Build Your Own Attic Access Door

With a few tools and materials you can build your own bookcase that doubles as a secret door into a crawlspace or attic.

Build your own attic access door.

Compact aluminum attic ladder with 250 lb. Screw the hardware in place. Install a knob for the door in the appropriate place and the magnetic catch to keep the door closed. Nail two nails through the ceiling from inside the attic along one of the joists.

A good location is one that makes it convenient to access the attic. Purebond birch plywood 312257418. Drop a plumb bob from the pin hole in the socket and mark the floor. 9 ft 18 in.

The attic access door is often the name used to describe push up type access panels knee wall doors or any type of entry point into the attic space. Attic rooms and areas under stairs often have crawlspace storage behind the. Place the door in the access hole and attach the hinges through the drywall to the stud. In this video i will show you how to build and install a attic access door.

You can construct these out of cardboard and staple the cardboard to the joists and to the 2 by 6 inch boards you installed. Not sure why we did this probably because we knew that creating the small attic access door was easy. Paint the door casing and door. Secure the hinges to the 14 1 8 by 23 5 8 by inch medium density fiberboard according to the manufacturer s instructions.

Anyways since we had to create the small attic access panel again i thought to take photos of the process so i could share the process with you. This generally comes in 7 lengths and you will need three pieces of it for a standard sized attic access hatch. Purchase some 2 4 interior door jamb stock from your local building supply centre or any shop that supplies doors for homes. Trace an outline for the spring hardware on the bottom corner of the door and use a jigsaw to cut out a notch.

This joist will act as one of the long sides of the opening. Consider adding insulation dams to retain loose fiberglass insulation at the sides of the opening unless you are adding a partial floor landing inside the attic. Maximum load capacity 203009104. You can make an opening anywhere in your home that is directly below the attic.

Position the door slipping the pin into the socket and centering the spring hardware on the mark.