Ideas to Finish an Attic

Ideas for Use

• If you are finishing your attic, you'll want to look for ways to best make use of the space. Attics can be designed to meet your needs, whether you are looking to create a spare bedroom in the home, a large master suite, a home office, artist's studio, casual loft or simply a place to put extra storage in your home.

Walls and Flooring

• Finishing a space largely means installing walls and floors to exposed beams and trusses. Because the attic is located above the rest of the home, you will want to finish the flooring with materials to help trap sound. Beneath the subfloor, place foam or rubber panels that will help absorb sound by cushioning impact on the trusses. Proper insulation will also help control noise while making the space easier to heat and cool.

Heating and Cooling

• A heating and cooling system will allow you to make use of the attic year-round once it is finished. To get the best use out of your air conditioning, the attic should have adequate insulation, which can be in the form of foam, denim or fiberglass materials stuffed into the walls of the attic to create a protective barrier from the outside elements and the interior of the space. It can also be a helpful pest deterrent. This level of insulation will keep your long-term heating and cooling costs down even if it costs a bit more to finish in the meantime.

Ventilation

• When finishing your attic, factor in the amount of ventilation in the space. During hot months, heat rises in your home all the way to the attic. This buildup of hot air can damage the trusses, sheathing and even shingles of your roof without proper ventilation. A ventilation system will help release this hot air to not only make the space bearable for regular use during hot months but to prevent condensation and heat buildup that can damage your home.

Entrance

• Even the best renovated attics will not be used on a regular basis if they are difficult to access. When finishing your attic, consider the entrance and exit points. In many attics, a pull-down ladder is the only way in or out of the space. You may instead want to install a spiral staircase leading up to the attic that makes it more readily accessible. These staircases can be assembled at home, piece by piece. They can be bought new or used in colors and types to coordinate with the rest of your home decor.