Reclaiming Attic Storage Space Over Thick Insulation!

In this video I reclaim 224 square feet of attic storage space that I lost after a remodel. I wanted it back so I used 2x3's and 7/16 OSB plywood to get the job done while keeping the same R-Value.

This is another option I mentioned in the video:

Join this channel to get access to behind the scenes videos:

*As an Amazon affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.

DISCLAIMER:
This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support this channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!

Videos produced by The Fixer are provided for informational purposes only. All material provided within this video is for informational, educational, & entertainment purposes only. Some of these projects, materials, and techniques may not be appropriate for all ages or skill levels. Please use all safety precautions while following any instructions or concepts provided by this video. Viewers must be aware that by doing projects on their homes they are doing it at their own risk and The Fixer cannot be held liable if they cause any damage to their homes. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to educate themselves on their local codes and regulations before undertaking any sort of project. Always have safety in mind and have fun!

[danaforbes]

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.

[HisboiLRoi]

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.

[vkenn]

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.

[elbowjoe]

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.

[ResaleRabbit]

Love your channel! Here’s to 300, 000 more!

[spiro]

Right On @ 2:30.. about making sure attic is engineered for the additional weight. Glad you mentioned that

[steenfraosterbro]

I have that exact same job on my todo list. Already finished the lighting, and will be getting 2x8 sheets. Cheers from Denmark.

[ArshiyaDevine]

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.

[gregs]

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.

[AndreViens]

This is great. A nice way to reclaim some space while also making sure your insulation is not compromised.

[maggiesue]

I'm glad to see the attic is still accessible and useful!!

[markholland]

What a well engineered and cost efficient solution. Plus good craftsmanship on a mundane project. Keep up the good work

[keional]

Congratulations!!! 300K plus is well deserved on this channel! Job well done

[melindamosbey]

You're awesome and I adore you, your work ethics, your integrity, your humor....MORE!
Thank you so much for sharing yourself & ideas!!

[BrianPhillipsRC]

Great idea! and also congratulations on your growth - now 490, 000 subs! (2 years after your 300K - very fast growth!)

[SansNeural]

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 ;)

[TheCrawler]

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.

[scottneal]

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.

[brendatenney]

Oh awesome. 300 K!! Congratulations bud!!! ❤️❤️

[craigsmith]

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.