What is a loft and how to equip it?

In regions with a cold climate, houses with a high pitched roof were previously built. The air space under the roof kept warm in winter and protected from heat in summer. With the advent of heating appliances and modern insulation materials, this space has ceased to be a repository of old things, it has become a way of expanding living space. Attic began to convert to the attic. To understand what a modern attic is, how to equip it with maximum benefit, consider the features of this room and different design options.

The term "attic" came to us from France. This is the name of a dwelling, equipped under the roof, having a roof of a roof instead of a ceiling and walls.Initially, the poorest people lived in the attic rooms. With the development of industry, the influx of people into the cities of Western Europe and the dense buildings, the attic rooms have turned into full-fledged housing. Today, this method of expanding the usable area of ​​a private house or cottage has gained popularity in Russia.

More and more developers are offering to use empty attic spaces functionally. in order to accommodate additional rooms for different purposes. This may be a small area under the highest point of the roof and a large area equal to the basement area. According to building codes, a residential attic should have natural light due to roof windows. Windows can be vertical and sloping. With the bottom floor, the attic floor is usually connected by an internal staircase or elevator.

In warmer regions, stairs may be located on the outside of the facade. Penthouses are unheated (for seasonal residence in a country house) and heated (for all-season living in a private house). The area of ​​the heated attic space is included in the total living area of ​​the house (as opposed to the attic).The configuration of the walls and ceiling can be any, but it should not violate the structural integrity of the building.

A natural question arises before the developer: what is better - to equip a loft or build another high-grade floor. The legislation of the Russian Federation in determining the number of floors of a house is considered to be heated by an attic as a floor. If it comes to an existing building, when rebuilding the attic into a heated attic, re-registration of all existing documents for the reconstruction of the house will be required. Otherwise, the attic floor may be counted as an unauthorized extension.

The fact that it is necessary to register an additional floor leads to doubts: prefer insulation and decoration of the attic or build a second floor. The whole floor is more capital construction than the attic. Modern building materials allow technologically and quickly convert the attic floor in the attic. The erection of capital walls will require the implementation of the entire cycle of construction works and the strengthening of the foundation, which will entail large financial costs.

Another reason is the need for additional living space. Under the slopes of a complex roof, a comfortable height and configuration zone for living may be small, and home owners need to place several rooms. Here, the choice is clearly behind the high-grade floor. For an ordinary gable roof, arranging a heated attic floor is not rational if the length of the side of the house is less than 5 meters. Costs may be large, and the area will be added a little.

It is necessary to take into account the decorative effect of an unusual configuration of the ceiling and walls. This interior looks more original than the usual rectangular layout. Being in a beautifully designed attic floor is aesthetic pleasure. In these rooms creates a special atmosphere.

Attic has a number of advantages, while it is not without drawbacks. In order to make an informed choice in favor of a full floor or attic space, you need to explore all the nuances.

The area of ​​the rooms under the roof will be less than the usual rooms due to the slopes of the roof. When settling, there will always be unused deaf plots.The ceiling and walls will not have the same height over the entire area, it will impose certain restrictions on the interior design. We will have to use special architectural maneuvers to explore all the possibilities of being located under the roof. In the traditional layout is easier to use the space when arranging furniture.

Illumination from beveled windows will increase due to the inclined position of the glasses. The vertical arrangement of the window leaf allows a smaller percentage of the light to pass through. In the attic you can install light lights. This is a great advantage and expands the possibilities of functional use of rooms for an art studio, home observatory or a winter garden. In some cases, the roof dome is made completely transparent for intense insolation.

The load on the foundation in the case of the construction of the second floor will increase, the insulation of the attic will not affect the bearing capacity of the foundation. No additional work is needed to strengthen the structures of the bearing pillars or the walls of the first floor. In the construction of the attic does not need to install ceiling slabs.The cubic volume of air in the attic is less with a low roof. If the roof is high, the ratio may be in favor of the attic. Heat loss with proper insulation will be the same in the house and under the roof.

