work when undertaking a do it yourself project because foam. 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. You can install inch plywood or oriented strand board osb in 4 foot by 8 foot panels over existing 16 inch oc joists.

Insulating the attic floor. Rigid foam board insulation can be used in the ceiling as well. The installation of loose fill insulation often renders the attic as unusable for storage purposes due to the loose fill on the floor. But insulating your floors is a good idea for many reasons including energy efficiency and height adjustments.

If you do not use the attic much it is pointless heating this area. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to 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 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. Installing foam insulation boards in the attic is no that hard and can save you money compared with professional installation. Modifying an attic floor s joist system is a job for the pros.