Tony and corey run through the process of installing an access door in an upstairs bonus space.
How to make an attic hatch door.
Purchase some 2 4 interior door jamb stock from your local building supply centre or any shop that supplies doors for homes.
Measure and draw the width between the joists and 28 to 30 inches for the length of the panel.
If you have ceiling joists laid out in a way that you can not put a full sized pull down ladder in like us or you just don t need to access your attic much then a small attic access panel might be the best option.
2 thick foam board 4 8 sheet with an r value of 10 orgreater you might need two sheets for larger hatches or to make it thicker 8 20 foamweather stripping the wider the better 1 can great stuff foam or similar 1 tube liquid nail or other construction adhesive.
Learn how to insulate your attic door or hatch.
Use a narrow drywall saw and cut along your joist lines first.
If the attic hatch rests on the molding you should add 2 1 2 inch stops around the entire opening.
Make your cross cuts using a utility knife.
This generally comes in 7 lengths and you will need three pieces of it for a standard sized attic access hatch.
You should feel the saw touching the side of the joist as you cut.
For this attic hatch you need.
A better plan is to mount a piece of foam insulation to the top side of the door construction.
The door hatch should close all the way pressing down on the gasket to create a full seal.
It s super easy and very inexpensive to put in a small attic access door like this one.
These new wood stops provide a larger area for attaching new weatherstripping.
Attach the rigid foam insulation to the attic side of the door.
Line the rim on top of the trim pieces with weatherstripping at minimum.
The weekend warriors home improvement show built by parr lumb.
They also give you an easy area to add hook fasteners if needed.
If the door doesn t have these weather strip it to provide a tight seal and make sure the latch pulls tightly against the frame.