I did a similar project about 25 years ago on my uninsulated and floorless attic. I used 6" 18 ga structural metal studs because of their light weight, straightness, strength, and ease of installation. The supplemental metal joists were easily attached using self-drilling screws through the flange into the top of the existing ceiling joist. I used blow-in insulation rather than batts, and also staggered my OSB joints. My house was built in 1912, and all the ceilings had developed sags over the years. The worst was about 2-1/2". I used a couple of jacks and a 4x6 to get the ceiling flat before attaching the new metal joists. When I was finished, the sags were almost completely eliminated, so the project ended up solving several issues at once.
@@sperreault - I used 1/2" OSB with staggered joints. The metal studs were spaced at 16" centers, and there is virtually no deflection. There is not enough headroom for a living space, so I am just using it for storage and furnace access. For a habitable room I would use 3/4" plywood or OSB T&G subfloor panels.
You will never regret the decision. We lived in an older home, circa 1860. A real fixer upper. We were young. It became the only home our girls ever knew. We moved in with one baby girl, six months and the second girl was on her way. Lets just say the price of the house was right. We cut a hole in the ceiling leading to the atic space and bult traditional stairs. I then fastened an insulated sheet to cover the hole for five years. Five years of wondering if these plans would work. The plans did work and the extra space was a huge welcome. Our girls used the space for a play room, sleep over with all their buddies and an additional guest room. It was a great space to just escape for a night or two. Enjoyed your build.
Did this in my attic about 20 years ago but I simply built what was essentially 2x6 deck framing sections and ran it perpendicularly to the existing ceiling joists. Those I-beams seem to be a lot of extra work in build and in fastening to the ceiling joists. By building traditional 16” OC frames in sections small enough to maneuver in the attic, I did not have to attach them to the ceiling joists. I simply laid them in place and screwed the next one to it. Filled the cavities with insulation and covered in 8’x2’ strips of ply. Be sure to staggered the joints on the ply for a good strong floor.
So you did one large frame secured to the ceiling joist, & didn’t have to secure the middle supports to joist, just attached them to the frame you built?
@@27photogger I laid a 2x6 perpendicular to the existing attic joist then attached 2x6’s to it 16” OC. Slid that into place and attached the other 2x6 end to the ends of the 16” OC “joists”. I was able to adjust this new structure to be square and in place, then filled it with insulation before attaching the plywood. Then on to the next section. I secured the sections together but did not secure them to the existing attic joists as this is just storage space and I was not concerned about squeaking. The plywood decking holds everything together. Haven’t had any issues and picked up some great storage space.
@@elbowjoe361that sounds like a very good idea. The 2x6 makes more sense and is a lot less work. Seems like not attaching the new floor to the joists saved a little time, but is a lost opportunity to add some extra support to the ceiling. Especially with extra weight now on it. Did you leave space above the insulation for ventilation unlike here where he is compressing the insulation?
These matts are supposed to be ventilated when used on the roof, by installing OSB board right on top of them you prevented ventilation, wood will gather moisture and will start to rot in few years. Perfect example when a video has so many views and likes yet done improperly and should not be repeated by others.
Best way is to leave at least a 50mm air gap between top of insulation and floor. Rather than continuous beams the individual feet with a raised frame is better as the insulation is continuous.
@@Jamessansomethat’s correct. If no airflow that board could turn to wet cardboard in no time, particularly if that roof gets very cold as I would expect it to do given the video was shot with a considerable amount of snow on the ground. 50mm air gap is what I’ve done throughout
I did a similar thing in my attic. If you have large air leaks to the living space, you may get condensation on the osb in the winter. Otherwise, I think the insulation works better with the osb on top. It is best to stop the air leaks but you could drill a few small holes in the osb if you notice a problem.
One thing you should note, premanufactured roof trusses are not designed to carry large loads from the bottom chord of the truss - just gyp. bd./plaster ceiling work. You can sister new 2X joists (of proper depth for the span) to the existing roof trusses (bearing on the top plate of the load bearing walls) and add some strap bridging between the joists with minimal damage to the (e) ceiling below then put down new plywood subfloor.
@2:48 it looks to be 2x6, they're also short spans to what looks like a center wall support noting that beam in the middle. Still a good point for many that wish to try this on their own. Perhaps they should take note of the room walls under the attic to help with supporting loads they should take note of.
@@WiggglezMr The rule of thumb is 2x8 will span up to 12'-0", but it depends on the live and dead loads the floor will experience. A 2x6, unless it s a very small span of 4 to 6 feet, is really not enough. Standard floor joists are usually 11 7/8" deep but can be as slim as 8"-9" for small spans and light load bearing floors such as hallways...
My attic has 2x4 joists and was built in 2002. I want to add some walkways to easily get from one end to the other, but I'm not sure the best method now after reading your comment. What would you suggest? I don't intend to use it for storage, ever, I just want to be able to scurry around easily.
Thank you for this informative video! Congratulations on reaching 300k+ Subs! I remember helping my grandpa add insulation to the attic in their house in Conneaut, OH, right on Lake Erie. It was my job to bring the bags of insulation up two flights of stairs and then hand up the bags because he didn't want me on the pull down attic ladder. Now the attic rafters already had insulation there and they didn't use the attic for storage so he just laid it down on the existing floor up there. That was the winter of the ice storm (1988/1989) that knocked out power for a week. We kept the house warm with candles and hurricane lamps. Grandma also baked a lot of bread and cookies and other delicious foods since the stove was gas.
