What material is better to finish the attic from the inside. Attic finishing options: making the right choice. Technology for finishing the attic with clapboard
Finishing the attic inside (the photo shows a variety of design solutions) can be done using a popular and easy-to-work material, like plywood, which is made from wood veneer and has an ideal structure for use in any room. Due to its bending strength, plywood is ideal for wall cladding and truss systems. The use of any material with a base in the form of wood requires the laying of materials for thermal and vapor barrier. But to know some of the nuances of installation does not hurt:
- the gaps that appear between the plates are best hidden under color-matched moldings;
- traces of the heads of fasteners can be hidden with putty of a suitable color;
- furniture varnish covering plywood will become a reliable protection for the wood surface.
The attic is a special room, as it is located directly under the roof. Accordingly, the humidity is too high here, therefore, drywall must be used moisture resistant. First you need to calculate the amount of material, and it depends on the area of \u200b\u200bthe surfaces that you plan to sheathe. As part of the preparatory work, it is necessary to clean the old coatings and analyze the condition of the roof: any “weak” places need to be repaired and finalized. Beams and truss systems require no less attention: they must meet the requirements for strength and resistance to rot and moisture.
Almost every owner of a private house has an attic room. Sometimes it is used as a warehouse for various things, sometimes it is completely empty. But when the issue of expanding living space becomes acute, many people remember the attic. After all, you don’t need to finish building anything to the house - it’s enough to insulate and equip the attic floor, to make interior decoration.
In this article, we will demonstrate the most common options for finishing the attic floor, as well as introduce you to the full technology of work.
To avoid unpleasant consequences, it is better to think over the insulation and decoration of the penthouse at the design stage of the house. This will help to properly organize the sequence of preparatory work. Unlike the work on the construction and insulation of the attic floor, which must be carried out by specialists, it is quite possible to finish the attic with your own hands.
How to finish the attic inside: preparatory work
Before finishing the attic with your own hands, you should insulate the end walls of the attic space, as well as heat and vapor barrier of the roof slopes.
Advice: the comfort of this room in the future depends on the quality of the insulation and insulation. If a mistake is made at this stage, this can negate the entire attic sheathing.Choice of finishing materials
When the attic floor is reliably insulated, the question arises: how to finish the attic from the inside? There are a lot of materials for sheathing a room on the construction market - consider the most popular ones.
clapboard
Plastic lining is one of the most inexpensive and popular materials for interior cladding of buildings. It can also be used to decorate the attic. The material gives ample opportunities in the implementation of the design of the room, in the choice of color and pattern. Sheathing with plastic lamellas is carried out very quickly and does not require special installation skills. The disadvantages of plastic lining include its fragility - the material can crack on impact.
Sheathing of the attic clapboard (plastic)
On a note: if you want to give the attic floor a special energy and comfort, use a wooden lining for its decoration.The advantages of lining made of natural wood: unique colors, natural texture, environmental friendliness. Finishing the walls of the attic with wood allows you to create a beautiful and “warm” room in which it is pleasant to be.
Among the disadvantages of wood: poor resistance to moisture and temperature extremes. Therefore, use wooden lining for attic cladding only if you are sure that the room is reliably insulated and insulated.
Beautiful decoration of the attic with clapboard: photo example
Recommendation: when working with one or another cladding material, strictly adhere to the technology of its installation. The better the work is done, the longer the finish will last.Blockhouse
A good idea is to sheathe the house with a block house. Such a mansion will resemble a fairy-tale tower, because the material creates an imitation of timber. Externally, the cladding of the house with a blockhouse looks like a real log cabin. But this material has one advantage over natural wood - cracks do not form on such a sheathing over time. The finishing of the blockhouse is not afraid of moisture, moreover, it does not require regular cosmetic repairs. The sloping shape of the blocks is already a decor in itself, and the panels are tightly adjacent to each other.
The only drawback of the blockhouse is that such a sheathing “steals” a few centimeters of the attic space.
Elegant decoration of the attic with a blockhouse, photo
Plywood
If the question is how to sheathe the attic inside cheaply, then plywood is quite suitable for these purposes. As a rule, this material is used to level surfaces for finishing, but it can well serve as an independent sheathing. Among the advantages of plywood are lightness, ease of installation, cost-effectiveness, strength.
Attention: plywood can be used to finish the attic space only if the humidity level and temperature comply with the standards established for residential buildings.Sheathing of walls and ceilings with plywood is an excellent basis for wallpaper, textile trim. And if plywood is used as an independent finishing material, then in order to protect it and enhance the decorative effect, you can cover the material with varnish or paint.
