What to choose: a cold loft or attic warm

users forumhouse.ru well aware that the appearance of largely home depends on the shape of its roof. Any homeowner would want his house not only look impressive, but it was functional, warm and comfortable. And because at the stage of project selection raises the question: which is better, more functional and economically feasible to do - warm or cold attic loft?

In our material we have collected the most common questions that will help you make the final decision.

So, in this article you will learn:

• What is an attic loft and what?
• What is different from a cold attic warm attic?
• What features can be cold in the attic and attic warm?
• Is there any benefit from the construction of the cold attic or better to build a warm attic?
• How to insulate an attic?
• What is the difference from conventional skylights?

Loft attic against

Every year the price of land for development is increasingly growing, and because many owners own housing often think about whether there is a way to "build" a useful area of ​​the house on a small site. Of course, the easiest option - is to increase the height of the house. For example, to build a two-storey cottage with unheated attic. Or go the other way and to build a house with a warm attic. Both options have their pros and cons, which we describe below. But first, let's define what is a loft, and that - an attic.

Vera Vavilova (Management "DDM-Stroy" company):

Attic - is a non-residential space between the ceiling of the top floor and roof of the building. Attic - is also the space between the ceiling of the top floor and roof of the building, which has been used as a dwelling.

Due to its design, it creates a well-ventilated attic buffer space under the roof. So, to provide ventilation of roof space in the attic, for example through the dormer windows, it is much easier than in the attic.

On both sides of the attic has direct vertical gable, and with the other two facades formed by surfaces inclined or sloping roof. Thus, attic ceiling at the same time is also the roof.

Roman Nakonechny (Head of Construction Department "RonasGroup" company):

The main difference from the attic the attic - in the appointment of the premises. While attic with insulation - is a complete living room, a cold attic is intended solely for storage.

Anton Borisov (Expert Corporation TekhnoNIKOL):

Traditionally attic used for storage or household equipment, or do not use. But the attic can become additional living space, such as a guest room, study or nursery.

The advantages of the attic, than with a loft, is that it allows you to create additional living space without increasing the overall height of the house and not nadstraivaya additional floor.

Keep in mind that finishing the attic, as well as any other room, requires an investment of additional funds, while the build attic can be cost-effectively.

The advantages of the attic is also the simplicity of its construction and the possibility of easy access from the inside second floor space for inspection of the roof, in the case of a repair of the roof, for example, leakage.

Also, be aware that access to the roof space is necessary to equip a separate entrance leading to the attic. Usually this is done with a sliding hatch or vertical folding ladder.

Sergey Petrov (company Architect Home in the Woods):

In the attic you can make additional rooms, thus reducing the very area of ​​the house on the site, reducing the cost to the foundation, roof and walls. This is important, because the foundation to the roof - often the most expensive items in the house.

A big plus attic floor is that it is possible to equip a sleeping area for adults and children separately. But the attic - it's just an empty area.

Vera Vavilova:

When you get the device attic unfit for life void between the ceiling and roof. The advantage of the attic - it saves. Insulation is placed only on the overlap, reducing its consumption and the resulting attic space creates an air gap. Pediments can stay cool, which also leads to savings.

In contrast to the attic, a warm attic insulation requires gables. Warming of the roof produce from the relief of the roof, which gives a much greater consumption of insulation than in the case of the attic.

The attic floor includes a straight ceiling of the last floor, which severely limits the design possibilities of the room. When the device attic truss system can be made visible, which gives a unique design of the room and gives a special color space.

The ceiling of the attic is not a straight line, and on the inner relief of the roof, and you get a large three-dimensional space that can be nice to beat in the interior.

And in order to calculate which is cheaper – build a loft or attic, you can resort to a simple calculation of the costs.

Vera Vavilova:

So,the second floor must have a minimum height of 2.5 m, in order to live in it was comfortable. It turns out that all the external walls of the house and interior partitions you need to raise the height of the second floor. Accordingly, the material spend and pay for the work. The external walls should have the appropriate insulation, depending on the material at home. Then on the second floor you pass the attic, on which the device also will leave the material and payment of labor.

The main benefit of the construction of the attic and a full second floor- a useful area of ​​the second floor. You get the second floor of equal height, comfortable for living. In front of you is not worth the trouble - will rise if the cabinet to the wall? You do not have the low "pockets" that are necessary to beat in the interior and to think about how they can be used functionally.

Non-residential premises of the attic can be used as a storage room, which is also considerably increases the usable area of ​​the house.

Sergey Petrov

Very often make cold attic, considering that the roof insulate expensive. However, the cake that the attic that in the ceiling of the attic, almost the same. Insulate the ceiling of the second floor is still necessary, but reduce the area of ​​the roof and the foundation itself, plus the area of ​​the walls and ceiling, can be much more profitable.As interior designer I can say that the room in the attic, with sloping ceilings, always have their own mood, not dull and they are very picturesque, the main–right to beat them.

