What do you need in order to build a quality mansard roof with your own hands? Attic construction stages, materials used, rules and regulations How to make an attic floor in a brick house

Do-it-yourself construction of an attic on a house means that its owner approached the home improvement competently and practically, and each square meter is highly valued. However, the independent construction of such a structure is not an easy task, which will require a lot of effort, time and cost.

What is the definition of attic?

The attic or attic floor, according to legal sources, is the space under the roof of the house used to locate residential or utility rooms. In simple words, an attic is an attic, which is equipped for separate rooms with the necessary thermal and waterproofing.

The main difference between the attic superstructure and the residential floor is the height of the walls, which should be no more than 1.5 m from the outside of the house. If this legal requirement is not met, the owner will be forced to pay taxes for the additional footage of the building.

It is possible to increase the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe dwelling by erecting an attic even at the construction design stage, and it is also permissible to remake the upper part of the roof for a superstructure on a finished house. However, in order for the foundation and walls of the building not to be damaged from the additional load, it is necessary to know all the nuances of installing an extension.

Various types of add-ons

Before you start making an attic at home, you need to decide on the appearance of the superstructure, which will not only meet the requirements, but also harmonize perfectly with the main part of the building. The following types of extensions of this type are most often used in practice:

  1. Single level with a gable roof. The most common type of attic, since its construction does not require special construction skills, and the cost of materials will be minimal. However, a significant drawback of such a structure is its small size.
  2. Single level with . To make such a structure, it takes a little more effort than in the previous version, but due to the roof of this shape, the interior becomes noticeably more spacious.

The above options for superstructures will not be difficult to build even on an old house. Indeed, in fact, this is the same attic space, but more equipped for a comfortable pastime.

For reference! There are other types of attics, such as single-level with the removal of consoles or multi-level. They are more costly and difficult to design. In addition, such varieties are not entirely suitable for erection on a finished building.

Materials needed for construction

After the owner of the house has decided what kind of attic floor he is going to build, the materials necessary for the process should be prepared.

As a rule, light materials are used to build an attic on a built house, such as wooden beams, and in some cases aerated concrete, which has good heat-saving properties. Suitable for such purposes and frame construction.

Most often, the following elements are used for construction:

  • rafter and sloping legs;
  • conjurers;
  • Mauerlat;
  • crossbar;
  • various struts, fights and racks.

At the same time, it is better to choose beams from coniferous woods, such as spruce, pine and larch, the moisture content of which should be no more than 15%, and the grade should be 1st or 2nd. In addition, it is imperative to treat the material with an antiseptic solution before erecting a building.

In the case when the attic floor is planned during the design of the building, you can choose any materials for its construction, depending on the type of superstructure, its dimensions and the preferences of the owner. Most often, such an attic is erected from brick, concrete and foam blocks.

Requirements for installing an attic

In addition to personal preferences, during the construction of the attic floor, certain SNiP standards must be observed. The main ones include the following conditions:

  1. The thickness of the rafters is at least 250 mm, which will allow you to lay a suitable layer of insulation between them (more than 200 mm).
  2. Heaters should be chosen those that will not lose their properties in conditions of high humidity. Expanded polystyrene is best suited for these purposes, as it is lightweight and retains heat well in the room. Mineral wool should not be used as a heater due to the fact that it absorbs moisture well, as a result of which it quickly collapses.
  3. Between the insulation layer and the roof, hoods and vents must be installed so that air can move freely in this space.
  4. The outer side of the rafters should be covered with a waterproofing layer, and experts also recommend adding an additional layer of soundproofing materials.

Regardless of what kind of attic is planned to be built, the listed requirements must be taken into account.

Attention! On the attic floor, a vapor barrier must be installed on the inner sides of the roof in accordance with the standards.

Construction of the attic step by step

After the project and all the drawings of the attic floor have been completed, as well as the material for construction has been prepared, you can begin work. However, if the future owner of the building prepared them on his own, he should still consult with an experienced specialist, since in such a case the most accurate calculations are important, especially when it comes to building a superstructure on an old building.

Frame erection

Do-it-yourself attic construction should begin with the installation of a Mauerlat on the inner sides of the outer walls. As a rule, wooden beams are most often used for this, which can be attached to anchors, studs or brackets, depending on the material of the load-bearing walls. However, for wooden and frame buildings, there is no need to install a Mauerlat.