The cost of the construction of the second floor is much more than the alteration of the attic for living rooms. The two-storey house looks more solid, the house with an attic looks more elegant and sleeker. A large role in the aesthetic perception of the attic building is played by the types of glazing, the presence of a balcony, the location of the stairs and the construction of the roof.

Types of roof construction are varied. Preference have typical types for private (civil) construction.

The most common option is gable roof. Slabs allow you to equip a simple rectangular room with symmetrically sloping walls. The attic of a gable roof is easier to accommodate. If there is enough size, do not neglect the open-air veranda.

Another common option is single-pitch roof. Its height does not always allow equipping living quarters. Therefore, the presence of an attic should be planned at the design stage. In this case, the slope of the slope is done steeper to free up more space for living. Active use of space will be obtained only on one side.

Difficult are complex multiple roofs. The presence of a large number of floor beams will clutter up the internal space. Some areas will be low, in other places the ceiling will have a slope, there will be a large number of deaf places, sharp protrusions that can cause bruises when using this room. When making a decision about the attic device, it is necessary to evaluate the height and sufficient size of the future room under a complex roof.

Vaulted roof is quite a good option attic floor. The arch gives a greater height of the walls and ceiling. The layout has a symmetry, the central part of the room is available for intensive use.The dimensions of the attic rooms differ little from the traditional types of rooms. Vaulted roofs allow you to beautifully draw a dome ceiling attic.

The most suitable for the attic floor is gable roof. The design of such floors is simple, the location of the beams for the improvement of the internal space is more convenient. There are no extra corners, there are almost no blind zones. The side walls are of sufficient height, 80% of the premises of the three-pitch mansard can be fully used.

In addition to the configuration of the roof structure, the type of attic floor is determined by the height of the walls. According to the SNiP, a high-grade floor corresponds to a wall height above 1.5 meters. Floor attic corresponds to a height of 80 cm - 1.5 meters. A room with a wall height of less than 80 cm does not affect the height of the building.

In order to recognize the attic as living space, a number of conditions must be met. Most of the room should have a height of at least 2.3 meters, while the minimum area should be 16 square meters. With an increase in the height of the room, the area can be proportionally reduced to 7 square meters. A small room can be taken under the bedroom or office, it will not be contrary to SNiP.It all depends on the indicator of the cubic volume of air as applied to living rooms.

The size of the attic useful area depends on the angle of inclination of the roof, its height and the size of the attic. Experts do not recommend making the height of the roof more than 3.5 m: a higher roof will require a reinforced constructive solution. A small (below 2 meters) gable roof may not be adapted at all for a living heated room. This attic can be landscaped and used in the summer as a place to relax. Insulation and heating of a low attic will require high material costs, and will bring little practical benefits.

It will be uncomfortable to live in a low and narrow room with a sloping ceiling. At best, you can only sleep there. Construction materials and finishing directly affect the cost of construction. On some structural elements can not be saved: depends on the safety and duration of the operational life of the object.

Materials are selected taking into account the bearing capacity of the foundation and walls. To purchase them, you can consult with experts.The specificity of the attic is that it is located on the upper floor, its weight puts pressure on the lower structures. For example, if you want to adapt the basement for housing, the whole range of heavy building materials (from concrete foundation blocks to boulders) is at your disposal.

Attic will require lightweight construction. For the construction of rafters the most common materials are wooden beams and metal structures. The roof can be made of budget metal profile, metal tiles. It is convenient in laying, high-quality, durable, material with good esthetic qualities. Its exterior finish can imitate natural materials, it differs in a variety of colors, if necessary, it can be easily repainted in the desired tone with the help of paint and color schemes.

The main disadvantage is the noise during the rain. If there is a living room downstairs, noise will not be completely isolated. The same disadvantages has a steel faltsevaya roof. For the roofing work, a team of specialists is necessary: ​​the sheets are joined to the folds on the ground, and only after this, fragments along the length of the slope are lifted to the roof.Flexible steel allows to cover vaulted and domed roofs.

The natural tile is beautiful, but rather expensive and labor-intensive in installation material. A low-cost alternative is slate. These materials are able to isolate noise and trap heat. Slate is not recommended for use in residential buildings due to asbestos content. Roofing material is laid between the crate and slate (tiles).

