Enlarge Attic Opening

Most attic ladders are made to fit between joists set at 24 inches on center.

Enlarge attic opening.

This step is necessary regardless of whether you re expanding an existing hatchway or creating new attic access. Slice through the. If you re lucky and this is the case squaring of the opening is simply a matter of nailing a couple of blocks between. How to trim an opening for your attic stairs 1.

I plan to put joist hangers at all the circled areas. Repeat the cut on the. Measure and mark the stair opening dimensions required from either the room below or from the attic above. If you see the attached image the dotted lines are where the enlarged opening will be.

Inspect the room to decide the most convenient location for the attic stairs for a new stair installation or enlarge. Remove the loose section of drywall. Cut off the electricity and determine where wiring and plumbing pipes run in the area. Peek into the attic to make sure there aren t any ducts wires or pipes in the way.

Snap chalk lines onto the ceiling to represent the rough opening of the attic staircase. Measure and mark the size of your new opening plus 4 inches either side on top of existing ceiling joists 1 2 3 and. We want to enlarge the opening and put in some pull down stairs to make getting into the attic easier. Work from a stable a frame ladder and use a.

Cut one rafter with a. How to open up an attic access step 1. Place a 4 inch x 1 inch timber flat on the joists behind your. If your new hatch spans more than 2 joists involving cutting more than two joists you will need to contact a.

Cut the drywall straight across between the two joists connecting the ends of the two cut lines on the far edge of the attic access hole. Then cut out the rough opening with a drywall saw. Gently tap into plaster. Remove ceiling materials keeping a large waste can nearby.