@@TheFixerHomeRepair I've been a subscriber since the bedroom remodel. Loved the built ins and how you kept the hardwood floors and salvaged what you could. The to do list never shrinks when you own an older home. I should know, the home we are currently in was built in May 1900.
A little tip I learned that won’t slip the wood like it did on your small block is to snip the tip of the nail before drilling and it won’t slit. Thanks for sharing. You did a great job on the storage space.
We did this a few years ago. Still need to get the high R value insulation finished, but we air sealed, solar gable vented, put a radiant barrier in and built the walkways for the blown and stopped there. Glad you hit 300K, great job. Love the videos.
Excellent job! Nice guy. I am presently reinsulating my 1912 house including the attic. Before I started the old insulation hardly covered the floor joists in the attic!! No wonder it was cold! I am fitting 2" foam then 1.5" between the beams then on top 1.5" foam between the cross board like the ones you installed here. I will then install another layer of 2" before putting the 3/4" plywood over top. This will make a nice chillout room in the attic along with lots of storage area. 2" (R11) + 1.5" (R8) + 1.5" (R8) + 2" (R11) = 7" of insulating foam boards with R38 insulation value.
Speaking of cutting... I had the same too-small attic door problem, so I lengthened the opening by cutting out another foot in the ceiling. To pretty it up I replaced the trim and the cover wood with a piece big enough for the new opening. Then of course the remaining problem with getting 4x8 sheets up there was finding help ;)
CONGRATULATIONS !!! I think most of your Subscribers would agree with me when I say you Sir, could make a video just stirring paint, or something equally mundane, interesting! Seriously, I have enjoyed your videos, and I believe that no matter how much a person thinks they ‘know,’ they should always be able and willing to learn something new. I have picked up a few ideas and tricks from your videos. I worked for 20 years as a Custom casework installer and trim carpenter, in another season of life. I can only imagine what people new to DIY can glean from your videos. So don't underestimate the value of your content. Best to you and Stay safe and Healthy this New Year!
I’m new to the circle so it doesn’t matter how simple the job is on your channel I always learn something and that’s why I tune in. Thank you for your videos very well done 😊
Helpful as I'd like to claim extra space in my new home but first I need to lose a lot of cross beams that take up tons of the attic space that I never saw in my family homes growing up. I'm thinking of walling off the attic section of the garage from the rest so the temp can be controlled better since the garage attic is not insulated like the rest of the house. Thank you again for sharing this.
It's worth it to buy upgraded 1-1/4 screws over standard dry-wall screws. When I used those screws in my attic floor many times the head would pull off the shank of the screw defeating the purpose. The brass colored screws I got never failed me once! Thanks for your video!
And I am proud that I have subscribed to your channel. I have learnt a lot from your videos. Congratulations on hitting 300k subscribers 👏. You are such a gem with a very polite and friendly attitude. Majdi from Australia
Since splitting was a concern, you could have turned your “studs” on their sides and nailed them in being their dimension was the same. Cool project, looks great!
You're my favorite YT home renovator. I don't have my own home, but I would like to some day. I have learned so much from your channel. Cheers and positive vibes from Texas!
As a structural engineer, I appreciate the homemade I beams you used. Also, kudos for thinking ahead to make sure the main beam was designed for light storage!
@@leekyciabrown3769 They're not "better" than buying a 2x6. It was just a creative way to use the material he had. Regarding strength in this case it wouldn't really matter (unless you're using it for heavy storage)
Are all attics strong enough to handle the extra weight from the added lumber and plywood ontop, like this video . I don't want the attic caving in and creating a way bigger mess, just from me wanting to add storage.
@@leekyciabrown3769 You'd need the engineer who designed the space to verify. (Or you have an engineer look at the plans to verify). Every situation is different and there's no rule of thumb. It depends on how the attic was designed. In this case, he stated that he made the attic was designed to support the extra weight.
Did exactly the same thing in my own loft had to raise the floor approximately 6" and used cheap CLS timber (internal wall Barton's) that was 3x2 so effectively built multiple lengths after making some simple jigs to ensure all was cut and screwed in the same place. I layed them at 90 degrees to the ceiling joists to spread the load across multiple joists.
Buy stuff secondhand. Also, thanks for the definition of R-value. I was just trying to figure out exactly what it was recently because I pulled out my old sleeping bag, which is very well insulated, probably a three-season quality, but definitely not enough for a night on everest or in the 130 below zero temp or whatever they have in Siberia.
Glad I stumbled onto this video, we have a similar situation in our house we got except the entire floor aside for a 3'x3' square. Pretty sure it's 2 layers of r30 running through the whole attic. Gonna go do some measurements now and plan for the spring time list
You are 100% right on squeezing the insulation, Family helping me reroof & lot of pieces of old wood shake & nails fell on top of my insulation, even tho I removed all the wood & nails it still pushed it down & house is not as warm as it was.
Wow, 300k! What an achievement! I remember when you were under 50k. Wasn't that long ago, actually. Thanks for all the great stuff I've learned along the way! Love your channel!