Varnishing plywood sheathing will emphasize the texture of the material
Drywall
Many private home owners use finishing the attic floor with plasterboard. Among the advantages of sheathing with this material: its lightness, incombustibility, low cost. With the help of drywall sheets, you can quickly level any surface, whether it be walls or ceilings. But, since there can be high humidity in the attic, it is better to use a moisture-resistant material for its decoration.
An example of what multi-level structures can be built is finishing the attic with drywall, photo
Advice: often wires and various communications are hidden behind plasterboard sheathing. But if the attic is located in a country house where you rarely visit, then it is better to lay the wires in special boxes. So they can always be reached, besides, rodents will not be able to damage them.Plasterboard sheathing can be pasted over with wallpaper, putty, decorated with ordinary or decorative plaster.
The illusion of soaring in the clouds will be created by beautiful photo wallpapers - an option for finishing the attic, photo
Ideas for arranging different types of attics
In order for the attic space to become original and not like hundreds of similar projects, various decorative techniques should be used in its decoration. With the help of simple design techniques, you can turn the disadvantages of the attic design into advantages.
Features of finishing the attic floor of a wooden house
An attic in a wooden house requires a more careful approach to its decoration. But if you properly prepare the ceiling, the surface of the walls, then you can use almost any materials for sheathing. The photos from our gallery will demonstrate more clearly how the interior decoration of the attic can be done in an original way.
The interior of the attic in a wooden house can be executed not only in country style, or Provence. You can also apply bold solutions, for example, decorate an attic in a loft style. But how to sheathe the attic from the inside?
As for the decoration of the attic of a wooden house or cottage, it either consists entirely of wood or includes wooden elements.
The combination of several materials for cladding the room looks spectacular
Since the room under the roof contains a certain amount of romanticism, fabrics will look appropriate in its design. These can be draperies with motifs that repeat the pattern of upholstered furniture, or a canopy over the bed in the attic bedroom.
Textiles in the decoration of attic rooms, photo
Ceiling design methods
Depending on the design of the attic roof, the ceiling in the attic may have a different shape, slope, and sometimes it may be completely absent. Therefore, it is difficult to choose materials for its plating. They may be the same as for wall decoration, or they may differ.
You can add volume and a beautiful view to the attic room with the help of a stretch ceiling. Plasterboard sheathing allows you to create a multi-level structure that diversifies the interior of the room.
With the help of a stretch ceiling, you can create the effect of a starry sky
You can make an attic in the country house unusual by painting the wooden paneling of the ceiling and walls in different colors. They can be plain, or with an ornament.
Such a painting of the room looks harmonious, in which no more than three colors are used.
Attic sheathing: the cost of the issue
When asked what is the best way to finish the attic so that the room looks luxurious, one answer is natural wood. And plywood and lining will help save money on attic floor cladding.
Finishing the attic with drywall: step by step instructions
Finishing the attic floor can be done independently. In this section, we will describe how to sheathe the attic with drywall.
Since the attic is located directly under the roof, it is often exposed to atmospheric influences: rain, wind, snow, and the scorching sun. Therefore, before finishing the attic inside, it is necessary to take care of reliable vapor barrier and insulation of the structure, paying special attention to the thermal insulation of the roof.
- To sheathe the attic with plasterboard sheets, it is necessary to build a frame. For this, wooden bars or metal profiles are used. They are installed in increments of 40-60 cm.
The first profile is fixed according to the level
- After the horizontal profiles are installed, they begin marking and fixing the vertical ones.
CD-profiles are attached in 40 cm increments
On a note: in a small attic room, finishing the attic with drywall can be done without mounting the supporting frame.- In the presence of a horizontal roof, they first begin to sheath the walls and gables, and at the end - the ceiling. If the roof is sloping, the slopes are sheathed first. To do this, drywall sheets are screwed to the frame with self-tapping screws, which are screwed in at a distance of about 25 cm from each other.
To securely fasten the sheathing material, each self-tapping screw must enter the plate by at least 1 cm.
- After all surfaces are sheathed, the gaps between the sheets of drywall are puttied.
At the joints between the plates, you can additionally apply a reinforcing mesh, and the joints with other materials are processed with acrylic putty
After sheathing the attic with drywall, they proceed to its finishing. It can be puttying and painting, wallpapering.
In more detail about finishing the attic with drywall - video:
Outcome
The space under the roof can become an additional living space in the house. There are many options for its use - as an office, bedroom, nursery ... Depending on the purpose for which the floor is supposed to be used, the attic interior lining is selected, which will give the room a complete aesthetic look, make it cozy and comfortable for living.
