How to make a mansard ceiling: tips and rules

An attic is a room with a sloping ceiling, located directly under the roof of the house. The walls of the attic are about half a meter high, and the highest point is more than two. A few centuries ago, in the vast majority of houses, it was just a room in which unnecessary things were stored. Over time, the trend has changed, and becoming the owner of the attic has now become fashionable and prestigious. However, in order to be truly comfortable, the ceiling in the attic must first be insulated, and then decorated.

We warm the ceiling

If you decide to make the attic in the house functional and residential, it needs to be well insulated. It is not worth saving here, because if you do not, it will be impossible to be in the attic in the fall and winter due to cold and damp. Correct insulation of the attic and ceiling is best trusted by a professional team of craftsmen who are experienced in this field.

The ceiling on the attic floor can be insulated:

• inside the building;
• outside the building.

In the first case, the insulation of the attic ceiling is carried out when the construction of the house is already completed. This is because many owners decide to increase their living space and start using the attic as an office or bedroom. More prudent owners are wondering how to insulate the ceiling already at the stage of developing a project for a future home.

Performing insulation of the ceiling from the outside is inconvenient and very dangerous. One careless movement - and you can fall from the slope of the roof, so the exterior finish must be performed by qualified specialists who have the equipment to conduct work at heights. Work inside the attic floor can be done independently.

Today, the ceiling on the attic floor can be insulated with a huge amount of building materials. For insulation are used:

• Styrofoam;
• polyurethane foam;
• base insulation;
• mineral wool.

Each of these materials has its pros and cons. When choosing these or those options it is necessary to consider that cotton wool can most tightly close all the cracks in the ceiling, even microscopic ones, but it is more difficult to install it than the basic insulation. Cotton wool has a drawback - with strong heating it starts to smell unpleasant, so if there is a stove or fireplace in the room under the roof, it is better to refuse the use of mineral wool and replace it with safer insulation. It can also begin to heat up in the strong sun.

Styrofoam is cheap, but not considered reliable material. Over time, it can dry, deform, and then cracks will appear in the thermal insulation layer. Mice also love polystyrene, and over time they will make holes for themselves right under the ceiling.

Before warming, a vapor barrier of the attic ceiling is made using special materials that are sold in all construction stores. An air cushion should remain between it and the waterproofing. Then no condensation will accumulate under the roof.

Features of ceiling decoration

When the insulation works are completed, one more question remains to be answered: how to make a ceiling. Here you need to understand whether you are comfortable with its shape or want to change it. This is easy to do with drywall sheets.It is the use of GKL that makes it possible to sew pipes, wires, and also to make the ceiling multi-tiered, to create complex structures. Some decide to sew up the beams, although many leave them as a significant and decorative piece of furniture.

Even if the attic is large in area, you need to rationally approach the use of all surfaces. You need to understand that a room with a sloping ceiling is a non-standard room, and therefore its design requires a special approach.

Regardless of the purpose of the room, attic ceiling lighting is required. Chandeliers that are hung in rooms with a flat ceiling are not suitable for him. It is recommended to place lamps on the walls or narrow lamps at the joints of the walls and ceiling. However, everything is individual and depends on the purpose of the room and the wishes of the customer.

To decorate the ceiling, various finishing materials are used:

• drywall;
• lining;
• wallpaper;
• stretch ceiling.

Each of these materials has its own characteristics, and they should be studied before placing an order for registration.

We use drywall

Drywall ceilings are very popular. First of all, this is due to the affordable price of the material. It has a light weight, it is easy to work with it, so they often finish not only the ceilings, but also the walls in the attic. For working with drywall, basic skills are enough. If you have a jigsaw, a screwdriver and free time, then finishing the attic ceiling will not be difficult. Finishing may be more expensive. On the other hand, there is a huge scope for imagination - the ceiling in the attic can be made in absolutely any color.

GCRs are not suitable for small attic rooms, because when installing drywall constructions, at least ten centimeters are eaten, and it takes a couple of days to dry each layer of finishing materials. If there is no free time and the attic is small, you still need to think about how to sheathe the ceiling.

For customers who are looking for a very budget option and think of how to finish the ceiling so that it doesn’t hit the pocket, designers offer to paste wallpaper on it. Half-meter paper wallpapers are suitable: they are easy to glue, they breathe, and it is possible to choose any print and color. Wallpaper is suitable for ceilings in the office, bedroom or living room, but if you plan to make a bathroom in the attic, it is better to take washing wallpaper or even choose a more moisture-resistant material.

Lining

It is the lining that is considered the best option for the design of the attic ceiling. Its main advantage is environmental friendliness. It is difficult to find a more breathable and safe material for attic ceiling decoration than wood.

A lot of time will be spent on preparing the lining for operation. It must be cleaned, treated against parasites, varnished. This work takes time, but allows you to save some money. Attic stretch ceilings will cost more than buying a lining. Even with its help, you can easily sew up any inclined ceilings, even with a too sharp slope.

Lining is universal and suitable for decoration of any interiors. For example, it will look very good in the attic bedroom in a country house. The look of natural wood is soothing, and sleeping in such a bedroom is definitely safe. Unlike some artificial ceiling decoration materials, the lining does not exude an unpleasant odor.

If the bedroom interior is made in eco-style, it is enough just to varnish it. If you like the Provence style, then the lining can be artificially aged. And if you plan to make an office indoors, the attic ceiling is finished with a lining painted in dark color. For those who dream of a nautical-style bedroom, the wooden ceiling can be painted white, light blue or turquoise.

Also, the lining is suitable for finishing the bathroom ceiling in the attic.The design solution can be any, but the most important tree is treated with a special tool that prevents the formation of mold and fungus. The ceiling in the bathroom, finished with a well-prepared lining, will not lose its attractiveness for many years.

We make stretch ceilings

For customers who are not ready to reduce space through the use of drywall, designers offer attic ceilings. Their advantage is that they occupy the minimum amount of space. Another big plus is the ability to apply any image to the stretch ceiling. If you want romance in your bedroom, order a ceiling with a starry sky. If the bedroom design is made in the Japanese style, decorate the ceiling with hieroglyphs or branches of blossoming sakura. On the stretch ceiling in the bathroom, the seascape will look good.

Stretch ceiling is not suitable for the attic, in which you want to leave exposed beams. Such a cloth does not finish rooms with too low a ceiling. If you hook it lightly, the web will tear. The disadvantage of this ceiling is its high price. If you are not ready to spend a large amount on attic decoration, it is better to opt for wallpaper or wood.

If the house has an attic, it must be used as a living room. With a competent financial approach and the ability to save, some money will be spent on repairs, and another bedroom, office or bathroom will appear in the house. Great attention should be paid to the decoration of the ceiling. Due to the correct selection of finishing materials, the ceiling can become the main element of the entire attic interior.