When I saw the word attic, I must admit, I was thoroughly excited. Then I saw your attic. All my excitement left. We have those damn cathedral ceilings, so our standing space is small...and floorless. I have been trying to figure out how to put the floor in myself, but I do not feel the existing two x fours would support the weight if I just put down plywood. It is confusing and scary. The last thing I want to do is put down a floor then put my foot through the said floor, into a ceiling. But I am loving watching you reclaim your space. So jealous. Thanks for sharing.
Not gonna lie, first time I watched this I had no idea why you are building the board like that… now that I looked into how to add studs on top of joist and came back to this, I was like this guy is a freaking genius
dont forget the steam break on the warm side (ceiling of warm room and the ventilation space below the covering. When using polystyrene or PU dont use plywood, use non-flameable coverings instead. Dont leave any air-gaps in the insulation, make all installations (electrical, pipes, etc) air-tight and (in case of rockwool insulation) dont forget to support the insulation, so it wont collapse over time (under its own weight). Thanks for sharing
On a side note, my wife was going through some of the old boxes of files that have been sitting untouched in our garage since 2005. She found her loan agreement for her Honda Prelude from 1989 - we got rid of that car in 2007. Pretty sure that paperwork can go in the shred bin without any worries.
Wish I had this video a few years ago. I bought 36 rolls of R-30 insulation for my attic with the intent to lay it perpendicular to the joists (which had existing blown-in insulation). But I couldn't figure how to put in a floor for access to my dormer windows and fan (as well as storage) without squishing insulation. So the rolls have just sat up there until I sold the house recently with $1000 worth of free insulation as a bonus add-on! Oh well, live and learn...
Thanks so much! That is awesome to hear you learned something. Really appreciate you letting me know! Please keep watching and I will teach you as much as I know! Thanks again!
How do you make sure? What is the best method for understanding the weight limits of what can and should be used for the attic storage space. Does this go by weight per square ft?
@@VP411DesignsI believe 10psf is for empty attics and 20psf is for attics with light storage. But knowing what a pre-existing attic can support is going to require some homework. That's something that's baked into the plans when the house first goes up.
there's a new product in the uk and Australia which basically is a platform on top of the exiting beams with room for extra installation + for air-flow underneath; and a tonged-n-grove 3/4" base above it all for walking/storage/floor .. looks/sounds like a great option now
Your wife is so lucky that you work on the house to give her the best, some of us single women know how but would jump for the chance for just help with repairs
Thanks, Pat! Yeah I was really excited when this one was done. The walls really start closing in on you when you have a kid and they grow out of everything and need somewhere to put it until we can pass it on to someone else. Thanks for watching!!
Congratulations on the milestone! Carpenter's daughter here, and Dad has gutted/rebuilt several houses. Love watching you make an older home more beautiful and livable for today's lifestyle. Just curious--what do/did you do for your "real" job? Congrats again! (How's the little one?)
Nice work! My attic looks just like yours. Half of our home was built in 1952. Reason I ask is it will be HOT up there above that floor and not sure what could be stored up there that can withstand the uncontrolled temperature conditions. What are you insulating the rafters with? I tore the ceilings out of the 1952 half of our home and converted to cathedral above our bedrooms. I then collar tied everything under the peak. I channeled one inch venting all the way up so the ridge venting can do its job. I should've done a video, lol. I used Thermal Fiber in the rafters to R30. Not a fun project but the finished result will be well worth it.
I've watched many of your previous vids.....always joy your time lapse......should your Family ever move from this place,the new family will get a quality well built home.......congrats on 300 thousand...... hope you get many more......excellent project......❣️🤗❣️🤗❣️
I did a form of this in my attic, if only so I could get to either gable end to put in spotlights and a fan. My R-49 was already up there so I did 2x3 from one kneewall to the other and then ran a central upright to the overhead truss. Then I just did some basic 1/2" plywood catwalks with stiffeners on each side. So I used a lot less wood, but I had to because my structure does not have a lot of extra capacity. Good work
Awesome job. Now a person could sheet the roof rafters and make a nice clean enclosed space. A bit of cheapo paint to seal the surface and you got a clean surface plus makes it easier to slide things on . Time to look into a battery framing nailer,love my craftsman. Here is a tip for any one on a budget,look around locally on sale pages and check with local builders for waste materials
Excellent project. I'm looking to do the same in my attic in the UK. Built in 1986 my attic only has 6" of scruffy insulation in it which I boarded over 30+ years ago. Latest code requires 270mm / 10.6" of insulation. I will probably add an extra 250mm / 10" of insulation over the top of the existing. The price of timber over here is stupid expensive (easily double the prices you mentioned) so I will be looking to use a light weight plastic leg & metal stretcher support system to raise a floor above the insulation while still maintaining an airflow gap above the insulation. This system halves the weight of a wooden support floor & eliminates any cold bridging between the cold & warm side of the floor. Ceiling downlighters also need to be covered with a sealed cover to prevent air leakage. The floor will be T&G edged OSB or chipboard which specially designed to get through a 2 x 2ft trap door into the attic. It won't be a cheap project (450sqft) but with the recent increase in the price of gas & electric in the UK (up to 50%) it's a necessary evil to reduce my gas boiler heating running costs as much as possible. I also plan to create some storage shelving above the floor between the roof A frames. This will reduce the amount of raised flooring I actually need to provide for storage & access. New subscriber here.
