Build An Attic Knee Wall

Use a template to determine the angle on each of those six pieces of 2x4.

Build an attic knee wall. Knee walls are short usually wooden walls installed around the sides of an attic where the rafters meet the floor. Cover rafters with an air barrier. Department of energy recommends that you complete several steps. Here you ll recess a chest of drawers into the knee wall of an upstairs bedroom.

What this means is that you can safely cut through it in order to install your own built in dresser that looks as if it were done by a professional. Support and follow me. Use a miter. 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.

Draw a line across that angle. Instructions the knee wall will be built on the floor of the attic and then tipped into place against the rafters. Step 1 use a stud finder to locate the studs in the knee wall where you intend to install your storage doors. One of your 2x4s.

An attic knee wall is a short wall that extends from the floor of an attic room to the roof rafters. You can convert hidden unused spaces into valuable storage areas. To make better use of this empty space build knee wall storage doors for easy access to the space behind the wall. Knee walls are the short interior walls built beneath the roof rafters.

This is actually quite a simple project that you can get done in about eight hours. You can see the image below for an example of a knee wall. Mark the line that the angle forms along your 2x4. The knee wall forms the wall of the attic room and it also creates an enclosed space under the eaves behind the wall.

Unlike other kinds of knee walls this kind of wall extends all the way to the rafters but because of the slope of the roof it is shorter than a full height wall. 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. To reduce air infiltration the u s. Typically a knee wall is a short wall that for the most part isn t load bearing.

Cut six lengths of 2x4 each 2 1 2 feet long. Caulk all other holes or cracks or stuff with fiberglass batt insulation or spray foam. Use your saw to cut along this line. The sloped roof creates a small space that can hardly be use.