Yeah, spray foam's great for sealing tricky spots, but man, the cost adds up quick. I ended up using rigid foam board in some tight areas—bit more DIY-friendly and easier on the wallet. Just gotta be patient cutting it to fit...
Rigid foam board is definitely underrated—I've seen it used in plenty of attics and crawlspaces, and it gets the job done without breaking the bank. Spray foam's awesome, sure, but I've inspected enough homes to know that the cost-benefit doesn't always pan out, especially if you're just sealing up a few tricky spots. Plus, if you ever need to adjust or access wiring later, rigid foam's way easier to remove and replace without making a huge mess.
As for rafters vs. trusses, I've seen both work well, but it really depends on your situation. Rafters give you more flexibility for storage or future attic conversions, but trusses are usually quicker to install and can save you some headaches if you're not super experienced. Either way, just make sure your insulation and ventilation are dialed in—I've crawled through enough hot, stuffy attics to know that's one area you don't wanna skimp on...
"Rafters give you more flexibility for storage or future attic conversions, but trusses are usually quicker to install and can save you some headaches if you're not super experienced."
Yeah, rafters do offer nice flexibility, but honestly, I think people underestimate how much easier trusses make the whole building process. We went with trusses when we rebuilt our garage roof a few years back, and it saved us days of headache—especially since neither of us had done much framing before. Sure, we lost a bit of potential attic space, but realistically, how much stuff do you really wanna store up there anyway? Most folks I know just end up hoarding boxes they never touch again...
Also, about rigid foam—I agree it's handy for smaller jobs, but spray foam isn't always as messy as people say. We had a pro come in to seal up some tricky areas around the chimney and plumbing vents. It wasn't cheap, but the difference it made in comfort and energy bills was pretty noticeable. I'd say if you can swing the upfront cost, spray foam can be worth it for those tricky sealing jobs.
We went with rafters when we redid our roof a while back, mostly because we had dreams of turning the attic into a cozy little office space someday. Fast forward five years...and it's still just boxes of holiday decorations and old camping gear up there, haha. I totally get your point about trusses being easier, especially if you're not super experienced. My brother-in-law used trusses on his workshop build, and he was done in no time compared to us.
"spray foam isn't always as messy as people say."
Yeah, spray foam gets a bad rap sometimes. We DIY'd some rigid foam insulation in our basement, and it worked fine, but honestly, I wish we'd sprung for spray foam around the rim joists. Those tight spots were a pain to seal properly with rigid foam and caulk. Did you notice a big difference in drafts after you had the spray foam done? I'm curious if it's worth revisiting those tricky areas...
We went with trusses on our garage build, mostly because I was new to roofing and wanted something straightforward. Honestly, it saved a ton of headaches. But now I'm wondering...
"Fast forward five years...and it's still just boxes of holiday decorations and old camping gear up there, haha."
Did you ever regret not having that extra attic space? I'm debating rafters for the next project.