After the support has been erected, it is necessary to install vertical posts on it, which can be made of wood, metal, or foam concrete. On top of them are placed transverse beams with a step of no more than 2 meters. This distance will be equal to the location of the attic floor rafters. The whole structure is fastened together with metal corners, self-tapping screws or nail plates and pulled together with a jumper.

Then you should put the lower rafters. To do this, a groove is made at the base of the timber in order to securely install it on the Mauerlat, and its upper part is cut to the desired length, respectively, with the angle of inclination.

The next step in the construction of the attic floor is the installation of the upper rafters. In order to determine the correct angle and center, this part of the frame is assembled on the ground, and then fixed to the structure.

Roofing installation

After the attic frame is installed, it must be covered with vapor barrier material and fixed with metal brackets.

Attention! For vapor barrier, it is better to choose a fire-resistant and non-toxic material, especially if it is planned to equip a bedroom or a children's room in the attic rooms.

Then it is necessary to lay a layer of insulation on the vapor barrier material, while avoiding the appearance of gaps between its plates and rafters. It must be fixed by installing over the crate. After that, it is covered with a layer of waterproofing to protect the wood from moisture, and roofing material is already laid on top of it.

As the above material shows, the construction of the attic can be done with your own hands, all kinds of videos that can be easily found on the Internet can help in this matter. However, you should not completely trust them, it would be more correct to seek advice from experienced professionals.

More and more people are turning to self-construction of a house.

There are many reasons for this, and everyone is guided by their own motives.

But the main thing is savings, of course, subject to knowledge of the matter.

Building a house for every man should be a mandatory attribute of success.

Investing in real estate is the best thing to do. The house will stand for decades and over time its value will only increase.

Of course, much depends on the design of both the internal and external parts of the residential building.

For a quality construction, you will need to study the technology of erecting a mansard roof. Another important skill is knowledge of carpentry. Or you can study the instructions yourself, which describe in detail the entire project of work. You should also pay attention to the fact that there are various.

When starting construction, you need to be puzzled by the following questions:

  • What are the best materials to use when building a mansard roof?
  • How many work steps are to be completed?
  • How many people will be needed to help with the construction?
  • What attic do you want to build?

It is best to plan the construction of the attic, installing a gable roof with a broken line, so you can get the largest possible area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe future room.

Before starting any construction should be developed. When working through it, take the figures indicated in the calculations seriously, even the slightest mistake can lead to future damage to both the roof itself and the walls of the house.

So how to make a mansard roof? This article will help you answer this question.

  • For soft roofs solid;
  • Discharged for slate.

Naturally there are certain rules for installing a soft roof, here they are:

  • If the pitched angle of the roof is located in the range from 5 to 10 °, then the roof has the form of a continuous flooring, special waterproof plywood or boards are used;
  • When the slope of the roof is between 10 and 15°, in this case the roof is made of timber with dimensions of 45 × 50 millimeters and in increments of 45 cm;
  • If the value of the oblique angle is greater than 15° for the crate a beam of 45 × 50 mm is used, but with a step of 600 mm;
  • For the skate attachment area install an additional beam.

Lathing under a soft roof

Installation of Mauerlat and truss system

Mauerlat is laid after work has been done to level the attic and place the flooring.

Due to the placement around the perimeter of the attic Mauerlat all non-straight corners can be corrected.

Beams are used as material.. The thickness is selected under the edge of the walls.

When you put the Mauerlat under the edge of the eaves, you should be especially careful.

Ensure that the structure is non-distorting, because it is impossible to enclose additional elements. You will have to disassemble part of the outer masonry of the wall and raise the inner part of the wall.

Mauerlat installation

Insulation installation

You need to insulate the attic if you are going to settle in it. First of all, it is worth deciding on the material used as. The best solution would be special basalt slabs.

The density of the insulation is needed at least 30-40 km per cubic meter otherwise, its subsidence in the future is inevitable. And the thickness is 150 mm. Also, a special film is installed in the roof to protect it from getting wet.

Step-by-step installation of insulation

Installation of battens and counter battens

After the base is installed, it is necessary to install to strengthen the structure. This is necessary if the slope angle is large..

