About this Project

Heating an attic that's underinsulated is a losing proposition. So, if you've got big plans for finishing off that space, better budget for plenty of the "fluffy stuff."

In an unfinished attic that doesn't have collar beams, you might be tempted to forget about them and run insulation right up to the ridge beam. Don't! That space above the collars, coupled with gable louvers at the ends, gets rid of winter condensation as well as summer heat. Make the collars from 2x4s or 2x6s, depending on how heavy your future ceiling will be.

If your attic already is finished, you'll have to cut holes in the knee walls and the ceiling to gain access to insulate these areas. Fortunately, most walls and ceilings are not difficult to patch.

Over the next few pages, you'll see several techniques for insulating each part of an attic.