Build An Attic Knee Wall

Framing basics for attic knee walls along the sides of your loft or attic space.

Build an attic knee wall.

Step 1 use a stud finder to locate the studs in the knee wall where you intend to install your storage doors. Determine the location and line of. Support and follow me. One of your 2x4s.

Use your saw to cut along this line. Knee walls are short usually wooden walls installed around the sides of an attic where the rafters meet the floor. This project is something that most homeowners could complete in just a few hours. In most instances they are no taller than 3 feet but some builders may custom fit them according to the roof s shape and size.

You ll gain a full size eight drawer chest without sacrificing a single square inch of floor space. Mark the line that the angle forms along your 2x4. Caulk all other holes or cracks or stuff with fiberglass batt insulation or spray foam. Instructions the knee wall will be built on the floor of the attic and then tipped into place against the rafters.

How to construct knee walls in attics 1. Determine the length of the knee wall from end to end and double this to determine the lineal footage of the. Snap a chalk line. Use a template to determine the angle on each of those six pieces of 2x4.

Access the attic using a stepladder at the attic access panel or the attic stairs. Cut six lengths of 2x4 each 2 1 2 feet long. Rigid air barrier material could include rigid foam insulation drywall plywood or osb among others. Knee walls are the short interior walls built beneath the roof rafters.

Here you ll recess a chest of drawers into the knee wall of an upstairs bedroom. Install a continuous air barrier on the exterior side of the attic knee wall framing with a rigid air barrier or other supporting material to prevent the knee wall cavity insulation from sagging and to create a continuous thermal barrier. You can convert hidden unused spaces into valuable storage areas. You can see the image below for an example of a knee wall.

Draw a line across that angle. Step 1 measure the attic to build your walls to the correct length measure the angle of the rafter by laying a piece of 2x4 inch lumber against the side of the rafter in a vertical position. To make better use of this empty space build knee wall storage doors for easy access to the space behind the wall. Department of energy recommends that you complete several steps.