For almost 200 years of existence, these premises have undergone grandiose metamorphoses: from semi-attic housing for the poor to elite apartments in high-rise buildings. Large and small, in the city, in a country cottage, in the country, modern, finished with trendy materials, and traditional, lined with wood.
If you plan to finish the attic with your own hands, the unusual geometry and broken shapes of the space baffle, but at the same time attract, make you turn on creative thinking and all your creative potential. Finishing the attic floor is a fascinating process, it intertwines a tribute to tradition and the desire to acquire modern housing. In the article we will talk about how to finish the attic inside, what materials are preferable for this, how to turn the specifics and shortcomings in the attic floor project into advantages with the help of finishing.
How to finish the attic from the inside
The living environment dictates its conditions in the decoration of the attic, in the city the interior is subject to the way of the metropolis, these are more and more ordinary apartments under the roof, finished with drywall, plaster, wallpaper and other modern materials. But in a country house or in a country house, wood is traditionally used to finish the attic floor. The design of the attic floor, which is based on natural materials, is not even a tribute to fashion, but a way to get closer to nature, to emphasize the originality and color of your own home.
Interior decoration of the attic, photo of a combination of sheathing with imitation of timber and lining
Wood is a warm material, it breathes, a beautiful texture is already a decoration in itself. Today, there are different types of wood to choose from, if more expensive, with a pronounced texture, then ash, oak, larch, simpler - linden, pine and other conifers. The woodworking industry keeps up with modern trends in construction and repair, so the market is flooded with all kinds of offers: plywood, corrugated wall panels, imitation timber, blockhouse, lining.
Note that all wood before sheathing needs additional processing. So that the attic wood finish lasts a long time, does not become infected with fungi, and does not deform from exposure to a specific microclimate in the attic, impregnate it with antiseptic and fire-resistant compounds, and then from the back, and especially the ends, with PVA putty for 2 layers.
Important: All materials have a length of 2 to 6 m, which allows you to choose the size of the board for finishing, suitable for the size of your room, so that there is as little waste as possible.
Finishing the attic with a blockhouse, covering the skin in a light tone allows the use of massive materials even in small attics
clapboard
Lining - the most popular material for finishing the attic, comfortable, shaped rail with a polished surface. For sheathing from the inside, 2 types of lining are used: a rail, which is mounted end-to-end, and eurolining - a tongue-and-groove rail, 1.25 cm thick, 9.6 cm wide with a lock, a thorn-groove lock. On the back wall, along the length of the board, there are two recesses for condensate drainage. Suitable for finishing both large and small attic rooms. The light weight of the lining excludes significant loads on the attic truss system, therefore it allows even the ceiling to be sheathed.
Block house
Blockhouse is a modern imitation of a log, a segment with a convex upper part, 2.2 - 4.2 cm thick, the greater thickness is due to the arched shape of the material. The width of the blockhouse is 9.0 - 19.5 cm, a wide beam is used for finishing large attics, while a narrow one is suitable for cladding small attic rooms. Equipped with a thorn-groove lock, usually mounted horizontally. Sheathing with a blockhouse gives the feeling that the room is built of logs.
Finishing attic rooms, photos of traditional cladding technologies and competent color additions
timber imitation
Imitation of a bar is such a large lining, like Gulliver in the country of the Lilliputians. The rooms trimmed with this material acquire a monumental appearance, solidity. The boards are equipped with a thorn-groove lock, up to 19.5 cm wide and 2.0 - 3.5 cm thick. It is relevant for finishing large attics, or in combination with lining and blockhouse. Due to the relatively large weight, imitation of timber for sheathing the ceiling of the attic is rarely used.
Separately about drywall
Remember the slogan: The people and the party are united! This is how drywall and repair are inseparable, it is an almost universal material that can quickly sew up and level surfaces. In addition, the specific characteristics of the material make it possible to make a structure of any shape from it, so drywall is indispensable both in simple repairs and in the implementation of complex design solutions: arches, niches, artsy three-dimensional figures.
For finishing attic rooms, moisture-resistant drywall should be used. Drywall needs finishing, which, on the one hand, adds costs, but on the other hand, opens up endless possibilities for decorating an attic. Surfaces finished with drywall can be wallpapered, decorative plaster applied, lined with stone, cork, bamboo, painted with textured paints.
How to sheathe the attic from the inside is a matter of aesthetic perception and wallet. We will share practical tips on how to sheathe an attic with drywall, blockhouse, imitation timber, clapboard, and suggest some interesting and useful ideas on how to use a combination of ordinary materials and different methods in sheathing to turn a dull, typical finish into an exclusive and original interior.