Slate relative - ondulin. It is a flexible, lightweight, easy to install soft material. He almost does not conduct noise, due to the flexibility used in the installation of complex roofs. The disadvantage is high flammability (it ignites at 110 degrees), the smell of bitumen is released in the heat.

Knowing all the features of the roofing material, you can choose the appropriate option.

The style of the main structure should also be taken into account:

• Brickwork harmoniously looks with faux tiles of green or brown hue.
• Plastered facades are best combined with ondulin or metal profile.
• The roof, trimmed with natural or faux tiles, on a wooden log house looks organic.
• Stone and glass are related materials, in brick houses glazing is a big aesthetic burden.

Glazing the end wall of the attic, two problems are simultaneously solved: a decorative function and an increase in the degree of illumination of the internal space. One of the most effective solutions for the exterior and interior is the design of a skylight or a glass dome on the roof.

Not bad proved ondulin. A rare roofing material is a thick layer of specially treated reeds. Reed reproduces the appearance of a thatched roof. It is more durable, amenable to fire treatment, retains heat well. His aesthetic qualities are at a height: the reed emphasizes the original national style. To put all this in your own home, you need to calculate the structuremake an estimate of the types of work and the necessary materials, prepare project documentation for the official registration of the attic floor.

Requirements for residential premises are regulated by regulatory documents. Failure to comply may result in an emergency condition of the entire house. If you can build the attic floor yourself, then it is better to order the execution of the correct project documentation in the architecture department. At the first design stage, the roof configuration is selected.

The choice is based on the design features of the house, determined by:

• possible availability of living space;
• the number and size of the desired rooms;
• the installation of the stairs inside or outside the house;
• availability of a balcony.

Next, calculate the wind and snow loads of the region, temperature seasonal mode. From these indicators depends the minimum required angle of the roof. Then pick up the roofing material, which depends on the angle of inclination of the roof. For a metal profile, an angle of 4 degrees is sufficient; for a tile, a minimum of 25 degrees of slope is necessary (to prevent from leaks).

The next step is to calculate the bearing capacity of the walls and foundation of the building. If the walls of the first floor were made of porous material, you can get a denial in the construction of an attic building. At this stage, you can increase the size of the attic floor due to the removal of one or two walls of the attic and part of the roof over the open terrace of the first floor. Therefore, make a separate calculation for the bearing supports under the attic.

The project put the required number of window openings. If the step of rafters allows, try to place window openings without disturbing the structural integrity of the truss system. If it is necessary to move apart or remove some beams, the risk of violation of the uniform distribution of the load on the walls of the lower floor is calculated again. The location, size and shape of the windows depend on the location of the structural roof supports.

The question of whether the frames are portable. In this case, they will have to create special add-ins. If the glazing sheet is located in the roof itself, the load from the weight of the frame structure will be added to the weight of the roof.With a large glass area in the plane of the roof of the frame add a significant mass: a double-glazed window in the frame is quite heavy material.

The simplest calculation is for a gable roof: the more slopes, the more difficult to determine all the components. A symmetrical symmetrical roof allows the load to be distributed evenly along the length of the wall. The most uneven weight distribution has a shed roof. This option is rarely used under the attic, as it requires a greater slope of the roof. Not every building has the technical ability to put on one of the walls the load of the main mass of the roof.

In the final form of the project documentation contains a plan of all floors and a drawing of all the facades of the house. Separately, make a drawing of a constructive solution to the roof. At the summer cottage is not necessary to make complex calculations. Here you need to be guided by common sense and initial knowledge of the resistance of materials to loads. For capital mansard, it will be necessary to take into account in the design and estimate work the scheme of heating, waterproofing, noise insulation, method of ventilation and warming of the internal walls, as well as other necessary work in each specific construction object.

The inner space of the attic in the winter time is experiencing heat load through the lower floor and wind, low-temperature through the roof. For a comfortable stay these two components should be neutralized with the help of insulation materials. The main task is to warm the upper ceiling of the attic rooms: it is through the roof that the main heat losses occur in winter. Each part of the attic floor is insulated according to its own wall pattern (roof slopes).