But, as with any construction, everything should be approached thoughtfully, carefully weighing all the "pros" and "cons".

Roman Nakonechny:

Construction spending a cold attic can be significantly lower than in the construction and finish of the dwelling. If the roof insulation is required both in the construction of the attic and in the construction of the attic (these costs are approximately equivalent), to finish premises, additional tools, such as interior walls, floors, ceilings, space heating, as well as its furnishings.

Often people think that the design of the attic is much more complicated than the attic, resulting in a significant rise in the cost of the project at home. But, as experience shows, it is not so.

Roman Nakonechny:

Designing attic - slightly more expensive than the loft. Just in the project will be considered premises, their location and size of rooms will be given special attention to them subsequently to live comfortably.

The attic will also be included in the project, just the requirements for its location and the area will be smaller, but work for the design of the attic will still have to pay for the room area. The main thing in the design of the attic – carefully consider the height of the walls and ceiling.

Sergey Petrov

II recommend doing the walls, which go under the pitched roof of a height of not less than 1200 mm, then it fits perfectly to the bed or dressers.

At a height of the walls there is a possibility in the attic room to go to the full-length, and in the lowest place to place or beds, or storage space.

Roman Nakonechny:

The height of the attic is measured on the side of the wall, comfortable wall height - 1.5 m.

In the attic so you must have the room to keep it turned out that the bathroom does not fit the height shower, or in the bedroom closet to put nowhere.

Vera Vavilova:

In the design of the attic there are a number of nuances that need to be taken into account, and which you can not think about the design of the attic ceiling. For example, the height of the premises.

The height of the second floor under the attic ceiling is executed at least 2.5 m - comfortable for people of average height, and there are no problems with the placement of furniture.

To loft was functional, the side walls usually raised to 1.2 - 1.4 m, to yield, depending on the size of the house, about 3,5 to 4 m in the ridge. Then you will have a three-dimensional space, visually increasing the area of ​​the second floor due to space volume.

Inside the attic roof may start directly from the floor, as in the technical space is not necessary to do a full height, storage space is not needed. Useful area of ​​the attic depends on the height of the side walls. The maximum height of the side walls must not exceed 2-2.5 meters, otherwise it will have a full floor, not the attic. In order to maximize the usable space of the attic and see where you want the support, you can use the board:

Sergey Petrov

If advance to make the second floor plans with an arrangement of furniture, then it will be clear where to place the power elements, such as columns. Not only is the post will look very good in the rooms with a sloping roof, so he still will carry the load. It is also very well looked truss structure to maintain the roof. From my own experience I know that a roof pitch of about 30 degrees or more, usable area is eaten little, only about a meter under the ramps.

The design features of the attic and the attic

If the construction of a full second floor and the attic cold is carried out according to the schemes, spent the years (main – pay attention to reliable steam and waterproofing), the construction of the attic requires more knowledge and places high demands on the builders skill. And any error made at the stage of the design of the attic, can lead to expensive repairs in the future.

As noted above, attic significantly increases the "living" area, the house gives expression, transforming it and improving. The main thing that all construction work – insulation, vapor barrier and the roof ventilation –They were carried out in accordance with the requirements.

If truss roof system is subjected to high loads, some of its component parts should be made of beams of laminated veneer lumber. These can withstand much greater load than the rafters of a conventional board. Smaller spans, the load which is negligible, require the use of trusses dry boards planed cross section, specify project.

But most importantly - it is properly folded and warmed "roofing pie". It determines whether or not warm and comfortable on your attic floor, would not accumulate condensate, and a leaking roof.

Vera Vavilova:

beam size on the attic floor, as in any structure, is determined by the length of unsupported span. If the project provides a large roof space without walls, the rafter system can be reliably and beautifully done from the trusses.

They can arrange a reliable design of the roof, giving the room a unique modern design.

When the device attic floor should focus on high-quality thermal insulation of the roof.

Anton Borisov:

When it comes to the living room, it is logical to assume that such a room in the first place, it should be comfortable for living and, not least, - a warm, especially if the house is used for year-round residence. To make cold attic warm attic, you should insulate the floors and roof pitch.

While insulating the roof the following conditions must be met:

• in the insulation should not accumulate moisture;
• the thickness of the insulation layer should match a particular size (according to thermal calculation) sufficient to retain heat in the room in winter and summer.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide a vapor barrier of your roof for better performance –to cut off the steam coming out of the room. It is also necessary to apply a certain thickness of the insulation layer according to the calculation or that region, as well as the need to provide a ventilated gap between the layer insulation and roofing coating.

Roman Nakonechny:

For proper attic insulation is absolutely necessary steam and waterproofing. As a heater can be used mineral wool for pitched roofs. In this case, a heater is mounted with an overlap, in order to avoid thermal bridges.