Important digression
No finish will last you more than a season without preparatory measures. Whatever the attic floor is built from, be sure to carry out thorough waterproofing, then lay a layer of thermal insulation, which should be covered with a vapor barrier membrane.
Particular attention should be paid to attic insulation, if it is a summer house in the country, then it is recommended to put at least a layer of foam, warm rooms require an integrated approach to the construction of a heat-insulating cake. It is difficult to overestimate the role of the roof in the arrangement of the attic - this is the main element of the entire structure, so be sure to inspect the vaults for leaks and once again check the quality of the roofing material.
Work order
Finishing the attic always starts from the bottom up. First the bottom wall, then the bevels to the desired height. The next step is finishing the front walls. Next, fine finishing of the floor, and in conclusion - attic ceiling, if provided.
crate
Attic sheathing with imitation timber and a wide blockhouse does not require a crate. The materials are rigid, they can be nailed along the logs. As a rule, they are mounted parallel to the floor.
But before sheathing the attic inside with clapboard or drywall, you will have to make a crate around the perimeter for convenient and reliable fastening of materials.
For plasterboard sheathing, the crate is made of a metal profile. The racks are first installed vertically, nailed to the dowel-nails, the distance between the sections is 50-100 cm. Then the transverse bars are mounted for rigidity.
Finishing the attic with drywall, a photo of the crate, the sequence of sheathing is also visible: from bottom to top
For clapboard lining, the crate is made of wooden bars, with a cross section of 20 * 40, 40 * 40 mm. The bars are installed vertically at a distance of 40-100 cm from each other, for horizontal clapboard lining, and parallel to the floor if the clapboard is mounted vertically. For additional heat and sound insulation, as well as for ease of installation of rails, if figured laying is conceived, it is better to sew up the crate with plywood or OSB, MDF, chipboard.
Be sure to nail the bars around the perimeter of windows, doors, floors, at the junctions of the slopes, in the corners, and at the highest point that the finish will reach.
Lathing from a bar and a sequence of horizontal clapboard cladding
Clapboard trim, a few ideas
In the article, we will not teach you how to properly nail the lining, if you are engaged in sheathing on your own, then you probably know how to hammer nails and screw in screws. But we will dwell on the question in detail: how to finish the attic with your own hands. Be sure to watch the video clip, where the lining of the attic is considered in detail, the photos will illustrate the main stages of sheathing.
The simplest option is the horizontal lining of the attic with a clapboard, starting from the bottom, joining the tenon-groove, gain the height of the rail after the rail. Or vertical sheathing, starting from the far corner, straightening the first rail in level, the correct geometry of the entire lining depends on this. The lining can be attached to studs, which are stuffed into the spike at an angle, or you can clamp it with clamps, but this will require additional costs. All joints of the lining are covered with special overlays, in the corners - with corner strips. By sheathing the attic in this way, you will get a simple, quite traditional wood finish.
Clapboard is a "plasticine" in the hands of creative and creative people. The options for finishing the attic, the photo demonstrates this well, are endless. If you gravitate towards beauty and originality, then you will have to work hard, but the result will be much more spectacular. For example, the lower part of the walls can be sheathed vertically, so you visually raise the height of the attic, and the upper slopes horizontally. Graphics will appear in the interior of the attic room.
Non-standard decoration of the walls of the attic, figured lining with clapboard allows you to create an interesting interior with simple materials
You can also divide the length of the walls into odd parts in order to start and finish the sheathing in one direction. Decorate one section vertically, the other horizontally. If your attic is elongated, then a long wall can be divided into three zones, the two extreme ones are sheathed vertically, the middle one is horizontal, this design technique will not only straighten the geometry, but also help to correctly zone the space. See the photo gallery for examples of beautiful decoration and decoration of the attic with clapboard.
How to sheathe the attic with drywall
The fastest way to sew up surfaces is to finish the attic with drywall, video tips will help you understand the intricacies of such a sheathing.
Sheathing should start from the bottom, from the side walls, then the slopes, then the front walls. The process of installing drywall is simple, comes down to three steps. Cut a sheet of the desired size with a clerical knife, install it close to the frame, and screw it with self-tapping screws every 20 cm.
Next, all joints should be sealed with putty, reinforcing tape should be applied along the seams, which is closed with another layer of putty. Surfaces are primed with an adhesive compound to increase the adhesion of materials. After drying, you can proceed to finishing and arranging the attic.
