Framing A Ceiling In Attic

Better than spray foam thermal break and relatively consistent r 30.

Framing a ceiling in attic.

First head to the attic. Ceiling joists are typically 2 8 lumber floor joists are usually 2 10 or 2x 12 lumber. If you see a complicated framework of 2x4s held together with perforated metal plates your roof is framed with trusses. If you want your attic space to have a flat ceiling you ll need to add collar ties to the framing.

As long as they are not damaged the joists should be strong enough to allow you to move around in the attic for an inspection and to provide storage for typical boxed items. How to finish attic walls and ceilings step 1. How to vault a ceiling. The allowable ceiling joist span tables in the 2018 version are found in section r802 5.

Staple insulation between the wall studs and ceiling joists image a. Use a nail gun to attach sheets of osb to the walls over the insulation. Make sure to nail into the wall studs. Most attic ladders are made to fit between joists set at 24 inches on center.

The design and construction of ceiling joists are found in section r802 4 of the irc. A gable roof is framed with rafters that slope downward from the peak of the roof to the tops of the. However in some cases the joists are intentionally built strong enough for the homeowner to later build out the attic. You ll have to remove the entire roof structure to vault the ceilings.

That s a big size and strength difference between the two types of attic joists even if the joist spacing is the same. If the attic were designed as living space those ceiling joists would become floor joists and be much bigger. Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and. This is made up of ceiling joists typically 2x6 or larger boards.

Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center oc meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches. Most houses attics are built without flooring and are not designed to carry the heavy load of finished space. But if it s framed traditionally with big lumber rafters the roof can stay in place. The ceiling load may include items like drywall ducts recessed lights bathroom fans and attic insulation.

In this post we will cover wood roof framing members specifically ceiling joists. Floor framing the floor structure of an attic is also the framing for the ceiling beneath it. Here s how to use 3 layers of 2 inch polyiso foam board to meet code and keep your ne. How to frame an attic space basic framing.