Attic Insulation In 2x4 Ceiling Joist Space

Sistering 2x6 joists next to your current 2x4 joists will simply give you a new floor height of 5 1 2 inches as opposed to the current 3 1 2 inches.

Attic insulation in 2x4 ceiling joist space.

Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center oc meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches. Also remove any blocking or bridging between the joists as applicable. Enjoy better floor to floor climate control in your home by installing ceiling insulation. Clear the joist spaces.

Ceiling joists are the horizontal boards that span the width of the house resting on the outer wall plates and possibly on. They are directly below the roof sheathing and are were insulated with fiberglass batts stapled between the 2x4 rafters. I have a 1925 bungalow in michigan climate zone 5. How to reinforce an attic floor with sister joists.

Current insulation code requires r 49 insulation in the ceiling. There are some unfinished crawl space areas in the corners on the upper floor. Option 2 has the benefit of preventing any thermal bridging via the ceiling joists. When using fiberglass insulation the pink stuff the attic roof rafter will need to be at least 16 deep.

Work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just put in. Pull out all insulation and any debris from all of the joist spaces so you can see the full length of each joist including where it meets the exterior walls. If you want to put down flooring in your attic and want more insulation underneath that floor then you need to increase your joist size. Over the past several years there has been an increased focus on making insulation codes more stringent.

If you don t have all the tools you need to install insulation and improve your insulation r ratings yourself consider our tool rental services. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and to prevent thermal bridging the heat loss that occurs through the wood framing.