Hey, Colin! Sounds like a good project! I hope by the time you start maybe prices will come down a bit? Either way I wish you the best of luck! Let me know how it goes... And thank you for subscribing!!
Congratulations on hitting 300K! I like your videos a lot so I'm not that surprised you made it this far. You will go a lot further too. As always, excellent video. Keep up the good work and I will be here.
Thanks for the vid! Note if there are any electrical junction boxes it wouldnt be code to enclose them under plywood just like you wouldnt have them enclosed inside walls. All junction boxes need access without having to remove plywood.
For anyone doing this yourself, cut some access panels and the insulation above any fixtures so when you need to fix or change something in the future you dont need a saw or have to remove the whole panel.
I did this in my attic back in 2013. Roof trusses were on 24" centers and I cut the sheets of 1/4" plywood into 24"x48" pieces. The central area was 12' wide, so 3 of those smaller pieces filled in each row. I fit some 1.5" rigid foam in between the bottom sheet over the blown in insulation and then put a top sheet of coated fiberboard over the top to make a finished surface. I taped the seams on the top layer to hold things in place, but allow access below if needed.
Thought about messing around with attic space. Some things to consider are ceiling joist size. If they are just 2 x 6s, those aren't meant to carry excess weight. A lot of folks don't take that into consideration and overload their attic leading to the obvious event that would occur because of that.
I live in florida current insulation is r 18 I got surplus flat roof insulation 3 inches r 6 per in. Screwed it down under half inch plywood with 5 inch General construction screws. Roof insulation is Like a sip with Heavy cardboard on each side It's Made to not compress I did this to create a walkway to get back to the. Air conditioner. On either side I just used regular blow in.
I did a similar project about 25 years ago on my uninsulated and floorless attic. I used 6" 18 ga structural metal studs because of their light weight, straightness, strength, and ease of installation. The supplemental metal joists were easily attached using self-drilling screws through the flange into the top of the existing ceiling joist. I used blow-in insulation rather than batts, and also staggered my OSB joints.
My house was built in 1912, and all the ceilings had developed sags over the years. The worst was about 2-1/2". I used a couple of jacks and a 4x6 to get the ceiling flat before attaching the new metal joists. When I was finished, the sags were almost completely eliminated, so the project ended up solving several issues at once.
After using the 6" structured studs, did you put plywood on top? If so, it's strong enough to handle people walking and storage?
@@sperreault - I used 1/2" OSB with staggered joints. The metal studs were spaced at 16" centers, and there is virtually no deflection. There is not enough headroom for a living space, so I am just using it for storage and furnace access. For a habitable room I would use 3/4" plywood or OSB T&G subfloor panels.
You will never regret the decision. We lived in an older home, circa 1860. A real fixer upper. We were young. It became the only home our girls ever knew. We moved in with one baby girl, six months and the second girl was on her way. Lets just say the price of the house was right. We cut a hole in the ceiling leading to the atic space and bult traditional stairs. I then fastened an insulated sheet to cover the hole for five years. Five years of wondering if these plans would work. The plans did work and the extra space was a huge welcome. Our girls used the space for a play room, sleep over with all their buddies and an additional guest room. It was a great space to just escape for a night or two. Enjoyed your build.
Thanks for sharing, Dana! And for checking out the video!
I have that exact same job on my todo list. Already finished the lighting, and will be getting 2x8 sheets. Cheers from Denmark.
Cheers! Thanks for watching! Good luck with the project!
Me too... althouh I started with lighting because taking measurements in the dark was a pain 🤣
Good luck denmark , i advice you do it on the wintermonths otherwise you will be sweating like a pig on a bbq grill.
Congrats on 300k, I personally like your no bull get to the point pov. I've found a lot of great info from you, thank you.
I'm glad to see the attic is still accessible and useful!!
Hello Maggie
Did this in my attic about 20 years ago but I simply built what was essentially 2x6 deck framing sections and ran it perpendicularly to the existing ceiling joists. Those I-beams seem to be a lot of extra work in build and in fastening to the ceiling joists. By building traditional 16” OC frames in sections small enough to maneuver in the attic, I did not have to attach them to the ceiling joists. I simply laid them in place and screwed the next one to it. Filled the cavities with insulation and covered in 8’x2’ strips of ply. Be sure to staggered the joints on the ply for a good strong floor.
So you did one large frame secured to the ceiling joist, & didn’t have to secure the middle supports to joist, just attached them to the frame you built?
@@27photogger I laid a 2x6 perpendicular to the existing attic joist then attached 2x6’s to it 16” OC. Slid that into place and attached the other 2x6 end to the ends of the 16” OC “joists”. I was able to adjust this new structure to be square and in place, then filled it with insulation before attaching the plywood. Then on to the next section. I secured the sections together but did not secure them to the existing attic joists as this is just storage space and I was not concerned about squeaking. The plywood decking holds everything together. Haven’t had any issues and picked up some great storage space.
@@elbowjoe361that sounds like a very good idea. The 2x6 makes more sense and is a lot less work. Seems like not attaching the new floor to the joists saved a little time, but is a lost opportunity to add some extra support to the ceiling. Especially with extra weight now on it. Did you leave space above the insulation for ventilation unlike here where he is compressing the insulation?
