How to make an attic floor. DIY mansard roof. Video: rafter system for an attic sloping roof

There are several ways to expand the living space of your home. One of them is the construction and arrangement of the attic floor. We will tell you how to make an attic, what work needs to be done and in what order, as well as what you should pay special attention to when designing and building an attic space.

Attic design: what needs to be considered

Any construction or reconstruction always begins with drawing up a project. It is needed in order to identify everything, even the smallest nodes and moments, the omission of which in the future can cost considerable investments. In addition, when constructing an attic floor above an already residential building it is necessary to conduct an inspection of the load-bearing walls and foundation. This is especially important in private construction, since in most cases all the work was done by hand, and over time cracks and other defects could form.

“How to warm up at home in 21 days or short and finally to the top of the mountain!” The best part is that hundreds of hours of work on this topic and ready-made examples will be available to you, and you will be able to apply proven strategies for your construction! If you don't heat your attic every day, then like most people, they don't know how to do it. You don't know what wool to buy or how to put it in the attic. You also don't know how to create a structure from profiles and in what order to do it all.

Luckily, I have a ready-made solution for you that is enough to see and copy in your building. However, if you are building a house with an envelope roof, then after making changes you will be able to do this too. Because you want the heat to stay inside and not come through the roof. You could then do other finishing jobs at a better temperature and not have to needlessly heat up the house all day.


When constructing an attic, it is necessary to consider some points:

  1. Roof angle. The amount of usable space in the attic directly depends on it. The slope also depends on climatic conditions. For temperate climates with little precipitation in winter, roofs with a low slope are more suitable, and for areas with frequent and heavy precipitation it is better to choose higher roofs.
  2. The attic space requires good thermal and waterproofing. Remember that this floor borders on the external environment as much as possible, which means that heat transfer without appropriate thermal insulation will be very large. And this is fraught with additional costs for heating in winter and cooling in summer. And condensation from the roof can lead to big troubles.
  3. The choice of roofing material from the point of view of sound insulation and protection from possible leaks. In addition, we must not forget about treating the wooden part with fire protection.
  4. Location of the stairs. To save space, you can install it outside the house. An internal staircase is much more convenient for moving around inside the house, but it usually takes up a lot of space. As an option, you can mount a folding ceiling ladder.
  5. Layout of rooms, designs and installation location of interior partitions.
  6. The number of electrical equipment, its power, wiring placement.
  7. Location of pipelines, radiators, their power and location.
  8. The location of future windows, their sizes.


Video: detailed video tutorial on building a mansard roof

When you warm your attic, your home will be much warmer, and you can even stay in it while on vacation and focus entirely on finishing. There is no time to waste on the trip. You definitely want your home to be warm so that you can walk into it in the winter without feeling frostbite.

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  • When is the best time to heat your attic?
  • How to Find and Fix Roof Leaks?
  • What materials to buy and where to store them?
If you are in the attic warm-up stage, you are certainly looking for a lot of information to help you with this task.

Before starting work, you need to make a plan, a list necessary materials, the general construction estimate.

Installation of a wooden structure

The wooden roof structure can be divided into two parts: Mauerlat and rafter system. Let's consider the installation of these elements separately.

The Mauerlat is installed first. This is a wooden beam with dimensions from 10x10 to 40x40 cm. The Mauerlat is mounted on top of the wall on a pre-laid waterproofing layer made of ordinary roofing felt, Euroroofing felt, a special film made of dense polypropylene or PVC membrane.

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More often, the Mauerlat is attached to the wall with studs through through holes in the beam. Then the nuts are screwed onto the studs.

Let's move on to installing the rafter system. This is the most important element roofs. The rafters are considered load-bearing, since the entire roof along with thermal insulation rests on them. They must withstand the weight of snow in winter and the effects of wind.

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How much do you want to spend

Most people don't ask this question at first. They just want to stay warm in the attic and that's it. IN real life this is often not the case. And when we call the first specialist, we find out that it all depends on the roof, how much wool it should be or whether it should be insulated, where the building is and when it should be done.


One of the options for the attic rafter system: 1 - hanging rafters; 2 - grandma; 3 - tightening; 4 - run; 5 - layered rafters; 6 - stand; 7 - strut; 8 - Mauerlat; 9 - floor beams

For the rafter system, pine wood with a moisture content of up to 20% is best suited. Before assembling the roof frame, its wood must be treated with impregnation against pests, mold and fire.

Often from 40 zlotys, he receives 60 zlotys or even 90 zlotys per m2. What if you can't find such a cheap performer? And, of course, labor costs will be higher. When you warm your attic yourself, you know you're doing well because you're doing it for yourself.

How are you up to the challenge?

