Expand The Usability Of Your Home With A Loft Conversion Project

Expand The Usability Of Your Home With A Loft Conversion Project

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A loft conversion can be done in several different ways. The first is the easiest and most cost effective way. The idea is to find a place in your home that has a high ceiling and ideally no attic. If you have a high ceiling, there will be more than enough space to install a loft and still maintain a feeling of openness that the vaulted ceilings provide. If you have high ceilings you can move onto the next step which is to hire a contractor who is experienced in loft conversion who can execute the following loft conversion steps with ease.

The first step in converting an open ceiling space to a loft is to make sure there is enough supporting area to hold the loft adequately. Most contractors will use the existing roofing beams to set the base of the loft on and will have to dig into the drywall that surrounds the beams in order to access them. Chances are, the workers will need to install a scaffolding to complete most of the steps of the conversion. The conversion process can be quite messy and your family will need to be prepared to have disruptions and noise in the house during the day.

Once the placement of the loft is identified and the drywall has been removed, the cross beams that will support the loft can be installed. These beams serve as the main supporting structure of the loft, so as to ensure that the finished loft itself is as sturdy as a second floor. Once the loft beams and flooring is installed it's time to build out the walls of the loft. This part is the easiest part of the entire project.

The walls can be framed with wood and filled with insulation or they can simply be framed and covered with drywall which will be faster, but will allow vibration and sound to penetrate the loft easily. Once the walls and floor the the loft are complete, the whole thing needs to be covered in drywall and painted. This process can be the most tedious because the work has to be done upside down for the roof of the loft and because the holes that were made to access the support beams will have to be recovered and fitted to the existing drywall pieces. Once the drywall is in, a layer of stucco may need to be added before the paint can go on.

Once the paint is applied and drying, there are a few more finishing touches that need to be applied before you can call your loft finished and put it to use. If you have small children or pets that might use the loft you might consider installing a banister or building some low walls the keep the loft safe. Falling out of a loft is a parent's worse nightmare. You will also need to chose the type of access you want to install. It is possible to attach a ladder to the loft than can be removed or you could attach a curly staircase for easy access by children and adults alike.

Doing a loft is a considerable undertaking. Whether you are looking to create more storage space, an extra room, or a place for children to play and stay, a loft is a great addition to a home. Just keep in mind that the process can be long and noisy so be sure your entire family agrees to the project and is ready to deal with it.

About the Author:
County Lofts are a leading specialists in Loft Conversions London residents can trust and gain assistance from for all their loft and attic needs.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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