What a well engineered and cost efficient solution. Plus good craftsmanship on a mundane project. Keep up the good work
I agree. Necessity is the mother of invention. Need is a great motivator. Great video sir!
Right On @ 2:30.. about making sure attic is engineered for the additional weight. Glad you mentioned that
Yes! Very important! Thanks for checking out the video!
This is great. A nice way to reclaim some space while also making sure your insulation is not compromised.
These matts are supposed to be ventilated when used on the roof, by installing OSB board right on top of them you prevented ventilation, wood will gather moisture and will start to rot in few years. Perfect example when a video has so many views and likes yet done improperly and should not be repeated by others.
Care to share what the right way to do this is?
If your worried about that, couldn’t you just perforate the wood?
Best way is to leave at least a 50mm air gap between top of insulation and floor. Rather than continuous beams the individual feet with a raised frame is better as the insulation is continuous.
@@Jamessansomethat’s correct. If no airflow that board could turn to wet cardboard in no time, particularly if that roof gets very cold as I would expect it to do given the video was shot with a considerable amount of snow on the ground. 50mm air gap is what I’ve done throughout
Maybe ge has a vapour barrier envelop that stops on he celling under the loft.
Love your channel! Here’s to 300,000 more!
Hi The Fixer, You Are Very Good At What You Do, Every Woman Should Have A Fixer Like You In Their Life.🤗💛
What a sweet comment Phyllis! BTW, I'm almost sure his name is Jason, but don't quote me 😊
Hey, Jennifer. Actually it is Matt! 😁👍 Thanks for watching!
@@jenniferbassett3001 You're welcome!💙
Congratulations!!! 300K plus is well deserved on this channel! Job well done
I did a similar thing in my attic. If you have large air leaks to the living space, you may get condensation on the osb in the winter. Otherwise, I think the insulation works better with the osb on top. It is best to stop the air leaks but you could drill a few small holes in the osb if you notice a problem.
One thing you should note, premanufactured roof trusses are not designed to carry large loads from the bottom chord of the truss - just gyp. bd./plaster ceiling work. You can sister new 2X joists (of proper depth for the span) to the existing roof trusses (bearing on the top plate of the load bearing walls) and add some strap bridging between the joists with minimal damage to the (e) ceiling below then put down new plywood subfloor.
@2:48 it looks to be 2x6, they're also short spans to what looks like a center wall support noting that beam in the middle. Still a good point for many that wish to try this on their own. Perhaps they should take note of the room walls under the attic to help with supporting loads they should take note of.
@@WiggglezMr The rule of thumb is 2x8 will span up to 12'-0", but it depends on the live and dead loads the floor will experience. A 2x6, unless it s a very small span of 4 to 6 feet, is really not enough. Standard floor joists are usually 11 7/8" deep but can be as slim as 8"-9" for small spans and light load bearing floors such as hallways...
My attic has 2x4 joists and was built in 2002. I want to add some walkways to easily get from one end to the other, but I'm not sure the best method now after reading your comment. What would you suggest? I don't intend to use it for storage, ever, I just want to be able to scurry around easily.
You're awesome and I adore you, your work ethics, your integrity, your humor....MORE!
Thank you so much for sharing yourself & ideas!!
Thank you for this informative video! Congratulations on reaching 300k+ Subs!
I remember helping my grandpa add insulation to the attic in their house in Conneaut, OH, right on Lake Erie. It was my job to bring the bags of insulation up two flights of stairs and then hand up the bags because he didn't want me on the pull down attic ladder. Now the attic rafters already had insulation there and they didn't use the attic for storage so he just laid it down on the existing floor up there. That was the winter of the ice storm (1988/1989) that knocked out power for a week. We kept the house warm with candles and hurricane lamps. Grandma also baked a lot of bread and cookies and other delicious foods since the stove was gas.
Thank you for sharing, Susan! And thank you for stopping by!!
@@TheFixerHomeRepair I've been a subscriber since the bedroom remodel. Loved the built ins and how you kept the hardwood floors and salvaged what you could. The to do list never shrinks when you own an older home. I should know, the home we are currently in was built in May 1900.
A little tip I learned that won’t slip the wood like it did on your small block is to snip the tip of the nail before drilling and it won’t slit. Thanks for sharing. You did a great job on the storage space.
Thanks!
Hammer the tip of the nail first to blunt it. Also stops splitting wood.
One of my favorite channels….
That is amazing to hear. Thank you! 😁😁
You should wire lights along the attic space so you dont need to bring a light up every time.
add outlets too, glad I did
We did this a few years ago. Still need to get the high R value insulation finished, but we air sealed, solar gable vented, put a radiant barrier in and built the walkways for the blown and stopped there. Glad you hit 300K, great job. Love the videos.
👍 Thanks so much! Good luck with the rest of the project!!
Excellent job! Nice guy. I am presently reinsulating my 1912 house including the attic. Before I started the old insulation hardly covered the floor joists in the attic!! No wonder it was cold! I am fitting 2" foam then 1.5" between the beams then on top 1.5" foam between the cross board like the ones you installed here. I will then install another layer of 2" before putting the 3/4" plywood over top. This will make a nice chillout room in the attic along with lots of storage area. 2" (R11) + 1.5" (R8) + 1.5" (R8) + 2" (R11) = 7" of insulating foam boards with R38 insulation value.