Know that it's only 2-3 weeks and the money stays in your wallet forever. And this is much more than any money. The most important thing is self-confidence. Believe that you can do it, even if you don't know what. So today it has to be done within the next 30 days and it will be done.


At the first stage of erecting the truss structure, you can make a template for measuring the remaining trusses. To do this, you need to connect the boards at the top of the building the right angle, then attach them with a crossbar. After this, cutouts are made on the Mauerlat for the rafters. Using this template, trusses are assembled on the ground, lifted and installed. The upper corners of the rafters are connected by flat side brackets. Installation must be carried out first along the edges, then the rest are mounted.

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Differences in types and shapes of the attic

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The rafters are attached to the mauerlat with studs and brackets. It is recommended to fasten the trusses together with light boards. This design of the rafters prevents them from moving under the influence of wind. Possible deflections of the rafters can be prevented by installing vertical crossbars at their upper connection.

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With my course you will take the next step towards your happiness. Success is success, and this also applies to construction work. Attic isolation is so easy that you can do it after work or on the weekends. It will be done before you look. What is a flexible profile and what is it for? How to install a flexible profile and where to do it? How to glue double-sided adhesive tape and is it good to make a diaphragm stick? What are the uses of vapor barrier? How to fix the diaphragm sheets so that the attic is completely sealed? How to stick to the membrane in hard-to-reach places? How and where to glue single-sided adhesive tape? How to finish the roof window and connect the membrane flange? What type of drywall should I use in my attic? What screws secure the drive? How to screw boards to the ceiling? How to measure and make holes in piles? How to screw the plates to the elbow wall? How to remove tubes from radiators? How to install a square box? How to install round jars for point of sale? How to screw the plates under the roof? How to insert plates into window frames and what type to use in this location? How to install a flexible profile on ceiling panels? How to fix boards on slopes? How to cut boards near windows? How to mount disks at the junction of two slots? How to cut off the protruding parts of the membrane? How to change horizontal notice boards and what do they do? You'll see the finished lofts so you know what it's all supposed to look like. Additionally, you will gain valuable knowledge that you know is highly sought after and valued in the market.

  • How to measure the heater and install it in a wooden stand?
  • How to place electrical installation caves?
  • How to install a vapor barrier?
  • How to set an overlay in a window and expand the frame?
  • How to insulate a window with polyurethane foam and stop wind penetration?
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After installing the rafters, you need to check the horizontal and evenness of the installation using a level. You also need to evaluate how tightly and securely the rafters and beams are held. The roof must be strong and reliable.

Installation of the attic roofing part

So, the roof skeleton has been created. At the next stage, sheathing slats are nailed to the rafters for the future roofing material. A waterproofing film or superdiffusion membrane is attached to the sheathing using staples from bottom to top, overlapping, on top of which you need to nail, depending on the type of roofing material, counter battens or moisture-resistant plywood.

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Insulation is installed underneath the waterproofing. Typically, thermal insulation made of basalt or fiberglass is used, less often other types of material, for example, ecowool. Thermal insulation should completely fill the space between the rafters. There should be a vapor barrier film under the insulation. It prevents moisture from entering the insulation from the room.


During the work, you need to remember about the tie-ins in the roof for roof windows. In the places where they are installed, it is necessary to strengthen the rafter system with several bars. The total area of ​​the windows should be approximately 10 times less than the area of ​​the room where they are installed. After all this work, you can install the roofing material.


This concludes the external work on the construction of the attic of the house. You can begin to carry out communications and interior decoration of the rooms.

1. Attic design.
2. Difference in types and shapes of the attic.
3. How to make a high-quality attic.

Attic design


The layout of the attic floor can be done both at the time of construction of the house, and during the construction of the attic already on the erected building.

At the very beginning of the attic, it is necessary to carefully check the condition of the foundation. It is very important to correctly calculate the load of the attic on the house. After all, not only the quality of the attic, but also the integrity of the entire house depends on this.

When designing an attic on the roof, you need to properly think through and take into account several very important points:

1. Even at the design stage, the layout of the attic should be thought through.
2. When creating a design plan, you must take into account everything possible features roofs.
3. It is important to properly think through the connection of communications between the house and the attic.
4. It is important to consider the shape and placement of windows in the attic.
5. Depending on the characteristics of the building, it is necessary to select suitable materials for the construction of walls, ceilings, and rafter structures (slope 30-600).
6. For finishing, give preference to light, non-bulky materials.
7. Pay special attention to insulating and protecting the attic roof from moisture.
8. Consider the type and design of the stairs. If you look from the point of view of economy and practicality, the most popular staircase is a spiral staircase.