Some lyrics
Whether it is the decoration of the attic floor of a wooden house, or a room made of brick and concrete, a combination of different materials and textures in sheathing always looks more advantageous relative to homogeneous wall sheathing. In the article, we tried to step by step analyze what materials to use and how to sheathe the attic with drywall and clapboard. This is the basis on which all the principles of cladding are built.
There are countless options for finishing the attic floor, combine lining with stone, blockhouse, imitation timber. On one wall, make a semicircular drywall niche, paste wallpaper with a landscape inside, sheathe the arch around with a blockhouse, as a result you will get an accent spot that will set the tone for the rest of the interior of the bedroom or living room in the attic.
With the help of plywood and drywall, you can create a semicircular frame, it will radically change the appearance of the attic, to enhance the effect of the arc, you can sheathe it with clapboard
A modern person, building a house, wants to get the largest usable area. That is why attics with heaps of old things and dust are a thing of the past, and attic floors come in their place, which provide more living space and are especially loved by children.
Finishing the attic space can be done with various materials, but they say that the classics are always in fashion. That is why, do-it-yourself attic clapboard finishing is the topic of this article.
So:
- In the course of the article, you will learn everything or almost everything about lining, its advantages and disadvantages, various design solutions, combinations with various materials, and much more. Detailed instructions for finishing the clapboard of the ceiling and walls will also be given.
- Lining is a finishing material, which is a panel, planed from natural wood, and having a groove-groove joining system. This material is widely used for both interior and exterior decoration.
- Recently, a new product has appeared on the market, which is called eurolining. In fact, this is the same lining, but it is produced in strict accordance with European standards.
This lining has a working surface width of 96mm. The thickness ranges from 12 to 15 mm. Length - from 2 to 6 meters. - Among other things, this material does not need further processing, as this is done during production. Eurolining is resistant to the appearance of various types of fungi and mold, and it is also not afraid of moisture.
- Using wood indoors is a good idea. Since, in addition to the fact that it has excellent heat and sound insulation properties, do not forget that this is an environmentally friendly material.
The smell of wood will create an amazing atmosphere of cleanliness and comfort in the room. - Finishing the lining of the attic floor is also good because you can do all the work yourself, without resorting to the help of specialists. The assembly will be within the power of even an inexperienced master.
All you need is a set of necessary tools and basic skills to work with them.
Like any other material, eurolining is divided into classes or grades of quality.
There are only four such varieties:
- "Extra" - board of the highest quality from the best wood. It does not allow the presence of knots, cracks, mechanical damage, resin pockets, rot, access to the outer side of the core, and even a change in color. The price of this class ranges from 500 to 1000 rubles per 1 square meter.
- Class "A" - here the presence of surface roughness of the board is allowed; unlimited number of intergrown dry knots; in some places ingrown bark, but not more than half of the board; several small cracks; up to two resin pockets and slight color changes. For such lining you will have to pay from 220 to 250 rubles.
- Class "B" - the quality of this board is even lower. The presence of end chips and cracks, up to three mechanical damages, processing defects, longitudinal curvature, damage to the lower part of the groove, the presence of tarred areas and three wormholes up to 5% of the entire board surface is allowed. The average price of this class is 180 rubles per square.
- Class "C" - lining of the lowest quality, having, respectively, the lowest price (145 rubles per 1 sq.m.). The presence of up to five fallen knots, through cracks, wormholes, resin pockets and blind blue is allowed.
Important! All grades of eurolining are made according to a single technology in compliance with all norms and requirements, on the same equipment. They are equally dried and processed. Marking by class occurs in the process of sorting finished products.
Types of lining
In addition to varieties, eurolining differs in the structure of the profile and the complexity of the section.
We single out the main five types:
- "Standard" - the front side of the board has straight chamfers. Its thickness is 16 mm, and the width of the surface is 96 mm (see photo 3).
- "Soft-line" (Soft lines) - differs from the previous one in that its upper and lower surfaces are strictly parallel and have rounded chamfers.
- "American" - the section of this lining has a wedge-shaped shape. When laying, it imitates the joining of boards with an overlap.
- "Block house" - a wider board, the front side of which has a cylindrical shape.
- "Land-House" - the upper and lower surfaces of such lining - are profiled.
- Separately, you can select the type of board that imitates timber. In the people it is called - "Imitation of a bar."
The main difference is that this board does not have an intermediate groove, and its thickness reaches 35 mm.
Raw materials
Eurolining can be divided into 2 more classes, differing in the type of wood used for production:
- The first type is larch lining. The raw material is Siberian larch.