The thickness of the insulation in the middle lane ranges from 100 to 200 mm, in the southern regions 100mm is enough. This material not only protects against cold in winter: in the summer heat it isolates the flow of hot air into the room under the roof, due to which insulation will be provided. Foamglass, foam plastic, mineral wool are most in demand among the wall insulation materials. The recommended value of the coefficient of thermal conductivity should not exceed 0.05 W / m * K.

Polyfoam is the cheapest of materials. Its insulating qualities decrease with age, the size shrinks, gaps are formed, through which cold or hot air enters.But insulation foam - a simple and easy procedure.

Styrofoam has a longer life. Joints do not form cracks, reliable sealing is provided for many years. The disadvantage of the material is high flammability (it is undesirable to warm wooden attic).

Today, the use of polyurethane foam in the form of spraying on internal structures is popular. While hardening, the mass creates a dense, impenetrable surface without gaps and crevices. This is a fairly durable material, but it must be used carefully in rooms with open fire (for example, where there is a fireplace, stove, gas).

The most environmentally friendly material for thermal insulation is mineral wool. It is moisture resistant, non-flammable, easy-to-install material. Vata, expanding, fills all voids between the outer finishing layers. It has soundproofing properties, which is especially important when using a metal roof.

The most expensive and harmless material is ecowool. It has universal properties, but ecowool insulation requires special equipment,as the heater has a fine-grained structure in the form of flakes.

Thermal insulation works are combined with waterproofing, noise insulation and vapor barrier works. Waterproofing protects against moisture inside the ceiling.

Wetting and freezing of insulation in winter time will cause:

• destruction of the warming material;
• freezing of the wall or ceiling;
• mold development and seal failure.

Anti-condensate, diffusion and superdiffusion breathable films are used for waterproofing. Vapor barrier protects the insulating material from the inside of the room from the penetration of moist warm air into the insulation. Pergamin and izospan is used more often.

Warming of the floor is done in the same way as weathe the floor. On the concrete slab perform the usual screed and mount finishing material on top. For cold regions, it is worth making a warm floor with a screed.

For wooden floors the following procedure is provided:

• the rough floor is treated with antiseptic;
• waterproofing film is laid (usual thick polyethylene can be used);
• followed by the vapor barrier membrane overlap;

• between the lags have any available insulation, on top - a layer of vapor barrier;
• All puff stuffing sew up the subfloor.

The floor is ready for finishing.

From the inside, waterproofing is attached to the roof with slats, the entire space between the timber is covered with 100 mm of insulation. The second layer is laid on the first with a ventilation gap. The gap can be provided with a rail. From above, the entire surface is covered with a foiled membrane (the metallized side inside the room). The membrane is fixed stepplerom. The finishing layer is made of drywall, wooden or plastic slats, OSB.

Between all layers need to leave a small distance for ventilation.which is provided with rails, as there is a large temperature difference between the outer and inner sides of the roof. If there are several rooms in the attic, the frame of the interior partitions is erected before the walls are warmed. Partitions are warmed in accordance with the requirements of the SNiP.At the last stage, they install the heating system and cut it into the central highway of the house.

Plumbing and sewage systems are installed if a bathroom and a bathroom are planned in the attic. Kitchen rarely raise the attic. With this version of the plan you need to do a full-fledged ventilation system with a ventilation shaft. It is worth using fireproof finishing materials.

The unusual location of the walls and ceiling of the attic floor makes special demands on the organization of the interior space. When arranging rooms for different purposes, you need to consider that one or both walls will have a slope inside the room below human height. The active use of such zones can lead to inconvenience and injury. It is necessary to correctly distribute the functional zones so that the maximum area of ​​the room is comfortable for movement. Equipment and decoration of the attic floor depend on the specifics of the room. But there are general rules for interior design.

Light color finish makes room dimensions larger. Low attic ceilings should not be painted in dark colors.Limited use of black, blue, green tones is possible when duplicating this color on the floor and painting the walls in white (light) color. The abundance of dark tones will visually make the space limited and uncomfortable.