Differences in types and shapes of the attic


Before you can build an attic roof correctly and without resulting problems in the future, you must first choose the shape of the roof and the type of rafter systems. This choice must be taken with full responsibility. After all, if you make mistakes when choosing parameters, the roof may collapse, and with it the supporting structures of the house.

The simplest roof shape is in the form of a triangle; there is also a slightly more complex shape - with a break. The outline of the triangle is created using parallel beams, the lower chord is used as. All racks and joists, both vertical and horizontal, are installed from thin bars. And if the dimensions that you have planned go beyond the triangular roof, you need to equip the attic with a profile with a break. This form provides for an average load-bearing wall, a simple and light lower level, as well as tie-downs that are built from the floor beams.

The height of the attic roof should be 2.5 m or higher. And if the shape of the roof is broken, then the height should be about 2.8 m. These dimensions take into account the thickness of the insulating layer, floor projections and interior wall decoration.

Let's look at a few types of rafter systems:



1. Hanging. The basis is the walls of the house. This system does not require intermediate supports because a horizontal load is generated, which is transferred to the walls of the house. To reduce the load, a tie made of metal or wood is used, which is located at the base of the rafters and connects the rafter beams.



2. Layered. This type is used if the load-bearing wall is erected in the middle of the house, and the outer walls serve as supports. This type is used when the distance between the walls of the building is about 6.5 meters.



3. Mauerlat serves as a support for the rafter legs. And also for distributing the vertical load of slings. Along the perimeter the Mauerlat is connected by a rigid frame.



4. Ridge run– it is used if the rafters cannot be supported on load-bearing walls, so they are attached and supported on the side purlins. It is very important that the inclined angle of the roof is 30-600. The angle can be changed depending on the climate where the house is built. If cold snowy weather prevails, then the angle must be increased, but this will lead to a decrease in the attic area.

If the angle of the roof is large, the structure will be more resistant to atmospheric loads, but will significantly reduce the usable area of ​​the attic. And if the angle is too small, this will subject the roof to severe atmospheric tests, and it will be difficult to clear the roof of snow. It will also be necessary to provide a system of additional strength for the roof, thereby increasing it total weight, which means the load on the foundation will increase significantly.

How to make a quality attic


Basic principles of attic construction:

1. To build the skeleton of the attic, it is necessary to use high-quality timber with a cross-section of at least 100*100 mm;
2. It is very important to provide high-quality waterproofing for wooden beams in advance.
3. In order for the load-bearing units to be reliable, it is necessary to use high-quality fasteners (metal brackets, additional wire strapping, tenon joints);
4. For the construction of the roof, it is necessary to use well-dried wood (with a moisture content of no more than 15%);
5. It is necessary to perform antiseptic and fire protection treatment on all material;
6. For the construction of the roof frame, it is better to use pine needles, because it is less susceptible to moisture.



So let's consider construction of the attic roof in order:

1. First you need to build and concrete the floor, and then start building the roof.
Before construction begins, it is necessary to supply all the necessary materials to the desired floor. To make the partitions lightweight, it is necessary to mount pallets with blocks, after which the walls can be built. In places where there is the greatest load, you need to lay out a support from blocks, and then concrete it.
2. To construct the skeleton of the roof of the truss structure, it is necessary to use bars measuring 5*15 cm.
3. To prevent cracks on the walls, it is necessary to avoid large loads on the overall structure. To do this, install a block support for the first and middle runs.
4. When the attic walls are already installed, you can begin to install the rafters.
5. A crane is used to lift the material onto the roof. First, the purlins are installed, and then the rafters. Before installing the lathing, the laying of the attic walls and partitions is completed.
6. The rafters must be laid evenly and very carefully. To straighten the front bevels, you can use a band saw. And then you can do the lathing.
7. It is necessary to carry out thermal insulation in this order: a waterproofing material is laid on top of the sheathing, then mineral wool is installed, and then all this is fixed with dowels.
8. It is very important that all wooden components of the roof are treated with special protective compounds to protect them from rotting, mold, or being eaten by insects.
9. Tile or slate are most often used as roofing, and experts recommend categorically avoiding metal.


Quality is very important insulate the attic roof, and for a comfortable stay in this room it is necessary to correctly construct the necessary sequence of roof layers in this order:
- to improve thermal and sound insulation, lay out a special membrane;
- the top layer of the sheathing must be made of boards 25 mm thick;
- it is necessary to provide free space for air circulation;
- lay out a layer of insulation material 200 mm thick (mineral wool, polystyrene foam, etc.);
- complete the bottom layer of the sheathing;
- a layer of vapor barrier (foil or penofol);
- slats that fix the interior decoration;
- sheathing in the form of plasterboard or lining.

If you strictly follow the above rules and recommendations, then in winter the snow will not melt on the roof, and in summer it will be cool in the house and attic.