Attic layout from A to Z

Low-rise housing has not been associated with budget housing lately. Today, private houses of small number of storeys most often appear in elite settlements. And designers already offer standard and individual projects. Projects of houses with an attic floor are in the greatest demand today. At the same time, a prerequisite is the presence of a full-fledged living space under the roof, since the attic is a great way not to lose free space.

Typically, an attic is a large open space that can be used for various purposes: as a living space or an attic. The main difference between these two spaces is that the attic is an unheated storage space for storing old and unnecessary things. A the attic is a complete rest room.

Although, according to the BTI documents, the ceiling height in the attic should be from 1.5 to 2.5 meters. If the walls are lower, then this is an attic, and if higher, then this is a full-fledged residential floor. But when drawing up documents for a house, keep in mind that the functionality of the under-roof space is subject to separate taxes. So, the attic is not included in the total living space, and a house with an attic on the roof is regarded as a two-story cottage.

The internal usable area of ​​the attic floor depends on the design features of the house and the roof. Here you can equip a guest bedroom, a children's area, a study with a library or a winter garden.

Before proceeding with the construction or improvement of the attic, you need to decide on the type of roof:

• Single-pitched - the ceiling of such an attic has an inclined shape, and the room itself remains small and cramped. And such attics are very rare.
• Gable or gable - perhaps the most popular option for the construction of country houses. The roof slopes are connected at an angle with a ridge.

• Broken line is a kind of gable roof. The free space in this case is increased due to the complicated roof structure.
• Four-slope - allows you to place 4 windows on each roof slope.
• Single-level with outboard consoles is a complex type of roof that cannot be made on your own if you do not have special skills and knowledge. Such asymmetrical roofs are relatively less common than all the others. In such an attic, you can place two or three spacious rooms.

At the same time, before crossing the slopes, the ceiling height must reach 1.5 meters, otherwise it will be uncomfortable to be in such a small room. The most optimal indicator is 2.5 meters.

Any under-roof space can be converted and converted into an attic. When choosing a roof type, take into account the loads on the supporting structures of the log house and the foundation. Without this, it is impossible to draw up a project of the attic floor. This also takes into account the height and width of the roof.And no matter what purpose you choose for the attic: residential or non-residential, you must comply with separate building rules and regulations. But nevertheless, it is recommended that even at the stage of developing a plan for the future house to work out the option of arranging the attic, this will allow you to use the additional space to the maximum.

The main requirements for the attic:

• insulation - the additional room must be warm;
• high-quality waterproofing - you cannot do without a layer of waterproofing material; when arranging the attic, you must be sure that rainwater will not get inside the room;
• vapor barrier - does not allow condensation to form due to the temperature difference between the room and the outside;

• lighting is the key to coziness and comfort;
• soundproofing - raindrops hitting the roof, or snow melt in early spring can be a serious problem for a comfortable and relaxing stay;
• the layout and division of space into separate zones should be well planned.

A private house with an attic can be built of foam blocks, bricks or timber. But all roof elements must be lightweight and durable. Do not use concrete and stone - they will create an additional load on the floors. The most suitable materials for roof sheathing are metal tiles, slate. Mineral wool or basalt slabs can be used as insulation.

A square private house is an excellent option not only for a seasonal suburban area, but also for permanent residence. In such a room, it is easier to equip the internal space and harmoniously place all the necessary zones. And so that outwardly such a house does not look like a squat cube, attach an open or closed veranda near the porch. Bay windows, columns or a balcony on the attic floor will also help to dilute the boring appearance.

The room under the roof can have a non-standard shape: broken line, triangular, with asymmetric sides, and so on. But this will not prevent you from arranging a study, a recreation room, an additional bedroom, a library or a winter garden in the attic.

Designers also offer two ways to decorate the attic:

• use roof slopes as walls;
• sheathe the walls and ceiling with plasterboard, creating a room of the correct rectangular shape.

A building with an area of ​​6 x 6 m is considered an excellent option for a garden house. Provided that a one-story house with an attic is erected, the total area will be about 50 m2. For a seasonal residence of a family of 3-4 people, this is quite enough. But in order to avoid the clutter of the house, it is necessary to plan the space, as well as the right approach to the choice of furniture:

• Built-in cabinet furniture and spacious storage systems in the corridor will relieve space in the rooms.
• To save space, you can also use the space under the stairs to set up a small pantry.

• In the additional space on the attic floor, you can also find a free corner for storing household appliances.
• You can increase the living area of ​​the house by using a closed terrace, which can be used as a summer kitchen.
• It is better to make a bathroom common, and instead of a bathroom, install a shower cabin - for living in a warm summer period and on weekends, it will be quite enough even for a large family.