Oh awesome. 300 K!! Congratulations bud!!! ❤️❤️
Speaking of cutting... I had the same too-small attic door problem, so I lengthened the opening by cutting out another foot in the ceiling. To pretty it up I replaced the trim and the cover wood with a piece big enough for the new opening. Then of course the remaining problem with getting 4x8 sheets up there was finding help ;)
CONGRATULATIONS !!! I think most of your Subscribers would agree with me when I say you Sir, could make a video just stirring paint, or something equally mundane, interesting!
Seriously, I have enjoyed your videos, and I believe that no matter how much a person thinks they ‘know,’ they should always be able and willing to learn something new. I have picked up a few ideas and tricks from your videos. I worked for 20 years as a Custom casework installer and trim carpenter, in another season of life. I can only imagine what people new to DIY can glean from your videos. So don't underestimate the value of your content.
Best to you and Stay safe and Healthy this New Year!
I’m new to the circle so it doesn’t matter how simple the job is on your channel I always learn something and that’s why I tune in. Thank you for your videos very well done 😊
Hey! Thanks for the support and watching the videos, I appreciate it!
Helpful as I'd like to claim extra space in my new home but first I need to lose a lot of cross beams that take up tons of the attic space that I never saw in my family homes growing up. I'm thinking of walling off the attic section of the garage from the rest so the temp can be controlled better since the garage attic is not insulated like the rest of the house. Thank you again for sharing this.
It's worth it to buy upgraded 1-1/4 screws over standard dry-wall screws. When I used those screws in my attic floor many times the head would pull off the shank of the screw defeating the purpose. The brass colored screws I got never failed me once! Thanks for your video!
Congratulations! I look forward to seeing what's next.
And I am proud that I have subscribed to your channel. I have learnt a lot from your videos. Congratulations on hitting 300k subscribers 👏. You are such a gem with a very polite and friendly attitude.
Majdi from Australia
That is very nice of you to say and awesome to hear. Thank you!
Since splitting was a concern, you could have turned your “studs” on their sides and nailed them in being their dimension was the same. Cool project, looks great!
Congrats on the 300k! So awesome!
"Stop. Hammer time." 😆
CONGRATULATIONS! GREAT JOB!
Thanks a lot, June!
You're my favorite YT home renovator. I don't have my own home, but I would like to some day. I have learned so much from your channel. Cheers and positive vibes from Texas!
That is amazing to hear. Thank you so much, Kellyn!
As a structural engineer, I appreciate the homemade I beams you used. Also, kudos for thinking ahead to make sure the main beam was designed for light storage!
Planning on doing this to my attic. Are the homemade I beams better than just buying the 2x6?
@@leekyciabrown3769 They're not "better" than buying a 2x6. It was just a creative way to use the material he had. Regarding strength in this case it wouldn't really matter (unless you're using it for heavy storage)
Are all attics strong enough to handle the extra weight from the added lumber and plywood ontop, like this video . I don't want the attic caving in and creating a way bigger mess, just from me wanting to add storage.
@@leekyciabrown3769 You'd need the engineer who designed the space to verify. (Or you have an engineer look at the plans to verify). Every situation is different and there's no rule of thumb. It depends on how the attic was designed. In this case, he stated that he made the attic was designed to support the extra weight.
Congratulations to 301.000 subscribers. Really enjoy your work. Greetings from the Netherlands
Congrats on 300K!!....Enjoy the channel!
Awesome to hear! Thank you!
Did exactly the same thing in my own loft had to raise the floor approximately 6" and used cheap CLS timber (internal wall Barton's) that was 3x2 so effectively built multiple lengths after making some simple jigs to ensure all was cut and screwed in the same place. I layed them at 90 degrees to the ceiling joists to spread the load across multiple joists.
Buy stuff secondhand. Also, thanks for the definition of R-value. I was just trying to figure out exactly what it was recently because I pulled out my old sleeping bag, which is very well insulated, probably a three-season quality, but definitely not enough for a night on everest or in the 130 below zero temp or whatever they have in Siberia.
Congratulations Mr. Fixer🥰 on your 300k subscribers.
Glad I stumbled onto this video, we have a similar situation in our house we got except the entire floor aside for a 3'x3' square. Pretty sure it's 2 layers of r30 running through the whole attic. Gonna go do some measurements now and plan for the spring time list
Carpenters are some of the smartest people
You are 100% right on squeezing the insulation, Family helping me reroof & lot of pieces of old wood shake & nails fell on top of my insulation, even tho I removed all the wood & nails it still pushed it down & house is not as warm as it was.
Yeah its amazing what that will do! Thanks for checking out the video!
Congratulations. It doesn't surprise me you have 300k subscribers. 🙂
Thanks so much and thanks for being a loyal subbie!! 😁😁👍
Wow, 300k! What an achievement! I remember when you were under 50k. Wasn't that long ago, actually. Thanks for all the great stuff I've learned along the way! Love your channel!
When I saw the word attic, I must admit, I was thoroughly excited. Then I saw your attic. All my excitement left. We have those damn cathedral ceilings, so our standing space is small...and floorless. I have been trying to figure out how to put the floor in myself, but I do not feel the existing two x fours would support the weight if I just put down plywood. It is confusing and scary. The last thing I want to do is put down a floor then put my foot through the said floor, into a ceiling. But I am loving watching you reclaim your space. So jealous. Thanks for sharing.