Second option - be used as insulation extruded polystyrene.

Anton Borisov:

This material is well suited for the insulation of the roof, because it does not absorb moisture, it has a high compressive strength and is easy to assemble.

Also, when the device attic, particular attention should be given to the insulation of ventilation.

Sergey Petrov

It is possible to use the rafters section 200x50 mm and mineral wool thickness take 150 mm. Since the insulation must breathe, the difference in the thickness of the rafters and wool, in essence, is the air holes.

To a heater not gaining moisture, when the device attic must be made to the air holes, or a couple of years insulation will lose its thermal properties.

Standard attic floor roof pie looks like this:

• roofing;
• sheathing;
• kontrobreshotka;
• diffusion film (hydro and - wind insulation);
• air gap;
• insulation;
• vapor barrier;
• inner lining.

Vera Vavilova:

"Roof pie" attic floor should necessarily include a vapor barrier, heat insulation and waterproofing. Under no circumstances can not be ruled out of steam - or waterproofing!

Any topcoat roof involves just such content. The thickness of the insulation must be at least 200 mm. More convenient and more efficient use of mineral wool insulation slab. It is also very important to insulate the junction of roof system to the walls. This weak spots may form where the cold bridges. For example, in the vertical grooves between adjacent rafters inserted facing boards made of wood or plastic. They are inserted with the inner and outer edge of the wall. Shields are placed between facing insulation (thickness 200 mm) which protects the portions on the upper edge of the outer walls of the heat leakage out of the room and heat penetration during the summer.

Also special requirements for attic windows in the device attic. Because they are under the influence of aggressive environment and vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, it is particularly important to observe the leak in the abutment to the roof that was not leaks.

Roof windows - the window is installed in the roof. They create more light and unique comfort. During the day they pass through the rays of the sun, and at night you can watch the stars.

Roman Nakonechny:

The attic rooms are installed only special skylights. They have a number of features, for example, the glass must withstand a load of at least 180kg / m.

Skylights are installed strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions using special hardware that ensures correct operation of the window and its tightness. Or, to save money, you can set only on the gables of the attic floor the same window as the entire house.

Features of attic floor insulation

When choosing a project at home with a full second floor and the attic cold is extremely important to ensure that the money spent on heating, do not take off the pipe. How to do it? It is necessary to properly insulate the attic floor, which is also the ceiling of the second floor and the floor of the attic. After all, rising up, the heat escapes from houses is through the attic space.

Cake attic floor (e.g., pitch lag and thickness) will largely depend on the thickness of the insulation. A choice for the insulation thickness is first necessary to make Thermal calculation.

Anton Borisov:

For the calculation of heat engineering, we take design attic floor and take the region in which this structure is. Asking after which the conditions that must be in our room. And after calculations determine what should be the thickness of the insulation.

Attic - is a non-residential premises and the attic - residential. And TI thickness (insulation), and accordingly, an attic floor structure for these spaces will be different.

Anton Borisov:

For example, after calculation we obtain the required thickness for the attic TI, for example, 100 mm. Design loft (roof slopes, walls) in direct contact with the cold street, therefore, the air in such rooms will cool faster. Therefore, in this case the insulation thickness should already be slightly larger, for example 120 mm.

For the same thermo-technical calculations are different types of construction - floors, walls, roof - must have different thermal resistances. Depending on this design, eventually we get a different thickness TI. In the attic ceiling is one, and in the construction of the attic floor - another.

The very same attic floor structure will be similar to the design of the attic floor, namely:

• base;
• insulation;
• Ballast (team screed topcoat, etc.).

Thermal insulation of attic floors can be made in several ways. Depending on the type of substrate, insulation can be performed both on concrete, and on hardwood floors. But the main stages of warming is similar in fact, and in another case.

For example, in aligned stacked floor base plate of extruded polystyrene, and then - the team screed or cement-sand mixture. And then the final coating is mounted on it.

If the task of the designer is to achieve a harmonious combination of shapes of the roof to the house, the priority task developer - to get the most efficient home. Therefore, when choosing a loft or attic should take into account many of the above features that can affect the amount of the costs incurred during the construction of the house and the degree of comfort of your home in the long term.

How to properly insulate the attic floor? The answer users forumhouse.ru can find in this topic our forum. What he – roofing pie "right" of the attic? Read about it here. What to choose – warm loft or attic? Gameday talk about it here and here. The warm cold attic floor? Hot discussion of our forum users are in this topic.

Here Validating our talks on the establishment of a folding ladder leading to the attic. here discusses whether waterproofing need for "cold" roof. And this video clip It tells about the features of truss system of aerated concrete building.

Discuss the article and read other materials devoted to country life you can on the websiteFORUMHOUSE.

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