If the rafters have a beautiful wood texture, you do not need to sheathe the beams with a finishing material. In the rural styles of many countries, beams give the interior brutality and serve as a constructive decoration of the space. This is typical for Provence, Country, Scandinavian and Mediterranean styles. Having added traditional household items to the interior, the summer attic will turn into a favorite room of households and guests.

Choosing one or another material for interior decoration, you need to study its moisture resistance. For unheated attic requires accounting frost. For example, wallpaper in a cold and wet attic can peel off in wet autumn weather, suspended ceilings can not always withstand low temperatures.

Attic has a very original design, unlike the ordinary room. Here you can give free rein to your imagination, use the relief of the bending of the ceiling and walls to create a unique design. Having conceived a design constructive solution, it is better to turn to professionals to draw up a competent project with the calculation of the material: complex forms are difficult for beginners. It will be expensive, however, to get a really beautiful ceiling and walls, you should trust a specialist.

Bedroom in the attic - a practical and convenient solution. In the bedroom we rest, change clothes (the place does not require the presence of extra space). In the attic with a gable roof can be placed in the center of the room bed. It is better to pick it up without a foot, as the height does not always allow one to approach the bed from the side. For older people, this arrangement of the bed will be uncomfortable, but young people or teenagers will like this original bedroom.

In the attic, formed by a complex roof, there is a small area for sleeping. The bed has a headboard to the bevel.On the contrary, they form a deaf zone, which is used under a TV or cabinet for clothes. So it is convenient to approach the bed, in the central part the ceiling is higher. The finishing style of the 60s of the last century endows this room with a certain history.

You can use the deaf zone under the slopes of the roof to place the bed (a lying person does not need a height of 2.5 meters). For more spacious rooms with one sloping wall, a good solution would be to design the bedroom in a traditional style. For example, walls can be pasted over with wallpaper, having chosen furniture for an interior in classical style. The inclined ceiling area can be distinguished by a bright contrasting color (to avoid bruises).

With a lack of storage space, all deaf places need to be filled with a combination of lockers. So the useful return of low sites will be more. Any thing you can take without getting out of bed, if the lockers are conveniently located on the sides of the bed. Calm finish walls and ceiling will not draw attention to the height of the room. Color is to highlight the bed bench.

Attic lounge attracts with its unusual shape.The complex structures of the slopes of the roof distract from everyday worries, make a note of the exotic and a radical change of scenery. It is necessary to give one wall under the tape glazing, the sofa can be positioned in the lowest part opposite the screen of the huge window: this way you can admire the scenery and have intimate conversations. In such a room you can surrender to your favorite hobby.

If you can not make windows in the attic, all households and friends will vote for the home theater device. In the dining room and living room on the first floor, older family members can discuss gardening success; children can play board games. Upstairs in the attic, you can enthusiastically follow the progress of sports competitions, without muffling the sound. The whole family can watch historical records of graduation children or parents' weddings, teenagers with friends can arrange a home movie viewing.The walls here are painted in a neutral monochrome color scheme, a screen is placed on the end wall, and comfortable chairs are placed opposite.

Attic can be quite spacious and high room. You can equip it in the Scandinavian style. Light tones of furniture upholstery, walls and ceiling tinted in beige or gray. Wooden structures should be treated with a light colored stain. The walls are trimmed with light decorative stone. For contrast, add a few dark furnishings. For unheated rooms, it would be a good decision to install an electric fireplace; in cool weather, it will warm the room and add comfort.

Simply modern minimalist living roomusing only white color and clear glass. Furniture is selected simple forms with monochrome upholstery. Glass tables do not clutter up the interior. The rest of the space remains empty. Windows do not decorate with curtains so as not to limit the access of light.

A large hall under a complex roof should not be broken into several small corners. Sofas are installed in low zones. Ceiling kinks emphasize lighting systems.At first glance, there is little decor so as not to split up the space. A limited number of colors and texture finishes are applied.