The counter-lattice is installed from small bars, which are superimposed on top of the main crate, already laid waterproofing layer. When installing a counter-lattice between the roof and the base, a ventilation space is formed, which allows to increase the service life.

Lathing installation

Installation of waterproofing and vapor barrier

Do-it-yourself sloping roof requires the installation of waterproofing. To protect the roof from moisture penetration between the roof and the base a special layer of roofing felt or film is laid. The counter grille helps better ventilation to get rid of the effect of vaporization.

The most common evaporative protection system is a three-layer design - a hydrobarrier.

  1. Reinforced lattice. It is woven from polyethylene fibers.
  2. Anticondensate or barrier barrier.

Waterproofing is installed on the rafters or crate.

Installation of waterproofing

Types of roofing materials and their installation

The market offers a wide range of roofing materials for every taste. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Any builder first of all looks at the cost of the roof, then at its quality and service life.

roofing material

Conclusion

The construction of a mansard roof requires special diligence and painstaking work if you want to get a high-quality and final result. We will have to invest a lot of effort, not only physical, but also moral.

It will take a smart approach to work so that it ends without problems. Encountering a number of obstacles, most owners turn to the help of hired workers. But on the other hand, what can bring more pleasure as not done high-quality work with your own hands.

Useful video

In this video you will learn how to assemble a mansard roof:

In contact with

The mansard roof makes it possible to significantly increase the total living area, while financial investments will be minimal. The most common option is a gable broken structure, which is easy to build on your own.

How to make a mansard roof yourself

Under the mansard roof, you can equip rooms for housing. The shape of the building may be different, but in most cases the attic is equipped under a roof with two slopes. The optimal solution, which allows you to get a significant area of ​​\u200b\u200bliving space, is a broken structure.

A sloping roof is the best option for arranging an attic

Drawings and calculations of a mansard type roof

The first step is to decide on the scheme of the frame. Rafters can be layered or hanging type. Sloped rest on the walls of the building. They are mounted in structures where the distance between the walls is less than 6.5 m. Hanging rafters are placed on fillies and Mauerlat. If the width of the spans is large, then the rafter system will need to be reinforced with auxiliary ligaments.

The main condition for the comfortable construction of the attic is the level of the ceilings - it must be above 2.5 m. To ensure such a height, the break line should be placed at a height of more than 2.8 m, taking into account the thickness of the layer of material for insulation and sheathing of the structure. It is also important to consider the thickness of the floor.

An example of a drawing can be seen in the image:

The minimum ceiling height of the mansard roof is 2.5 m

To calculate the expected snow loads, you will need to apply this formula: S \u003d Sg x µ, where S is the snow load, Sg is the weight of the snow cover per 1 m 2 area, µ is a value that depends on the slope of the roof (1.0 - for a flat design with a slope of 25°, 0.7 for a design with a slope of 25–60°).

The parameters Sg and Wo can be found in the relevant SNiP, in the "Rafter systems" section. If the roof has a steep slope, then the snow load can be ignored.

Roof device

The frame structure includes the following details:

  • mauerlat - a support bar that transfers the load from the rafters to the walls of the building;
  • racks - supporting parts that support the rafter system in a vertical position;
  • floor beams - planks that form half of the attic and the ceiling of the lower floor;
  • rafters - slats that form the main contour of the roof;
  • runs - horizontal support parts for rafters;
  • lathing - slats or plywood sheets that are intended for laying roofing material;
  • filly - planks that are attached along the axis at the bottom of the rafter legs.

The frame consists of a mauerlat, racks, girders, floor beams and other elements

The sloping roof differs from the usual design with two slopes. The difference is that the slopes that are placed opposite each other have a special shape: they do not form a straight line, but consist of several slopes that are fastened to one another at an obtuse angle. The design is also symmetrical.

The extreme part of the rafters is mainly exposed at an angle of about 60 °. Racks for support, which hold the rafters, form the frame structure of the inner walls. The upper part of the rafters is mounted at a small angle, it can be from 15 to 45 °. This makes it possible to reduce the consumption of materials, while maintaining the functional properties of the roof and resistance to snow loads.

Vertical racks, which abut against floor planks, girders and crossbars fastening them, form a parallelepiped. The design limits the dimensions of the attic from the inside. To give the product additional rigidity, struts should be installed between the floor slats and the lower rafter legs.

