How to Install a Floor in a Loft
Are you looking to convert the space in your attic that's not being used into some more usable and livable space? If so, then a great solution might be to turn that space into a loft.
This can provide the extra space you need in your home to be used as an office, a spare bedroom, a TV room, a kids' playroom or just a place to unwind and relax away from the daily goings-on around the house.
Whatever you decide to use the space for, adding a loft to your home can be a great addition.
If you are looking to do the work yourself, there are a few things to keep in mind that are a bit different that doing renovation work in other rooms in your house.
The most primary difference is how you treat the floor.
While you can choose just about any type of flooring you want for your loft floor, it is what is underneath the floor itself that will make all the difference in how comfortable your room is.
This is because the floor in a loft space is what separates the loft from the rest of the house, and if it is well insulated, it will keep the room far more comfortable than an un-insulated floor.
To install a floor in your newly renovated loft space, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1.
Before starting on the floor, make sure any electrical or plumbing is completely finished because very often, the wiring and pipes will be run through the floor to the rest of the house below and you want to keep this area easily accessible during this process.
2.
It is very important to thoroughly insulate the space between the rafters before laying any type of floor in a loft.
By doing so, you will keep heat, which rises and would wind up making the loft uncomfortably warm, from easily penetrating through the floor of the loft.
You should add insulation to the full depth of the floor rafters to maintain maximum energy efficiency.
This will also keep the room quieter as well.
3.
Be sure to mark where any electrical wiring or plumbing pipes are so that you do not hammer a nail through them during the installation process.
This can be very dangerous and can result in either flooding or even electrocution.
4.
After insulating, lay plywood sheets across the rafters to create a subfloor.
Be careful not to step through the area between the rafters during this process, putting your foot through the ceiling below (and probably getting hurt in the process).
5.
Once the subfloor is completed, you can lay just about any type of floor you like to complete the finished look of your new loft space.
The main difference between installing a floor in a loft space and another room in your house is what you don't see - the insulation, piping and electrical wiring that sits between the rafters or floor joists.
But in this case, this is the part of the floor installation that will have the biggest impact on your enjoyment of your new loft.
This can provide the extra space you need in your home to be used as an office, a spare bedroom, a TV room, a kids' playroom or just a place to unwind and relax away from the daily goings-on around the house.
Whatever you decide to use the space for, adding a loft to your home can be a great addition.
If you are looking to do the work yourself, there are a few things to keep in mind that are a bit different that doing renovation work in other rooms in your house.
The most primary difference is how you treat the floor.
While you can choose just about any type of flooring you want for your loft floor, it is what is underneath the floor itself that will make all the difference in how comfortable your room is.
This is because the floor in a loft space is what separates the loft from the rest of the house, and if it is well insulated, it will keep the room far more comfortable than an un-insulated floor.
To install a floor in your newly renovated loft space, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1.
Before starting on the floor, make sure any electrical or plumbing is completely finished because very often, the wiring and pipes will be run through the floor to the rest of the house below and you want to keep this area easily accessible during this process.
2.
It is very important to thoroughly insulate the space between the rafters before laying any type of floor in a loft.
By doing so, you will keep heat, which rises and would wind up making the loft uncomfortably warm, from easily penetrating through the floor of the loft.
You should add insulation to the full depth of the floor rafters to maintain maximum energy efficiency.
This will also keep the room quieter as well.
3.
Be sure to mark where any electrical wiring or plumbing pipes are so that you do not hammer a nail through them during the installation process.
This can be very dangerous and can result in either flooding or even electrocution.
4.
After insulating, lay plywood sheets across the rafters to create a subfloor.
Be careful not to step through the area between the rafters during this process, putting your foot through the ceiling below (and probably getting hurt in the process).
5.
Once the subfloor is completed, you can lay just about any type of floor you like to complete the finished look of your new loft space.
The main difference between installing a floor in a loft space and another room in your house is what you don't see - the insulation, piping and electrical wiring that sits between the rafters or floor joists.
But in this case, this is the part of the floor installation that will have the biggest impact on your enjoyment of your new loft.