In a house with an area of ​​6 x 8 m, you can confidently accommodate an additional bedroom and a dressing room. The project of such a house is not much different from the layout of a 6x6 meter house:

• The entrance hall can smoothly transition into the kitchen-living room - this is the best option for a modern home decoration. And besides, the combined room looks more spacious and impressive.
• The ground floor can also accommodate two bedrooms and a bathroom.
• The attic floor can be used as a workshop, study or a separate room for storing seasonal items.

The size of the house with an area of ​​6 x 9 meters is not too large, but it still allows you to accommodate several full-fledged zones:

• On the ground floor, you can place a spacious entrance hall with spacious storage systems for outerwear.
• The kitchen and living room can be combined in one space or separated by partitions.
• It is recommended to combine a bathroom, and instead of a bath, use a shower cabin for guests.

It is quite possible to place several living rooms on the attic floor:

• There is a place for a bedroom and a spacious nursery with a bathroom or dressing room.
• The bathroom on the attic floor can accommodate a large corner bath.

A house with an area of ​​12 by 13 meters is the best choice for a comfortable stay for a large family:

• Each family member can be allocated a separate spacious room.
• On the ground floor, you can arrange a kitchen-living room, two bedrooms and a separate bathroom.
• Also on the ground floor there will be space for a boiler room or a small storage room.
• And in the spacious attic there is a place for another bedroom, a children's area or a study.

A private house gives the owner the freedom to choose a layout and design. And based on the available area of ​​the house, the attic space can be equipped for residential or non-residential purposes.

The main stages of the attic floor arrangement:

• Drawing up a plan for the future home - when creating a project, the dimensions of the room are taken into account.
• Selection and calculation of building materials for interior and exterior decoration of the house.
• Insulation, lighting and waterproofing of the attic floor.
• Construction of internal partitions for zoning and dividing the premises into separate rooms.
• Ceiling, wall and floor finishing of each zone

What premises can be placed on the attic floor:

• bedroom;
• children's room;
• study or library;
• guest bedroom;
• home theater;
• dressing room;
• winter Garden;
• gym;
• a hobby room or workshop.

To make a cozy attic out of an ordinary attic, it is necessary to insulate the room. And you can't do without additional thermal insulation. Features and rules for installing insulation:

• Vapor barrier materials should not allow moisture generated from evaporation in the room to pass through.
• All thermal insulation materials must be intended for residential use.
• It is also necessary to equip the windows so that natural light enters the room. Windows must be well insulated to reduce heat loss.

When arranging the attic, special attention should be paid not only to insulation, but also to ventilation. In this case experts offer three solutions:

• skylights in the sloped part of the pitched roof;
• air conditioning;
• supply and exhaust ventilation.

You will learn useful recommendations on how to equip an attic floor by watching the following video.

You can develop a project and build a house with an attic with your own hands, but for this you need to have certain skills and abilities. And also be sure to follow the basic recommendations and construction standards:

• An attic cannot be attached to a finished house. It is necessary to make sure in advance of the reliability and strength of the foundation and floors. It is possible that additional strengthening of the structure will be required before the construction of the attic.
• The attic floor must necessarily have a reinforced reliable structure, have additional supports, walls or columns.
• For safety reasons, when designing an attic, it is imperative to provide an external staircase from the street side to the balcony or to the window. Any additional structure will ensure safe evacuation in case of an emergency.

• The space under the roof is exposed to a constant temperature drop, therefore, when erecting an attic, it is necessary to take care of the thermal and waterproofing of the room.
• It is imperative to develop a plan for conducting communications in the attic: electricity and heating. But if you do not plan to use some rooms every day, then we recommend installing temperature regulators on the radiators.
• The design and arrangement of the ladder must be comfortable for ascent and descent. Daily use of the ladder should be comfortable and safe. And the staircase itself should not interfere with moving along the first floor.

• For natural ventilation, install windows with transoms - they allow you to quickly ventilate the room.

• Also, experts recommend installing an air conditioner and supplying and exhausting ventilation to the attic floor.

• If you are afraid of claustrophobia and doubt the advisability of arranging an attic for a bedroom, then consider organizing a dressing room on an additional floor. And also, even a small space can be used for a home theater, small gym, or as a workshop.

Ready-made projects of houses with attics help to navigate in the selection, construction and arrangement of housing. For example, the most popular projects are houses with 3 bedrooms and a staircase. And designers offer typical and unique house layouts. Make sure that every room has everything you need for a comfortable stay: a comfortable bed, bedside tables or chest of drawers, and a wardrobe.

A large space under the roof can be divided in various ways, but one of the most successful is the use of niches between the rafters as a zoning element.

A children's room in the attic is a great option that every child will definitely like. In this case, your child will have a separate space with a play area, where you can also place a Swedish wall, ladders, horizontal bars or a swing. But also in the children's room it is imperative to allocate places for comfortable rest and study.

The attic space does not have to be used for living rooms; the space on the second floor is perfect for arranging a dining room.

There is definitely a place for a hammock in any attic. It will make the atmosphere more romantic and cozy. Walls or pillars can be used as supporting structures for a hammock.