Due to the increased resinousness and density, it has excellent resistance to decay and immunity to moisture. Also, the advantage is the absence of blue, resistance to insects and fungi, strength, beautiful texture, environmental friendliness and saturation with antioxidants, which will positively affect the health of a person who constantly breathes air in a room with larch. - The second type is eurolining from coniferous trees. Useful properties and advantages of this wood are known to all. But it is worth noting some of them separately.
- More often in stores we come across a product made from Angarsk pine. The main advantages of this tree are as follows: ease of processing, good density, a minimum of knots, and saturation with phytoncides (substances that disinfect the air).
- Fir lining does not withstand the weather and is prone to infection by mold and insects. However, this wood is very soft, has a high knotiness (good texture), and the complete absence of tarry areas.
- Spruce is a dense and durable material, which, however, rots when it comes into contact with the ground. Therefore, spruce lining is used for interior work, additionally treated with special compounds.
- Cedar - ideal for outdoor work, as it is resistant to temperature extremes. It has a beautiful texture with pronounced growth rings.
Separately, it should be noted the most non-budget option - mahogany lining. This material is obscenely expensive, but if you can't afford it, don't be discouraged.
Absolutely any color of wood, you can achieve using various stains.
Design Ideas
What you want to see after the repair, no one is better able to imagine and reproduce you. The work of professional designers costs a lot, and they can not always guess everything that you need.
Therefore, having studied various manuals, viewing a fair amount of photos and videos, you can always create a corner of comfort in your home yourself.
So:
- Attics never differ in the correctness of shapes and angles. There are roundings, sharp and obtuse angles, trapezoidal sections, bevels, slopes, and so on.
And all these seemingly shortcomings will become the main "chip" of the finish. - In shaping the appearance of the room, use slopes, beams, rafters, ceilings and even chimneys. All of the above elements can be finished with the same clapboard, or with some other material, such as drywall (see Finishing the attic with drywall: installation features).
- The lining looks great in combination with other materials, whether it be facing panels, or OSB panels, or ordinary plaster and whitewash. In the next photo, you can see the attic finishing option, where the walls are made of plasterboard, plastered and whitewashed.
Only the ceiling is lined with clapboard. The floor covering imitates wood and is selected in the same color scheme as the ceiling.
- The chimney in the center of the room is masked with a material imitating a spiral. Windows that have an unusual location also fit in organically.
Thanks to them, the room is very bright and it becomes possible to use space along the walls for furniture.
- The combination of several types of eurolining also looks very nice. In the image above, a combination of two types is shown: "standard" - the ceiling, and "block house" - the walls.
- To obtain an original effect, entire walls, or their minor parts, can be sheathed at an angle of 45 degrees. Also, don't be afraid to experiment with colors. The right contrast will emphasize the brightness and beauty of your attic.
Eurolining installation
As we have already said, finishing the attic floor with clapboard is not too tricky. The main thing is to know the basics and some subtleties that will make your work easier.
So:
- Starting to finish, in addition to the lining itself, you need to purchase material for the frame, insulation, waterproofing and other consumables required during installation.
- The attic floor is in direct contact with the roof, the walls of which do not have the necessary level of thermal insulation. Also in this part of the house there is a rather high level of humidity due to the condensate formed from the temperature difference.
In addition, no roof guarantees 100% absence of leaks. - Before starting work, you need to take into account all these nuances and take appropriate measures.
Waterproofing
The first step is to install a layer of waterproofing film:
- A good film should not allow water to pass through, while not preventing moisture from evaporating from the inside. The most popular film is Hydrobarrier.
- With this film, we cover the walls with a continuous layer. It is fastened with a construction stapler, or ordinary nails with a wide hat.
Additionally, you can strengthen the connection with a counter rail. Joints and seams can be additionally treated with mastic. - The film has a front side, which is distinguished by a brighter marking.
In modern architectural structures, the attic occupies a special place. It can be found in the planning of country cottages, cottages, high-rise apartments. To give this room a fashionable look, they use various types of interior decoration, choose a design with unusual shapes and lines. The design of the attic floor depends on the design of the building and the design features.
With the help of a variety of building materials, you can even make a small room under the roof colorful, equip it with a cozy bedroom, nursery or office.
Room Features
The attic is a room that occupies the top floor of a building or part of the attic space. Due to the huge choice of design solutions, the room can have an original configuration. The attic looks especially beautiful in the layout of a wooden house with a sloping roof. Windows are considered the main feature of the attic: they are small in size, but well fill the space with light.