If the roof span is more than 8 m, then you will need to install struts

After mounting the upper elements to fix the truss and prevent sagging of the crossbars, it is necessary to install suspended support elements - headstocks. For auxiliary fixation of the lower rafter legs, they must be pulled together with racks using tacks. Parts are fastened with nails and bolts.

Stages of self-construction of the attic

If it is decided to make such a design yourself, it is important to provide for the use of such materials in the project:

  • roofing material;
  • vapor barrier;
  • waterproofing;
  • material for insulation.

The choice of insulation affects such a parameter as the pitch of the rafters. To reduce the amount of heat insulator, it is best to place the rafters so that the slab or mat fits snugly between them. The type of lathing and its pitch will depend on the choice of material for covering the roof. You need to pay attention not only to the choice of high-quality material for insulation, but also to the creation of an effective ventilation system.

Ventilation is equipped by preparing technological gaps

The construction of the rafter system must be carried out using fireproof materials. All parts should be treated with fire protection. You will need to prepare the following elements:

  • wooden bars with a section of 100x50 mm;
  • slats 50x150 mm;
  • unedged boards;
  • building level;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • nails;
  • steel wire with a diameter of 4–5 mm;
  • plumb;
  • roulette;
  • hacksaw;
  • axe;
  • a hammer;
  • sharp knife.

Drafting a project

One of the most important parts of the job is drafting a project. It is very important to analyze the features of the layout of a private house. It is necessary to determine the dimensions and shape of the structure being erected, as well as to provide for the placement of windows and a balcony.

All structural elements should be marked on the project

In the process of drawing up a project, the following requirements must be taken into account:

  1. It is important to decide in advance what height the attic should be. It should be remembered that the distance from the floor base to the highest point of the structure must be at least 0.5 m.
  2. It is recommended to take into account the heating area and the main elements of the interior.
  3. The attic scheme should be expanded. If you plan to install windows, then they must be indicated on the drawing.

Drawing up a drawing must begin with the choice of shape, determining the cross section of the rafter legs and the step of their placement. To determine the size of the rafters, the following parameters must be taken into account:

  • bias;
  • roofing material;
  • climate features in the construction region.

It is also important to provide for the required number of rafters in the project. They can be layered or hanging type.

Rafters can be hanging or layered

At the end, you should determine the number of parts for fixing. In the figure below you can see some of the data needed for the calculation, however, drafting a project is a complex process. This work is recommended to be entrusted to qualified specialists.

Mauerlat installation

The device of the mansard roof rafter system should be selected based on the type of roof, as well as on the prepared project of the attic. A simple option is a design with two slopes.

The main details of the roof truss system with two slopes are:

  • linear elements (column, bar system, beam);
  • planar details (plate, flooring, panel);
  • spatial elements (arch, shell, three-dimensional detail).

Before performing work, you will need to dry the wood thoroughly. The first step is the marking and installation of the Mauerlat. It is attached to the walls of the building. The part can be made from a bar or a powerful rail. If it is planned to build a roof with two slopes, then the Mauerlat is laid on the long walls of the building. The element is necessary not only for reliable fixation of the lower part of the rafters, but also for the correct division of the load on the walls and the main part of the building.

To fix the Mauerlat, metal studs should be used, which are mounted in a monolithic concrete beam.

To fix the Mauerlat, you need to install metal studs

The beam should be carried out in the upper part of the wall. It is also possible to use steel wire embedded in brickwork.

To fix the Mauerlat to the upper crown of the wooden wall, you need to use wooden dowels. auerlat requires high-quality waterproofing of timber timber. Therefore, it is necessary to use roofing felt or other material with a water-repellent property.

Before installing the Mauerlat, the base must be covered with roofing material

Mauerlat installation is required if it is planned to erect a roof frame, the rafters of which rest against the upper part of the wall with beveled ends or prepared cutouts.

If you plan to make an attic, the width of which corresponds to the width of the building, the rafter legs should rest with their lower ends against the extended support parts. As supports, it is possible to use powerful beams laid across long walls. The number of supporting elements corresponds to the number of rafters. The beams must be fixed to the walls in the same way as the Mauerlat.