3/4" plywood is surprisingly sturdy.
Not gonna lie, first time I watched this I had no idea why you are building the board like that… now that I looked into how to add studs on top of joist and came back to this, I was like this guy is a freaking genius
dont forget the steam break on the warm side (ceiling of warm room and the ventilation space below the covering. When using polystyrene or PU dont use plywood, use non-flameable coverings instead. Dont leave any air-gaps in the insulation, make all installations (electrical, pipes, etc) air-tight and (in case of rockwool insulation) dont forget to support the insulation, so it wont collapse over time (under its own weight). Thanks for sharing
On a side note, my wife was going through some of the old boxes of files that have been sitting untouched in our garage since 2005. She found her loan agreement for her Honda Prelude from 1989 - we got rid of that car in 2007.
Pretty sure that paperwork can go in the shred bin without any worries.
Haha yeah I would think so. Some of the totes up there are probably filled with similar useless items. Thanks for checking out the video as always!
Wish I had this video a few years ago. I bought 36 rolls of R-30 insulation for my attic with the intent to lay it perpendicular to the joists (which had existing blown-in insulation). But I couldn't figure how to put in a floor for access to my dormer windows and fan (as well as storage) without squishing insulation. So the rolls have just sat up there until I sold the house recently with $1000 worth of free insulation as a bonus add-on! Oh well, live and learn...
Great work. Congrats on 300K, learned a lot of nice tips from your videos.
Thanks so much! That is awesome to hear you learned something. Really appreciate you letting me know! Please keep watching and I will teach you as much as I know! Thanks again!
The making sure your attic can support/is designed to hold the storage cannot be overstated.
How do you make sure? What is the best method for understanding the weight limits of what can and should be used for the attic storage space. Does this go by weight per square ft?
@@VP411DesignsI believe 10psf is for empty attics and 20psf is for attics with light storage. But knowing what a pre-existing attic can support is going to require some homework. That's something that's baked into the plans when the house first goes up.
@@Supercharged111 makes sense, Thank-you
Great idea! and also congratulations on your growth - now 490,000 subs! (2 years after your 300K - very fast growth!)
Simple and easy explanation - I am surprised there isn't one which used this method so far
I'm a DIYer and I like what I saw here on the first video of your's that I've seen. Good job in your attic! Oh, Subscribed!!
Congratulations Matt! Well deserved.
Either run 2x6 (or 8) perpendicular to ceiling joists or closed spray foam insulation would have been my two options to choose from.
I was thinking the same thing. i would also only space them @ 24" given the light duty load.
there's a new product in the uk and Australia which basically is a platform on top of the exiting beams with room for extra installation + for air-flow underneath; and a tonged-n-grove 3/4" base above it all for walking/storage/floor .. looks/sounds like a great option now
I've been racking my brain on how to do this to my attic, great idea!
Nice Truck, glad to see you upgraded!
You must have a happy home there are so many orbs!
Your wife is so lucky that you work on the house to give her the best, some of us single women know how but would jump for the chance for just help with repairs
You haber beautiful and warm home. Much better warm now 🙂👏👏
Bro!! You are the best Fixer ....love your Channel
Thanks so much, Tinno!!
What a great project! You're really reclaiming every inch of space!
Thanks, Pat! Yeah I was really excited when this one was done. The walls really start closing in on you when you have a kid and they grow out of everything and need somewhere to put it until we can pass it on to someone else. Thanks for watching!!
Congratulations on the milestone! Carpenter's daughter here, and Dad has gutted/rebuilt several houses. Love watching you make an older home more beautiful and livable for today's lifestyle. Just curious--what do/did you do for your "real" job? Congrats again! (How's the little one?)
only several? as a carpenter for 10 years now ive gutted and rebuilt way more than several houses
My New Years resolution: IF YOU BRING SOMETHING IN, SOMETHING HAS TO GO OUT!!
Hello glimmer
Nice work! My attic looks just like yours. Half of our home was built in 1952. Reason I ask is it will be HOT up there above that floor and not sure what could be stored up there that can withstand the uncontrolled temperature conditions. What are you insulating the rafters with? I tore the ceilings out of the 1952 half of our home and converted to cathedral above our bedrooms. I then collar tied everything under the peak. I channeled one inch venting all the way up so the ridge venting can do its job. I should've done a video, lol. I used Thermal Fiber in the rafters to R30. Not a fun project but the finished result will be well worth it.
I've watched many of your previous vids.....always joy your time lapse......should your Family ever move from this place,the new family will get a quality well built home.......congrats on 300 thousand...... hope you get many more......excellent project......❣️🤗❣️🤗❣️
I did a form of this in my attic, if only so I could get to either gable end to put in spotlights and a fan. My R-49 was already up there so I did 2x3 from one kneewall to the other and then ran a central upright to the overhead truss. Then I just did some basic 1/2" plywood catwalks with stiffeners on each side. So I used a lot less wood, but I had to because my structure does not have a lot of extra capacity. Good work
Hey that works! Thanks for checking out the video!
Awesome job. Now a person could sheet the roof rafters and make a nice clean enclosed space. A bit of cheapo paint to seal the surface and you got a clean surface plus makes it easier to slide things on . Time to look into a battery framing nailer,love my craftsman. Here is a tip for any one on a budget,look around locally on sale pages and check with local builders for waste materials
Excellent project.