In addition, the attic extension is characterized by many advantages:
- Increase in living space. As a result of the competent organization of the space on the second floor, you can get a full-fledged room without spending money that may be needed for new construction and expansion of housing.
- Good home insulation. The insulated walls and ceiling of the structure do not allow cold air flows into the rest of the living quarters.
- Aesthetic look. The attic floor gives the building a beautiful finished look.
The main disadvantage of this structure is the small height of the room. Glazing a gable roof is expensive, since a special type of glass is used for installation. Also, for the arrangement of the attic, the installation of high-quality hydro and thermal insulation is required. When drafting an attic space, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarity that most of the structure will be in contact with the street. Therefore, the second floor can be supercooled in winter and overheated in summer.
To avoid this, in the decoration of walls and ceilings, it is necessary to use SIP panels and special heaters. In addition, the attic is exposed to external and internal effects of temperature. Warm and humid air rises from the living rooms of the house and settles on the interior surfaces of the room.
When designing a room under a roof, several features should be taken into account:
- Correct placement of communication systems. Their scheme and installation locations must be provided for at the first stage of building construction.
- Room shape. The dimensions and geometry of space directly depend on the design features of the roof.
- Interaction of all engineering systems in the house and attic.
If this room is used as a living room, electricity, water and heat supply must fully function in it.
The choice of finishing material
The attic is usually built from simple structures. Therefore, its interior decoration requires a special approach and high-quality building material. As a rule, inside the attic floor there is a lot of wood trim. Therefore, when performing repair work, it is not recommended to use wet processing and give preference to finishing surfaces with dry material.
It is important that the material has several key characteristics:
- Protection of surfaces from high humidity. To do this, from the inside, the room is sheathed with a block house or siding, the floor is laid with laminate. These building materials are in the form of panels and sheets, they are resistant to moisture, do not need additional drying during installation.
- Thermal insulation. Interior decoration involves the use of insulating materials that have a multilayer structure and significantly increase sound and heat insulation.
- Fire resistant. For dry finishing, raw materials with increased fire resistance are chosen.
- Light weight. Structures made of hollow partitions are light, which reduces the load on the walls.
For the interior decoration of the attic, natural sheet materials are often chosen in the form of lining, drywall and fiberboard. In addition, polymer panels are also on sale today, which in terms of quality and appearance are no different from natural wood. To simplify installation, they are equipped with special fasteners. The choice of decorative elements depends on the functional purpose of the room. For the attic, it is recommended to install their drywall slabs, after which they can be pasted over with wallpaper or painted. A good option for the attic floor would be plywood or wood paneling.
clapboard
The most economical and simplest type of attic design is considered to be lining its walls and ceiling with clapboard. This material is presented in a variety of colors and allows you to create any style in the room. Sheathing a clapboard surface will not be difficult: even a novice master can handle it. The disadvantages of the finishing material are its instability to temperature changes and fragility.
But it is absolutely harmless to human health and fits into the interior of the room in an original way, creating an unusual atmosphere of comfort and home warmth.
Plywood
If the repair of the attic needs to be made inexpensive, the right solution would be its inner lining with plywood. Usually this material is used to level surfaces, but it can also be used as an independent finish. Plywood is durable, lightweight and easy to install. However, it is recommended to install it in rooms with normal temperature and humidity levels. Therefore, before starting finishing work, you should take care of good thermal insulation of the walls and ceiling. The ceiling or walls sheathed with plywood can be decorated with textiles or wallpaper. The material covered with paint and varnish looks beautiful.
OSB, MDF, chipboard
Sometimes the layout of the attic floor may include in the project the organization of an office or a home gym. In this case, MDF panels are suitable for finishing the attic. If the room serves as a place for a nursery or a bedroom, it is recommended to sheathe it with OSB slabs, which are originally combined with decorative plaster, wallpaper and painting. So the interior will turn out boring and cozy. Chipboard will be a good option for decorating the attic. This material is characterized by excellent heat and sound insulation, its installation does not require preliminary leveling of surfaces. It is inexpensive, able to imitate the texture of natural stone, brick or wood.
Drywall
Sheathing surfaces with drywall is very popular with craftsmen. This material has high performance properties, which opens up huge opportunities for design creativity. In addition, it is convenient to hide communication systems under drywall constructions that can spoil the look of the interior. However, this building material is quickly absorbed by moisture, so it must be treated with a special compound.
The main advantages of drywall include:
- environmental friendliness;
- good noise and heat insulation;
- ease of installation.
When working with this material, special technologies must be followed, since the sheets can be deformed.