Sequencing:


Frame construction

The frame of the mansard roof consists of floor beams, rafters, girders and racks

Softwood bars 200x100 mm are often used as a material. Floor slats are placed on top of the Mauerlat with a 30–50 cm indent beyond the surface of the walls or in prepared grooves in the masonry. In the first case, the parts are fixed with the help of corners and self-tapping screws.

Fixing the beam to the Mauerlat can be done using steel corners

To make an even overlap, the strips should be installed in this sequence:

  1. First of all, the extreme details are laid according to the level.
  2. Next, pull the cord and install intermediate elements along it.
  3. The step of the beams should be from 60 to 100 cm. A distance of 60 cm makes it possible to mount insulation boards without sawing.
  4. To level the beams in height, they can be hemmed. Another option is to use plank linings.
  5. If the beams are inserted into prepared pockets, their extreme parts must be treated with liquid waterproofing and wrapped with roofing material.

Racks must be placed on the extreme slats:


After installing the racks, crossbars and girders, you can get a reliable design that will limit the interior rooms of the attic. To increase its strength, in the future it should be fixed with struts and tacks.

Installation of rafters

At this stage, the installation of the lower rafters is carried out:


After that, the upper elements are installed:

  1. The first step is to mark the central part of the roof. This can be done using a rack that was previously attached to the Mauerlat and puff from the end of the roof. The extreme part of the board should run along the center of the roof. On this board you need to align the rafter legs.
  2. Next, you need to prepare a template from a 150x25 mm rail. It should be applied to the extreme part of the mounted rail at the required level and to the run on which the lower rafter legs will rest.
  3. You should mark the top and bottom cuts and cut out the template. The device is applied in turn to two sides of the roof. This will make it possible to check the accuracy of the layout of the central part. If the rows of racks are placed in parallel, then there will be no difficulties in fixing the upper elements - they will have identical dimensions.
  4. According to the preparation, it is necessary to prepare the required number of rafters. The parts are placed on the runs and connected in the upper parts with the help of overhead iron plates or scraps of planks. In the latter case, self-tapping screws are used as fasteners. In the run, the rafters rest against the cuts and are seized with iron corners. In order for the parts to stand straight, they are fastened with struts mounted on the bottom of the puffs. All rafters are installed in this way.
  5. Suspension racks are fixed - pieces of planks 150x25 mm. The upper part of the rail is attached at the place where the rafters are fixed, the lower part is attached to the tightening.

Video: mansard roof truss system

Installation of struts and gables

Sequencing:

Construction lathing

The crate is needed for:

  • distribution and transfer of the weight of the roofing material to the rafters;
  • performing additional fastening of the rafter system;
  • grounds for fixing roofing material.

The crate can be made in one or two layers, solid or with a vacuum.

The crate can be solid or with a vacuum

The installation method depends on what material is planned to be used to cover the structure. If a roof of slate or metal tiles is being erected, the lathing should be made of slats, which are attached to the bars of the rafter legs with nails. In this case, the installation step of adjacent planks can be 27–30 cm.

A solid crate is used in the case of fastening soft material in rolls.

A solid crate is necessary for a soft roof

In this case, moisture-resistant plywood sheets or particle boards can be used. It is allowed to use pine wood material - edged planks.

It is important to take into account the fact that when constructing such a crate, the material to be laid must follow the contours of the outer base. Therefore, the frame structure must be strong and leveled.

In the process of laying out the material, you should use a cord with which the slats or slabs will lie flat. Parts must be placed parallel to each other. Before fixing, the material must be treated with an antiseptic composition to protect it from decay, fungus and dampness. The blanks must be even and of high quality. It is recommended to give preference to wood grades 1 and 2. It should not have knots. To prevent the boards from warping, they must first be dried.

The sequence of actions for installing the crate:

Mansard roof waterproofing

The material for the roof does not have thermal insulation properties, so you will need to prepare a quality material that will be environmentally friendly for human health. Quite often, mineral wool or glass wool is used. Both materials have excellent sound and heat insulation parameters. It is also important to consider that if the roof is made of metal, when the insulation gets wet, all its qualities can be reduced to zero. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the device design.

It will not work to insulate the attic without laying waterproofing material, so the process should be considered as a whole. Step by step guide to waterproofing a structure:


Practice has shown that it is better to protect the insulation with the help of modern materials, for example, Tyvek or Izospan. The use of ordinary polyethylene film gives a poor result, as condensation may appear. Experienced craftsmen believe that it is not necessary to waterproof the structure with roofing material.