It is well known that boys are very fond of attics and tents. A room for a child, equipped in the summer attic in the sea or pirate style, will satisfy the request of little adventure lovers. In the design of the attic is appropriate bright colors and wallpapers. A bed and a table for occupations are placed in low zones, and storage spaces are placed in them. The central (highest part) is left free for active games.

In the interior of the room for the girl should add soft pastel colors. Use the method of placing furniture along the low walls. The white tone of the walls visually increases the size of the room, the floor beams are sewn up with drywall. On the vertical walls paste wallpaper with a pattern of pink, light green and yellow vertical stripes, which visually makes the pier above.

Arrangement of a study in the attic requires good natural lighting. It is necessary at the construction stage to provide a sufficient number of windows.

In the evening there should be two lighting systems:

• central bright (for business negotiations);
• desktop (for concentrated work).

The cabinet is decorated with low-key tones of the finishing lining with a geometric pattern. Furniture is better to choose in soothing colors. Appropriate leather upholstery. The configuration of the ceiling is preferred simple straightforward: it is unlikely you will be able to concentrate, constantly maneuvering between sharp corners. Shelves with documents are installed in low places, the table is placed closer to the window, the middle of the room is free for passage.

The kitchen in the attic is not the most convenient option, as the products from the store will have to be brought to the upper floor. The cooking process requires constant movement around the room. It will be uncomfortable in a low room with protrusions. Such kitchens require the installation of a ventilation system and sewage. This is not always justified if there is a suitable room on the ground floor.

However, there are cases of the need to equip a kitchen, a bathroom and a bathroom on the attic floor (when setting up a studio apartment).Kitchen furniture is installed around the perimeter of the walls, the center remains for the hostess’s maneuver. The presence of a gas stove limits the use of some finishing materials to the degree of flammability.

Bathroom and toilet do not require a large area. In broken roof structures consists of originality of design, lighting and placement of hygiene places. Ceramic tiles, mosaics, flooring will be appropriate in the interior.

Attic - an ideal place for the device greenhouse. Solid glazing and good thermal insulation are mandatory conditions for the proper functioning of the winter garden. The abundance of light will ensure good plant growth. The floor is more practical to lay ceramic tiles. Since the work with the ground is coming, you will need the convenience of cleaning the room.Finishing materials are moisture resistant.

In the design of the attic floor, the ceiling finish plays a big role. This is one of the massive central elements of the interior (especially in complex structures of the roof). Designers love to beat this ceiling feature with unconventional solutions. The complex geometry of the ceiling becomes the central composition of the attic room.

Attic floor provides the ability to install stained glass ceiling. Stained glass can be made of solid or multi-colored glass. During the day, natural light will illuminate the mosaic pattern on the ceiling. In the side piers mount additional artificial lighting. Stained glass can be made in a certain style. The combination of glass and metal will give a high status to a simple attic room.

To finish the attic ceiling traditionally used wooden slats. This material is environmentally safe, it has good insulating properties. Beautiful fibrous wood texture will be an additional element of decor. An interesting application received modular mesh design in the form of a suspended ceiling.

The staircase to the upper floor connects the two spaces between them. Its design should be a compositional approach to the attic and the lower floor. Stairs carry not only decorative load: their main task is to ensure a safe, safe and comfortable climb to the attic. Ladders are helical, sustainer, and straightforward.

The choice is determined by the convenience of the design and its location. For suburban unheated penthouses use automatic folding ladders or exterior structures that lead to a small balcony or terrace on the attic floor. For permanent residence, these stairs do not apply.

Ladder spans are made of wood, natural stone, decorated with ceramic tiles. Steps should not be slippery. Today, staircase decoration with the use of transparent materials and lighting is popular.For example, special tempered glass of steps is illuminated by LEDs or lamps mounted into the wall.

To see firsthand the possibilities of stylish design of the attic, you can refer to examples of photo galleries.

• Stylish attic studio in the Japanese style.
• Modern attic solutions with full glazing.

• Scandinavian style with black and white bedroom interior.
• A small corner for reading or working on the Internet.
• Cozy studio in the attic with a fireplace.

How to equip the attic, see the next video.