PVC panels
Finishing the attic should be carried out not only beautiful, but also durable material. Therefore, PVC panels will be a good choice for decoration. They fasten quickly, withstand various mechanical loads, create a smooth, even surface. The material is produced in standard white colors and color original shades. PVC panels can be used for wall and ceiling decoration.
They are easy to care for, but unstable to ultraviolet rays.
timber imitation
False timber is an unusual decorative material. It is a board of small thickness. In terms of its quality indicators, the product is in no way inferior to lining. To finish the attic with an imitation of a beam, no preliminary preparation of the base is needed: the material will independently level the surface and eliminate its defects. Artificial timber looks great in the interior of large and small rooms; for the design of the room, you can choose the appropriate texture and color of the material.
Training
The interior decoration of the attic requires proper organization and preparatory work. If the design is done by hand, it is necessary to insulate the walls, floor and ceiling, check the chimney pipes and the design of the window slopes. Since the attic is a spacious space with an irregularly shaped roof, when installing double-glazed windows, you need to use special models that harmoniously fit into the design of the room and allow you to ventilate the room. This is important to maintain constant moisture and temperature inside the building.
Typically, an attic space is equipped in houses with a sloping roof., where one slope is made gentle, and the other steep. Before finishing, the attic will have to be given a more functional look, to raise its height around the entire perimeter of the building. At the preparation stage, it is important to treat all surfaces of the room with waterproofing solutions and ensure complete sealing of the joints. The base under the floor must be even, it is initially leveled, sound and heat insulation is laid, after which they proceed to the decorative finish. In the event that a bathroom or kitchen is placed under the roof, a primer will have to be applied to the surface.
Checking the readiness of the roof
An important point in the arrangement of the attic is to check the attic structure and the condition of the roof, which is often exposed to atmospheric influences, and may lose its strength over time. First, determine the degree of wear of the roof and possible options for its repair. To do this, visually inspect all the details of the structure, their attachment points and sections. During operation, individual roof elements can deform and sag, if such defects are present, they must be eliminated. It is worth paying attention to the reinforced concrete details of the roof, to see the degree of their corrosion and wear. All identified damage must be recorded and a plan of action to eliminate them must be drawn up.
Since the reliability of the operation of the attic will depend on the strength of the roof, it is important to carefully repair it and further strengthen the structure.
The choice of insulation for the floor and ceiling
An important point in the design of the attic is the installation of high-quality thermal insulation, on which the temperature and humidity will depend. Today, the construction market is represented by a chic assortment of modern materials with which you can quickly insulate the attic floor. To make the right choice, you need to take into account the coefficient of thermal conductivity, ease of installation and price. Let's highlight the main demanded materials for thermal insulation of the floor and ceiling.
Styrofoam
It is considered an ideal insulation, which has high quality and low cost. The only disadvantage of polystyrene is its structure, which does not allow steam to pass through, so dampness can accumulate in the room (you will need to install additional ventilation).
polyurethane foam
The material is applied by spraying, it retains heat well, but the process of its application is complicated.
Mineral wool
It has unique properties due to which raw materials can accumulate moisture in themselves. Therefore, it is suitable for finishing the attic, subject to the installation of a vapor barrier.
Ecowool
The application of this material requires special equipment. In order for the insulation to turn out to be of high quality, the laying of ecowool must be carried out correctly, on a previously prepared surface.
Other
In addition, many craftsmen use materials consisting of foil layers as thermal insulation. To increase their efficiency, it is necessary to carry out laying in combination with other heat-saving heaters.
Working with overlays
Overlapping the attic plays a huge role, it acts as a reliable barrier against mechanical impact and sounds. Therefore, the right solution for him will be laying a floating floor, the design of which will not depend on the strength of the walls and the subfloor. First, a layer of thermal insulation with a thickness of not more than 40 mm is laid on the floor and a dry screed is made. The total thickness of the subfloor should not exceed 2.5 cm.
As a dry screed, you can use gypsum fiber boards or drywall sheets. If the surface of the coating has significant irregularities and defects, it must be leveled with vermiculite, expanded clay or perlite. In this case, the material is sprinkled with a small layer of 5 cm.
This results in a good and elastic substrate, the weight of which is usually 25 kg/m2.
Ceiling insulation
The attic room should be insulated everywhere, this also applies to the ceiling. The ceiling base is finished with thermal insulation inside and outside the structure. The inner lining is recommended to be made of drywall or wood, then it is necessary to close all joints with a vapor barrier. As a heater, it is recommended to choose mineral wool with a density of 50 kg / m2. A good option would be to install a false ceiling.
