Table Of ContentAttics & Basements Cov v3.ai 20/1/2006 Complete Guide to Attics & Basements CD107-74 / 4150 PMS 877
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The Complete Guide to
Attics &
Basements
by Philip Schmidt
and Matthew Paymar
CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA
www.creativepub.com
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Copyright © 2007
Creative Publishing international,Inc. President/CEO:Ken Fund
18705 Lake Drive East VP for Sales & Marketing: Peter Ackroyd
Chanhassen,Minnesota 55317
1-800-328-3895 Home Improvement Group
www.creativepub.com
All rights reserved
Publisher:Bryan Trandem
Managing Editor:Tracy Stanley
Printed in China
Senior Editor:Mark Johanson
Editor:Jennifer Gehlhar
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Creative Director: Michele Lanci-Altomare
Cataloging-in-Publication Data Senior Design Manager:Brad Springer
Design Managers:Jon Simpson,Mary Rohl
Schmidt,Philip.
The complete guide to attics & basements / by Philip Director of Photography:Tim Himsel
Schmidt and Matthew Paymar. Lead Photographer:Steve Galvin
p.cm.
Photo Coordinators:Julie Caruso,Joanne Wawra
Summary:"For homeowners who need more living space
Shop Manager:Randy Austin
but aren't able or willing to move to a larger home or build an
expensive room addition.Shows how to add a bedroom,
Production Managers:Laura Hokkanen,Linda Halls
bathroom,recreation room,or home office without changing
the basic blueprint of the home"--Provided by publisher.
"Black and Decker." Authors:Philip Schmidt,Matthew Paymar
Includes index. Editor:Andrew Karre
ISBN-13:978-1-58923-302-7 (soft cover)
ISBN-10:1-58923-302-6 (soft cover)
1. Attics--Remodeling.2. Basements--Remodeling. I.
Paymar,Matthew.
II.Title.
TH4816.3.A77.S36 2007
643'.5--dc22
2006100067
THECOMPLETEGUIDETO ATTICS & BASEMENTS
Created by:The Editors of Creative Publishing international,Inc.,in cooperation with Black & Decker.
Black & Decker®is a trademark of The Black & Decker Corporation and is used under license.
This book includes material previously published as IdeaWise: Basements & Attics (Creative Publishing international,2003),and
Finishing Basements & Attics (Creative Publishing international,2000).
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(cid:2)
Contents
Design and Inspiration
Mechanical Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Planning Your Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Adding a Basement Bath . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Family Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Installing Countertops & Sinks . . . . . . . . .147
Home Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Installing a Toilet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Hobby Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Macerating Toilets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Rec Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Installing a Shower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Game Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Installing a Whirlpool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Playrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Wiring a Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
Exercise Rooms & Spas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Incandescent Light Fixture . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Recessed Light Fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Bedrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Track Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Baseboard Heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Projects
Providing Heating &Cooling . . . . . . . . . . .170
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Forced-air Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
Evaluating Your Attic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Finishing Walls & Ceilings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Evaluating Your Basement . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Installing Insulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Dealing with Basement Moisture . . . . . . . .92 Insulating & Ventilating Roofs . . . . . . . . . .178
Stairways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Soundproofing Walls & Ceilings . . . . . . . . .180
Planning the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Installing & Finishing Wallboard . . . . . . . .184
Basic Framing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Installing a Suspended Ceiling . . . . . . . . .190
Planning the Framing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 Paneling an Attic Ceiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Building Basement Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Installing Doors & Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Building Attic Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 Installing a Prehung Door . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Covering Basement Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 Installing Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Framing Soffits & Chases . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Installing a Skylight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Building Partition Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 Installing Door & Window Casing . . . . . . .212
Building Attic Kneewalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Installing a Wet Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Framing Attic Ceilings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 Installing a Recessed Kneewall . . . . . . . . .221
Framing Doors & Windows . . . . . . . . . . . .126 Installing a Gas Fireplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
Enlarging Basement Window Openings . .130 Installing Radiant Floor Heating . . . . . . . .231
Trimming Basement Windows . . . . . . . . . .134 Resources & Photo Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
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Introduction
I
s your house lacking just a little more space but you
love it too much to think about moving? Has your life
changed since you bought the house and now you find
you need a home office for your freelance work or telecom-
muting, a place for the children in your life to play, or an
extra bedroom for a relative? Or maybe now that your
obligations have changed, you find yourself fantasizing
about a space dedicated to your hobbies?
This book can help you determine how best to use your
tantalizingly empty attic or basement, inspire you with great
design ideas, and give you the practical how-to to tackle the
projects on your own.
Over half of houses in North America are more than
30 years old. The attics and basements in these older
homes are often significantly underutilized spaces. They
stand hollow and empty or become cluttered storerooms
where years’worth of broken furniture and boxes of old
clothes gather dust. Even in new construction, attics and
basements often are left unfinished so that the new
homeowners can determine for themselves how best
to incorporate the space.
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Finishing your attic or basement is the easiest Any type of room can be moved to an attic or
way to add living space to your home. With the basement. There are advantages and disadvantages
basic structure already in place, there’s little heavy to each location, depending on your needs for the
construction or outdoor work required, and the space. We’ll address those concerns in later
project probably won’t disrupt your daily life the chapters. But if you know you want to convert
way an addition would. Best of all, the potential an unfinished basement or attic, there are a few
square footage to be gained is significant. important considerations: zoning and building
Remodeling a basement or attic can also be limitations, initial planning, and design preferences.
accomplished for a fraction of the effort and cost of Many neighborhoods are regulated by strict zon-
building an addition. Additions not only require a ing ordinances that either prohibit expansion of a
new foundation, but they involve erecting an entirely home’s existing footprint or make the process of
new structure. Basements and attics, on the other adding to your home a nightmare—another good
hand, are already enclosed, framed, and roofed, and reason to look to your basement or attic for remodel-
the services are already wired and plumbed into the ing rather than adding to your house.
walls. In fact, it typically costs 50% less to refinish While there are zoning regulations that apply
your basement and attic than to construct an to basements and attics as well, they are primarily
addition, but the additional livable space greatly related to safety and to the suitability of the space
increases the value of your home. for conversion. For example, because there is a
6 ■ THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO ATTICS & BASEMENTS
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Introduction ■ 7
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8 ■ THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO ATTICS & BASEMENTS
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difference between “active” and “inactive” weight, But in order to create a complete plan, you’ll need
the regulations governing the size, spacing, and to determine everything that’s going into the project,
span of floor joists are stricter for habitable space and not all projects follow the same construction
than for storage space. Other regulations pertain sequence. Therefore, it’s a good idea to read
more to comfort: with few exceptions, habitable through this book entirely before you begin
rooms must have a minimum 70 sq. ft. of floor construction.
space and at least a 7 ft. ceiling. Make sure to Part of your planning will be determining how
work with your local building department to much of the work you’ll do yourself and how much
ensure that your basement or attic meets you’ll hire professionals to do. For the most part,
local building code requirements. finishing an attic or basement can be an any-season
This book can guide you through the entire project, giving you much greater flexibility than
finishing project. It’s divided into sections that you would have when building an addition.
represent the major stages of finishing unused Although attic and basement conversions are
spaces, including the most important step of all: good do-it-yourself projects, few homeowners have
planning. In successful basement and attic the tools and skills required to complete all the tasks
conversions, it takes careful planning to fit together involved. Many hire professionals to help with the
the many elements while maximizing living space. planning and design, as well as the physical work.
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