Before proceeding to work, it is necessary to decide on the heat-insulating material.

Mineral wool is a fairly popular material used for roof insulation.

The most commonly used heat insulators are:

  • glass wool;
  • mineral wool;
  • Styrofoam;
  • foamed glass;
  • wood shavings;
  • straw.

It is necessary to choose a material taking into account four parameters.

  1. Thermal conductivity index. For roof insulation, 0.05 W/m*K or less is optimal.
  2. Water resistance. The higher the score, the better.
  3. Fire resistant.
  4. Environmental Safety.

The insulating qualities of mineral wool deteriorate significantly after a while. Also, the material can be damaged under the influence of mechanical loads. However, mineral wool has a low cost, so the material is used quite often. Polyfoam is not afraid of water and has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. If you plan to build a house only from environmentally friendly materials, then you can use foam glass or straw.

Roof insulation step by step guide:


Laying roofing material and installation of window openings

As an example, the installation of metal tiles will be considered, since this material is used quite often:


The number of windows is determined by the ratio of the usable glazing area to the floor base 1:10. For example, if the attic area is 100 m 2, then the glazing should be approximately 10 m 2. When installing windows, it is necessary to take into account such nuances:

Attic decoration

The interior decoration of the attic can be done with wood or plasterboard sheets. If the latter option is used, then after installation, the sheets must be pasted over with wallpaper or painted with water-based paint. In some cases, the attic is divided into several rooms. This can be done using plasterboard partitions.

If you plan to use the attic often, then the floor and walls can be additionally insulated. This can be done using, for example, mineral wool.

Interesting design options for the attic room

The attic can be made cozy by symmetrically placing sofas on both sides In the attic, you can place a long sofa In the attic, you can arrange a place to relax by hanging a hammock In the attic, you can make not only a living space, but also a bathroom On the attic floor, you can even make a kitchen If on the territory there is no way to place a hammock, then this can be done on the attic floor One of the parts of the attic can be completely glazed The attic can be a great place to create a home library The walls of the attic can be faced with brick In the attic you can equip a full-fledged living room On the attic floor you can equip a relaxation room If the house is located in a beautiful area, the roof can be made panoramic The bed can be placed facing the window In the attic you can make a bedroom with high ceilings In the attic you can place a hanging chair. This will make the roof more comfortable

Video: making a mansard roof

Recently, a mansard-type roof is quite popular among owners of private houses. In order to feel all the positive aspects of living in a building of this type, it is required to pay due attention to the insulation of the building.

How to increase the living space of an old house without additional extensions? The best option is the arrangement of a new mansard-type roof. For its construction, it is necessary to complete the calculation part, to choose the right truss scheme and the material of the roof covering.

First, you should find out the optimal mass of the new structure, since not all walls of the old house are designed for additional load. The total weight of the roofing cake is equal to the sum of the following components: rafters, battens, insulation and waterproofing. At the same time, the light frame structure must be serviceable: it must withstand not only standard snow and wind loads, but also the mass of a person.

Taking data from the table, you can calculate the optimal load on the load-bearing walls. Let's assume that they are made of solid brick with a masonry thickness of 400 mm. Then the constant load will be equal to: 400*1800/1000= 720 kg/m². In this case, the walls are able to withstand the weight of the attic, made of beams with a density of 300 kg/m³ and covered with ceramic tiles.

If the walls are not able to withstand the total weight of the attic, you can equip an additional foundation. Bearing vertical supports are installed on it to create the foundation of the roof. This design will avoid stress on the walls of the house.


Most often, a new attic is made in the form of a gable broken roof. This is due to the large interior space that can be used as a living space.


Before starting construction, you need to make the correct calculation of the optimal distance between the rafters (see Gable roof truss system). Not always an old wooden house can withstand the load of a new roof, so you should choose the installation step of load-bearing structures based on the estimated weight of the roof. Data about this parameter can be taken from the table.

Then, based on the calculated data, the purchase of material is made - wooden beams, rafters and battens for the crate. The last step depends on the coating material. Often it should not exceed 400 mm. But the final parameters are determined based on the recommendations of the manufacturer of the roofing material.

