If you're moving into a different home that has an attic, you might be excited over the storage potential in this space. However, attics have a tendency to get very hot, which can have an effect on some items you store in this space. You can reduce the temperature in your attic by creating your own attic barriers to absorb some of the heat with your empty moving boxes. This guide explains how to make attic barriers quickly, and with just a few materials.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Get started in creating your own attic barrier by gathering the following items in addition to your moving boxes:

• pencil
• utility knife
• tape measure
• wide rolls of aluminum foil
• duct tape
• staple gun
• staples

Step 2: Undo the Boxes

Take the box tape off the seams of the boxes to open them up. Cut the seams that don't have tape with the utility knife until you have a flat piece of cardboard.

Step 3: Create Cardboard Sheets

Measure the distance between the rafters on the attic's ceiling. Measure the length from the peak of the ceiling and the attic's floor. Mark these measurements on the cardboard with your pencil, and then cut it to size with the utility knife.

If your cardboard is not big enough to create one sheet, connect two or more together, with duct tape, until you have enough sheets that are the correct sizes to cover the entire attic ceiling.

Note: Most rafters are spaced evenly apart, so you only need to measure one space. 

Step 4: Attach Aluminum Foil

Wrap one layer of aluminum foil around the cardboard and then secure it with duct tape. Depending on the width, you may need to place two sheets over the cardboard, one overlapping the other. You may use duct tape to secure the seams but this is not necessary.

Step 5: Attach the Barrier

Insert the barrier into the space between the rafters and staple it in place with the staple gun. Begin at the four corners of the sheet, and then add a few more staples throughout the edges of the sheet.

Repeat this step until each rafter space is filled with your homemade barrier.

Be mindful of how much you store in your attic. Covering the attic barriers can interfere with the foil's ability to absorb the heat. Ask your contractor (such as Superior Buildings & Design Ltd) for help if you run into any issues with this project. Share this with others who want to use their attic for storage but feel the temperature may ruin some of their prized possessions.