I'm looking to do the same in my attic in the UK. Built in 1986 my attic only has 6" of scruffy insulation in it which I boarded over 30+ years ago. Latest code requires 270mm / 10.6" of insulation. I will probably add an extra 250mm / 10" of insulation over the top of the existing. The price of timber over here is stupid expensive (easily double the prices you mentioned) so I will be looking to use a light weight plastic leg & metal stretcher support system to raise a floor above the insulation while still maintaining an airflow gap above the insulation. This system halves the weight of a wooden support floor & eliminates any cold bridging between the cold & warm side of the floor. Ceiling downlighters also need to be covered with a sealed cover to prevent air leakage. The floor will be T&G edged OSB or chipboard which specially designed to get through a 2 x 2ft trap door into the attic. It won't be a cheap project (450sqft) but with the recent increase in the price of gas & electric in the UK (up to 50%) it's a necessary evil to reduce my gas boiler heating running costs as much as possible. I also plan to create some storage shelving above the floor between the roof A frames. This will reduce the amount of raised flooring I actually need to provide for storage & access. New subscriber here.
Hey, Colin! Sounds like a good project! I hope by the time you start maybe prices will come down a bit? Either way I wish you the best of luck! Let me know how it goes... And thank you for subscribing!!
Congratulations on hitting 300K! I like your videos a lot so I'm not that surprised you made it this far. You will go a lot further too. As always, excellent video. Keep up the good work and I will be here.
Thanks so much, Jim! I really appreciate it!
Handling fiberglass with your bare hands...smart.
Thanks for the vid! Note if there are any electrical junction boxes it wouldnt be code to enclose them under plywood just like you wouldnt have them enclosed inside walls. All junction boxes need access without having to remove plywood.
For anyone doing this yourself, cut some access panels and the insulation above any fixtures so when you need to fix or change something in the future you dont need a saw or have to remove the whole panel.
first time home buyer. moved in about a year ago but haven't wander up the attic yet. Thank you for the video! potential new project.
This was the first video I've seen of yours I think you did a great job.
Thanks, Matthew! Consider subscribing for more content like this... plus we have the same first name!! 😁😁👍. Thanks for watching!
Amazing. Thank you. Congratulations on 300,000!
Great job. Looks really good, good idea with the little blocks if you ever needed to run wires you wouldn't have to cut any holes in them
Thanks for checking it out, Doug!
great video and great channel. Got my first home 5 years ago and I gleam lots of useful info from channels like this :)
I am looking into doing this for a smaller area about a 10x10 foot section and I am a complete noob but you’ve given me the confidence. Thanks!
This is great! Smart…. Storage is so needed! You are very good and a great teacher!!!
Have absolutely enjoyed all the vids and super happy too for the success of the channel .... one of the best here on UA-cam man! Cheers!
Thanks so much man! Means a lot!
Clever thinking and quality workmanship!
😁 thanks for checking it out!
I did this in my attic back in 2013. Roof trusses were on 24" centers and I cut the sheets of 1/4" plywood into 24"x48" pieces. The central area was 12' wide, so 3 of those smaller pieces filled in each row. I fit some 1.5" rigid foam in between the bottom sheet over the blown in insulation and then put a top sheet of coated fiberboard over the top to make a finished surface. I taped the seams on the top layer to hold things in place, but allow access below if needed.
That works! Thanks for checking out the video!
Do you happen to have a picture to show ideas?
This is sweet. Trying to wrap my head around doing this on a 45 degree slant vaulted ceiling.
Great Job Matt. I’m envious of your knowledge and craftsmanship.
Thanks, Thomas! Keep watching, learning and doing! That is all it takes!
Congrats on 300k, I started my own channel, for restoring shoes and home repair stuff
Congrats.... You deserve that and more. I love your videos. Down to earth affordable solutions for the everyday family.🎉🎈
Congratulations on your 300K so deserved 🍾🥳 and happy New Year to you Mr Fixer and all your subs! 💋
Thanks so much! 😁 and happy new year to you!!
Thought about messing around with attic space. Some things to consider are ceiling joist size. If they are just 2 x 6s, those aren't meant to carry excess weight. A lot of folks don't take that into consideration and overload their attic leading to the obvious event that would occur because of that.
Yes, that is why I made sure to mention it in the video. 👍
Congratulations! My favorite channel, and I’m always happy to see new videos!!
I watched a couple of dozen of your videos. You have to have doubled the value of your home by now!!
I live in florida current insulation is r 18 I got surplus flat roof insulation 3 inches r 6 per in. Screwed it down under half inch plywood with 5 inch General construction screws. Roof insulation is Like a sip with Heavy cardboard on each side It's Made to not compress I did this to create a walkway to get back to the.
Air conditioner. On either side I just used regular blow in.
Watching from Philippines ☺️🇵🇭
Thanks for stopping by!!
Man I've been watching and subscribed since your bathroom remodel and you never disappoint. So much inspiration! Keep up the good work!
same!
Congratulations my friend. I appreciate you so much I have learned a lot from your channel and I love the way that you explained and teach..... Hugs
Congrats on 300K subscribers - they have been well earned with great content. Looking forward to more!
Well done Mate !!!