Mauerlat installation

Mauerlat are horizontal bars on which the load-bearing elements of the roof will be mounted. It is designed to evenly distribute the load on the walls.

To perform installation work, you will need the following materials and tools:

  1. Hammer, wood saw.
  2. Nails up to 50 mm long. The amount depends on the area of ​​the roof.
  3. Measuring tool: plumb line, building level, tape measure.

Most often, a wooden bar with a section of 150 * 100 is used for mounting the Mauerlat. Its quantity is determined by the perimeter of the roof. To connect the timber to the bearing wall, it is recommended to use mounting dowels.

Installation of the truss frame and lathing

At the first stage, it is necessary to install load-bearing beams on the Mauerlat. Then vertical racks are attached to them, interconnected in the upper part by bars - runs. On the resulting frame, rafters are mounted for the future attic roof.


The crate is intended for the installation of roofing. Its size and configuration depends on the protective material used. Usually, 40 * 150 mm boards are used for the manufacture of crates. They are stuffed over the rafters, forming a mounting platform.

final stage

The above technology for the construction of a mansard roof is universal. As a waterproofing layer, it is recommended to use a special rolled microfiber. It is attached to the crate. Roofing is already being installed on top of it. To improve the thermal insulation properties of the roof, it is necessary to perform internal insulation. This is done using basalt wool or extruded polystyrene foam.

What should you pay attention to when arranging a mansard roof in an old one-story house? First of all, correctly calculate the total weight of the structure, install a reliable roofing pie and select the appropriate material. The result of the work is an additional living space, the comfort of living in which will be no worse than in the rest of the rooms of the house.

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If you look into history, then the attic was first used in France. It was inhabited by poor people, but today everything has changed, and it has become fashionable and prestigious to have an additional room for living or comfortable rest. In this article, we will look at step-by-step instructions in which we will tell you how to build an attic with your own hands. In addition, you can see photos and videos of the attic structure with your own hands.

Before starting any work, it should be understood that the additional living space will be located in the place of the attic, which means that the roof structure will need to be completely changed.

Materials for the construction of the attic

So, for the construction of an attic with your own hands, you will need the following materials:

  • Reiki.
  • Wooden bars.
  • Boards.
  • Metal corners.
  • Fasteners.
  • Metal staples.
  • Mineral wool.
  • Waterproofing.
  • window structures.
  • Mineral wool.
  • Stairs.

In addition to all these materials, it is necessary to prepare a set of construction tools such as a screwdriver, drill, hacksaw, stapler, chisel, level.

Do-it-yourself step-by-step instructions for building an attic

1. Project of the future attic

The main element in this work is the roof, which is distinguished by its unconventional structure. Very often, window openings are installed in the roof. Their difference is that they are located at an angle. Do-it-yourself attic roof often includes profile changes, making it broken.

2. Roof shape

Imagine in advance what shape the future roof should be and the angles of inclination of the planes.

The roof of the attic can be:

  • Broken gable.
  • Standard double.
  • Single-sided (rare).

Start drawing. It must be done in different projections. Be sure to specify the dimensions and indicate the relative position of all elements.

3. Construction of the frame of the future attic

Experts believe that this stage of construction is considered the most time-consuming. This work cannot be done on your own, it requires the involvement of a partner. Along the perimeter of the upper part of the house, it is necessary to lay a Mauerlat. Next, attach the two extreme racks with slings to the Mauerlat (horizontal bars interconnected) using metal corners. After that, install the longitudinal jumper on the top of the uprights.

4. Arched design

Pull the cord. Between the resulting ones, put the internal elements of the frame. Consider the fact that their size should correspond to the side arches. Between all stoics there should be the same step. Elements of the arched structure should be fixed with metal brackets and corners. When setting inclined roof elements, maintain the calculated angle of inclination of the slope and centering. After that, on the outside of the resulting roof, use a hammer and nails to nail a crate of slats or boards. Do not forget to leave openings in it for future windows.

5. Hydro and thermal insulation

Hydro and thermal insulation is an important step in the construction of the attic with your own hands. The best option for protecting the attic from moisture is a membrane type film.

It is laid on top of the crate. For insulation, mineral wool is an excellent material. Cotton wool is attached from the inside of the truss system. It is important that the installation is carried out without gaps.