Can I finish off my attic?
Answers:
The big ?? is roof damage. you need ventalation from the soffit to the ridge, make sure the air can move, the go ahead and cover it. There are styrofoam panels, like egg cartons very cheap to do this with, Ask at your home store, they can help.
Other answers:
you should have a professional carpenter do this. i have seen finished attics that an owner did themselves that looked halfway decent
you should have a professional carpenter do this. i have seen finished attics that an owner did themselves that looked halfway decent
If you're serious about using this space, yes you can finish it off relatively inexpensively. You can make it into a dormer-type room (tho the ceiling is pretty low) for guest space or even an at-home-office space. The insulation will not cause any problems to your roof. Sheetrock would probably be the cheapest route to take and you could paint or paper it in lighter colors to make the room look larger. In our old house, where the roof slopes on either side, we put in doors and shelves that I used to store Christmas decorations and patio misc. between seasons. Stained and varnished the floor and bought an area rug and padding and it was great!
YES put up dry wall it`s easy you can do it providing your health warrants no it will not damage anything. think of it as another room just do it just make sure the wiring is good if any the house is older, i have done 2 attics in my homes if you need advice go to your local home depot or Lowe's or whoever.
First off, if your going to try to make a "space" up there, you have to make sure that the "rafters" are 2X8s or better!
(Figuring this will at least span a 12 foot area, with a load bearing wall to rest on...if not, then it has to be larger).
2X4s WILL NOT be enough to put down sheathing on the floor and walk on it a lot!! I will assume that this will span a 12 foot section room.
Now, if you have the fiberglass "bulging" then it wasnt stapled to the roof joists. (Personally I would not do this unless you have a ridge vent on top of the roof!).
You take air from your soffit and facia and it goes up along the insulation to the ridge vent, so that you have air displacement going all the time. If no ridge vent, then you will have the heat trapped in the valleys between the studs and it will shorten the life span of your roof!
Now, you can get OSB or particle board, or any cheap boards for the attic, but, if its a "stand up" attic, I would put better in, plus a Knee wall, so that you can utilize this space, (providing the floor joists will be sufficient and large enough, of course).
I have seen people build drawers in the knee walls, (insulating behind them, enough so that the cold stays out).
Then make a bedroom up there:)
Also, have two windows installed, one at each end, for cross ventilation. (forced air may not be a bad idea if it gets hot up there).
Ok, my two cents worth...
Jesse