The technically correct approach depends on a number of factors.
Attic insulation rafters or joists.
If your attic is often used or perhaps you plan to convert it in the future you will need to insulate the inner surfaces of the roof.
The batting material must be faced and.
1a attic access door.
In unfinished attic spaces insulate between and over the floor joists to seal off living spaces below.
You can use rigid foam panels or do as tom silva does with nearly all houses these days.
Joists are traditionally made from timber.
Joists are the parallel horizontal beams that run across an open space joining opposite walls in a building to support both the ceiling below and the floor above.
Install batting between the attic s floor joists.
When unrolled batting assumes its loft or thickness.
Whether or not there is an inner roof lining and the total thickness of the roof structure.
Spray foam insulation in the attic floor non vented attic spaces in this application considered the most effective by most of the spf industry the foam is sprayed directly to the underside of the roof between the joists down around the rim and into the soffit areas on the gable wall ends and effectively sealing off and insulating the entire attic space from any air infiltration.
Unlike solid insulation products that require careful measurement cutting and fitting spray foam can cover even the most uneven surface instantly.
Hire a pro to install spray foam insulation.
Either batting or blown insulation works in attics.
If you re considering turning your attic into conditioned storage or living space it s worth changing tactics to insulate between the rafters and wall joists instead of the floor.
Batting comes in rolls and is sized to fit between rafters or joists.
If the air distribution is in the attic space then consider insulating the rafters to move the distribution into the conditioned space.
For a correct approach an inner roof lining is required.
Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center oc meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches.