Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom

When I bought the log cabin, it had a completely unfinished crawlspace attic. Just insulation and stuff the previous owners had abandoned laying over the roof trusses. There was access from the ceiling in the second bedroom.

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - Before: Completely unfinished attic — Before: Completely unfinished attic

Roof trusses or roof rafters are not the same as floor joists, the framing that would be put in to have an actual second story. The carpenters started by checking the structure. There was enough support, close enough together to make my playroom.

The electric wires were not in the center of the attic, so that solved that problem.

Two sun tunnels came through the attic. One into the hallway, one into the living room.
We changed them to light the attic instead.

We also have a whole house fan. We boxed that in.

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - Carpenter installing the stairs to the attic playroom — Carpenter installing the stairs to the attic playroom

We opened the ceiling between the trusses to get into the attic just as you walk in the front door of the log cabin. The carpenters spread them apart a little more. The stairs are narrow, only 21”, but they are standard otherwise. (Stair width is recommended to be 35”) Riser height is 8.25” Nosing protrusion 1.25” to prevent tripping. Headroom is 6’ 8” at its lowest, in the attic.

It is a lot easier to get up and down than a ladder!

Some of the trusses were nailed to each other diagonally. They replaced this with supports on the other side of the new wall.

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - The walls are made of clear birch wood beadboard, sanded and painted with high gloss paint. — The walls are made of clear birch wood beadboard, sanded and painted with high gloss paint.

We finished the walls with beadboard.

Clear birch wood beadboard comes in 4′ x 8′ sheets. I laid them out on dropcloth on the front porch and sanded them with a drywall screen. Then I rolled them with coat after coat of gloss latex paint. Each coat of paint would raise the grain, so I sanded between coats until the grain stopped getting rough.

Paint, wait.
Sand, dust, paint, wait.
Sand, dust, paint, wait.
Sand, dust, paint, wait.

It took weeks, but it’s a lot easier than crouching and twisting up after it was installed. I also pre-painted all of the trim boards.

Once the beadboard was painted, the carpenters installed it with nail guns and covered the joints with the trim. I caulked all the seams and touched up the nails.

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - There is plenty of room to play. You can see how much light comes in just from the sun tunnels. — There is plenty of room to play. You can see how much light comes in just from the sun tunnels.

We moved the sun tunnels so that they light the attic. The light spills down the stairwell.

My brother was able to get me this great window!

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - The attic window looks great from outside, too! — The attic window looks great from outside, too!

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - Play room in the attic with beadboard walls, click-lock floor. — Play room in the attic with beadboard walls, click-lock floor.

We used click-lock flooring. That went really fast, but the installer cussed the entire time as he kept bumping his head.

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - Click Lock Floor Railings, so grandchildren don’t fall down the stairs — Click Lock Floor
Railings, so grandchildren don’t fall down the stairs

We added railings so the grandchildren don’t fall down the stairs.

Project: Turning the Attic into a Playroom - There is room for a single bed, just the boxspring and mattress on the floor. The curtain hides storage on the other side. — There is room for a single bed, just the boxspring and mattress on the floor. The curtain hides storage on the other side.

I put a curtain on the other side of the stairs. The other sun tunnel is there. That side of the attic is for storage.

The ceiling is only 6’ 8” in the center, but it gives great usable space!

Later, when I had the heat pump installed, they added the attic as a second zone. The carpenters made fitted panels to cover up the entry, so that I only heat and cool the attic when I want to. I also screwed the window shut after my nephew climbed out of it.

Here are photos of the finished room!